What to eat in Jeju island? — Top 8+ famous food & best food in Jeju island

Being blessed by nature, Jeju Island has a lot of great specialties. Besides the adventure journey to visit this wonderful island land, enjoying the food is an indispensable part. Are you eager to taste the delectable foods here? Let’s find out right away with us in this article. So, what to eat in Jeju island (Jeju island what to eat) and where to eat in Jeju island? Let’s check out our suggested 8+ food must eat in Jeju island, famous food in Jeju island (Jeju island famous food), best food to eat in Jeju island (best food in Jeju island) and where to find them and best places to eat in Jeju island alike as follows!

Abalone at Myeongjin Jeonbok restaurant (#best food to eat in jeju island)

The very fresh abalone harvested in Jeju is a famous delicacy. To be able to enjoy this precious dish, the process of collecting abalone is extremely arduous. The island female divers are called haenyeo – the mermaids of Jeju. They have to dive to a depth of 15m under the sea to find precious seafood such as octopus, sea urchins, oysters and mollusks. Among them, abalone is the most precious and rare.

Jeju abalones are known as obunjagi. This is a seafood species of small size but extremely firm meat. When eating, besides the familiar abalone flavor, diners will feel a very special bitter taste. That bitter taste does not make the dish less delicious. In fact, that is what is “remembering” of these abalone.

One of the best places that you should visit to try Jeju abalone is Myeongjin Jeonbok restaurant. Coming to Myeongjin Jeobok, visitors have the opportunity to enjoy this precious dish from the deep sea. The restaurant has only serves four dishes on its menu, which are: abalone rice, abalone porridge, grilled abalone and abalone sashimi. The ingredients to make each dish are the freshest foods. Abalone meat in any dish is crispy and soft, with an extremely rich flavor. Therefore, the delicious taste of each precious piece of meat is kept intact and raised to a new level.

Every dish at Myeongjin Jeobok is full of flavor and extremely savory. That proves the meticulousness and enthusiasm that the chef puts into each dish. They only focus on these four unique dishes to give diners the best experience. The perfection in each dish makes Myeongjin Jeonbok restaurant always crowded. Therefore, you need to prepare mentally to wait to be able to enjoy this dish.

Myeongjin Jeonbok Abalone
Address: 1282 Haemajihaean-ro, Gujwa-eup, Jeju-si, Jeju-do, South Korea
Hours: 9:30AM–9:30PM/Tuesday: Closed
Phone: +82 64-782-9944

Black Pork at Donsadon (#famous food in jeju island)

If in Vietnam, black pork is a specialty of highlands, in Jeju, there is also a very special black pig dish. The black pig breed raised on the island is a precious pig breed only available here. When traveling around the island, you will see organic pig farms in a small model. In which, black pigs with small size, smooth black fur are scurrying everywhere.

Jeju black pork is famous for its flesh firmness of meat and delicious taste. There are many ways to prepare it, but the best dish is barbecue. It is a dish worthy of the title of “a dish that many people love” because of the perfect blend of flavor and taste.

To be able to best describe the deliciousness of Donsadon barbecue, it must come from the ingredients. The pieces of meat with the perfect lean-fat ratio and fresh are cut by the chef and then seasoned evenly on each flesh of meat. When grilled on a hot charcoal stove, each piece of meat is golden and fragrant. When put in the mouth, diners will feel each piece of meat firm and juicy. The fragrant grilled outside dipped with a rich sauce creates an irresistible whole. You should consult the barbecue from the owner before embarking on making it yourself. Because, if it is too hot, the meat will be dry; On the contrary, if it is not cooked thoroughly, it is not safe.

The most demanding diners are conquered by this dish. If you are a fan of K-pop artists, you will see images of many idols ecstatic while enjoying delicious pieces of Donsadon. One of them is the legendary BIGBANG group. With the popularity of this dish, we have a whole street selling black pork dishes on Jeju Island. Along the two sides of the road are countless restaurants selling Donsadon. The taste of BBQ black pork is also extremely delicious everywhere, so you can choose any restaurant to enjoy.

Besides, the pork noodle – gogi guksu on the island is also one of the dishes you must try. This is a traditional dish of the people for more than 100 years. It is also known as janchi guksu – the noodle dish for wedding parties.

The broth of the noodles is a broth made from fresh meat on the island. Each noodle is soft and chewy with the taste of soup served with boiled pork belly with a little green onion, carrot, roasted sesame and gochugaru. The boiled meat is cooked to the perfect fat-lean ratio. Therefore, the whole bowl of noodles has a sweet taste of meat without any greasy taste from fat. This is the perfect food for you.

You can find this dish in the guksu golmok area or in the island areas specializing in broth based dishes. Shops selling gogi guksu open at all times of the day to serve customers from all over the world. In particular, this is a favorite night dish of tourists after traveling on the island with an empty stomach.

You can come to Black Pork Street on Jeju with a various of restaurants serving this dish or restaurants specializing in black pork to try.

Grilled Mackerel at Deomjang Jungmun (#food must eat in jeju island)

Mackerel is one of the seafood with a large yield from the waters around Jeju Island. Therefore, its price is not high and local people often process this ingredient into typical dishes. Among them, must mention the grilled mackerel godeungeo gui.

The place to eat that we would like to introduce to you is Deomjang Jungmun restaurant. This is an extremely famous restaurant for its famous grilled mackerel. Under the talented hands of the chef, the fish is cleaned and marinated with traditional spices, so there is no fishy smell. After being grilled on the fire, the hot, fragrant fish is served with other panchan dishes (side dishes). The fish meat inside is white while the skin is golden, a little bit brown. When eating in the mouth, diners will feel the fragrant crispy skin mixed with the soft and sweet meat inside. You will find this fish dish more delicious when served with other dishes on the table. The sour and sour kimchi will enhance your taste, while the mixed bean sprouts or crispy cucumber will make your diet cooler.

Deomjang Jungmun
Address: 17 Cheonjeyeon-ro, Saekdal-dong, Seogwipo-si, Jeju-do, South Korea
Hours: 8AM–10PM
Phone: +82 64-738-2550

Sashimi at Friendship Sashimi (#what to eat in jeju island)

Sashimi is a delicious dish not only available in Japan. In fact, Koreans also love this dish and it is also very popular. If you are a sashimi addict, Jeju Island will be your paradise!

Jeju Island is famous all over the world not only for its natural scenery but also for its extremely rich source of seafood from fish, shrimp, squid, to krill. Therefore, every piece of sashimi that arrives at the table of diners is the freshest part. You will not be able to resist the fresh slices of meat and eye-catching colors. The meal will be served with soy sauce, some slices of fresh chili and some panchan. Dip lightly each sashimi piece in this sauce and enjoy the freshness. A little bit of saltiness of soy sauce, a little bit spicy of chili pepper makes the fresh sashimi more yummy without being fishy at all.

Do you feel hungry? Then, what are you waiting for, come to the pojangmacha shops right on Jeju Island to enjoy! Eating in small restaurants is a common way to enjoy food in Korea. Among them, we recommend Friendship Sashimi. This place will help you enjoy the above-mentioned attractive flavors with the wonderful Jeju sea view. This is also the ideal place for family and friends gatherings.

Friendship Sashimi
Address: 2615-4 Doduil-dong, Jeju-si, Jeju-do, South Korea
Hours: 10AM–10PM
Phone: +82 64-743-2226

Ribbon fish at Manna Sikdang (#jeju island what to eat)

Not only famous for fresh sashimi, Jeju cuisine also has excellent cooked seafood dishes. We are talking about the Ribbon fish – a fish that is loved by the locals. Ribbon fish – or galchim jorim – is a type of fish with long, thin bodies and slippery skin. This fish is difficult to keep fresh after being caught, so it is usually frozen when it reaches the consumer. Therefore, if you want to enjoy the freshest fish, you must definitely come to Jeju Island.

Usually, this dish will taste best when made into a spicy stew. Each piece of fish meat is cooked thoroughly to infuse the spices evenly. The flesh of the fish is firm, sweet and not fishy at all. The flavor of the fish emerges fragrantly unlike any other fish.

This dish is famous all over the island and is a staple of many restaurants here. One of the most famous restaurants is Manna Sikdang. This is where the freshest ribbon fish portions of the day are sold. Because of its popularity, this restaurant is always crowded with diners to enjoy. Because of that, you will have to wait a bit to eat this dish or you will have to regret it because it is out of stock. Come early and grab the chance!

Manna Sikdang
Address: 41 Dongnyuam-ro, Seongsan-eup, Seogwipo-si, Jeju-do, South Korea
Hours: 8:30AM–2PM/Wednesday: Closed
Phone: +82 64-782-4771

Haemultang Seafood Hot Pot at Samsunghyeol Haemultang (#best food in jeju island)

Haemultang is a type of seafood hot pot popular among Koreans. This dish is extremely delicious and healthy because it includes a lot of fresh ingredients served with a spicy and light sweet broth. It can be said that haemultang is found everywhere in this country, however, the version of Haemultang in Jeju is somewhat more special and becomes a specialty worth trying when coming here.

Thanks to the endowed nature, Jeju Island has an extremely rich source of seafood. Therefore, the ingredients to make Jeju Haemultang hot pot are much more diverse and attractive. The fresh seafood is cooked with vegetable broth and thick gochujang sauce. Just sip a spoonful of broth, you will find your body becomes more refreshing and healthy. Pieces of seafood such as shrimp, crab, squid, clam,… fresh are soaked in broth. When picked up, they still hot. The flesh of each piece of seafood must be extremely sweet. You should add a little spicy sauce to make the meat more flavorful. This dish is not only extremely delicious but also healthy because it provides many nutrients. Therefore, this is an extremely suitable option for family and friends.

To find this dish, be sure to visit Samseonghyeol Haemultang restaurant in Jeju. This restaurant is designed in traditional Korean architecture. You will enjoy the low table style dining table and sit flat. The boiling hot pot of Heamultang will definitely make you unable to ignore. Besides, Samseonghyeol Haemultang’s menu also has equally delicious seafood dishes. So, come here and enjoy the great food from the sea!

Samseonghyeol Haemultang
Address: 23 Doduhangseo 7-gil, Jeju-si, Jeju-do, South Korea
Phone: +82 64-745-3000

Seaweed soup at Guksu Madang (#best food to eat in jeju island)

Another dish that will warm your stomach that is extremely suitable for the cool climate of Jeju Island is momguk seaweed soup. It can be said that seaweed is an indispensable ingredient in the life of Korean people in general. In Jeju Island, abundant seaweed is harvested on the coastline that stretches around. The type of seaweed to cook this soup is Horsetail Kelp (Laminaria digitata) – a type of seaweed that is extremely nutritious.

Although Koreans eat seaweed soup very popular, but momgulk dish is only available in Jeju Island. This dish comes from the name of the main ingredient – Horsetail Kelp – commonly known by locals as “mom” or “mojaban”. The momgulk dish is associated with the history of this beautiful island: According to the locals, the Jeju region has a relatively harsh climate with strong sea breezes and a cold climate. That makes all kinds of fragile agricultural crops unsustainable. The lack of food resources has been compensated by people with horsetail kelp collected in the deep sea. Since then, they have created this dish.

In order to cook delicious momgulk properly, it is necessary to have a broth of pork bones that has been stewed for many hours. Then, horsetail kelp is cooked with onions, kimchi and vegetables to create a delectable soup. The seaweed in the soup creates an extremely attractive sweet taste. This sweetness blends perfectly with the broth and vegetables. Besides, the pieces of sour kimchi make the soup delicious without being bored. This is truly a great dish for your health and taste buds.

Traditionally, this dish is prepared on special occasions and family reunions throughout the year. However, when coming to Guksu Madang, visitors will enjoy this special dish at all times.

Guksu Madang
Address: 65 Samseong-ro, Jeju-si, Jeju-do, South Korea
Hours: 8AM–12AM

Sweet tangerine tea at O’Sulloc Tea Museum

Referring to fruits in Jeju, people will immediately think of juicy and bright yellow tangerines, a specialty here, you also buy it as a gift. The warm weather when summer comes, brings cool sweetness into each fruit, creating an unforgettable flavor. This specialty is not only famous in Jeju but also the most delicious fruit of Korea. There are some documents that record this precious tangerine variety was planted on the island from the years of the 13th century.

When the tangerine crop is in season, visitors can find trays of fresh fruit in every shop on the island. This is a dish that is not only delicious but also good for your health. At the same time, sweet tangerines are also chosen to buy as meaningful gifts.

Besides fresh tangerines, foods made from this specialty or with its flavor are also extremely popular. One of my favorites is tangerine tea. The place that you should come to enjoy this unique drink is at O’sulloc Tea Museum. With just a small cup of tea, you have the opportunity to enjoy the ingenious combination of the sweet aroma of tangerine peel and the famous O’sulloc tea on the island. These two flavors blend to create a warm and rich feeling. Besides, you also have the opportunity to learn more about the tea growing process here.

O’Sulloc Tea Museum
Address: 15 Sinhwayeoksa-ro, Andeok-myeon, Seogwipo-si, Jeju-do, South Korea
Hours: 9AM–7PM
Phone: +82 64-794-5312

From juicy cuts of pork to fresh seafood dishes that will satisfy your hungry stomach. One thing must be admitted that the beautiful little Jeju island is a paradise for any tourist. Be sure to include the experiences that we introduced above in your discovery journey. You will have a memorable trip of a lifetime!

Some best day tours, trips, activities and transfer services, tickets in, to and from Jeju you can refer to

• Private Jeju International Airport Transfers (CJU) for Jeju City
• Private Jeju International Airport Transfers (CJU) for Seogwipo City
• Jeju City Bus
• Eastern Jeju Discovery
• Western Island Exploration
• Eastern Jeju Private Day Tour
• Western Jeju Private Day Tour
• Southern Jeju Adventure Day Tour
• Jeju Private Car Charter
• [Limited Offer] AREX Incheon Airport Express Train One Way Ticket in Seoul
• 4G Prepaid SIM Card (SK Airports Pick Up) for South Korea
• [SALE] South Korea 4G Pocket WiFi (KR Airports Pick Up) from KT Olleh
• 4G WiFi (MY Airport Pick Up) for South Korea (Unlimited Data)
• 4G Portable WiFi for South Korea from Uroaming (Unlimited Data)
• [SALE] Instant Ticket: Korea Rail Pass (KR PASS) 2/3/4/5Days
• [Limited Offer] Incheon International Airport (ICN) Luggage Services (Between Airport and Hotel) by Safex

Are you looking for more Jeju travel guide and top things to do in Jeju: Tours, activities, attractions and other things? Read more: Jeju island trip blog — How to explore Jeju west coast in 1 day itinerary (Jeju one day trip)?