“Tteokbokki,†a combination of sweet and spicy condiments and chewy mochi, captivates the palate just by imagining it. Even if they have similar ingredients and recipes, they have a variety of flavors depending on the type of mochi, the seasoning, and the taste of the person making it. Chewy rice cakes and soft wheat mochi are the biggest contenders, along with the controversy over sweet and sour pork's book-dipping meat. If you're curious about each flavor, check out the 5 best tteokbokki restaurants in Seoul that come to mind even if you eat them every day!
1. Where hot dogs meet tteokbokki, Guui-dong's “Shinto Buddha Tteokbokkiâ€
Image source: Shikigami Contents Team
Image source: Shikigami Contents Team
“Shintobutsui Tteokbokki†has gone viral as a regular restaurant for famous celebrities. The characteristic of this place is that hot dogs are cut into bite-sized pieces and mixed with tteokbokki. The hot dog gently soothes the sharp tteokbokki sauce and blends pleasantly in the mouth. The signature menu is the “Shinto Buddha Set,†where you can find toppings such as tteokbokki, fish cake, gyoza, eggs, and hot dogs all at once.
[Shikigami Tip]
â–²Location: 42, Jayang-ro 43-gil, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul
▲Opening hours: 11:00 — 23:00 every day, closed on the first and third Mondays
â–²Price: The Shinto Buddha set is 9,000 won, one serving is 3,000 won Review (Shikigami Nado Benedict): It was famous before, but it became known as a celebrity staple and became more popular. It's nice to be open until late, and I can feel the nostalgic taste of buying and eating in front of school. ^^
2. Extraordinary chewiness, 'Deokjane mill' in Seocho-dong
Image source: Shikigami Contents Team
Image source: Shikigami Contents Team
“Deokjane Mill†makes tteokbokki every morning with homemade rice cake and sauce that has been aged for a week. The signature menu “Tteokbokki†is served with a potato salad topped with red sauce. The chewy texture of the thick mochi is attractive. I also like “vegetable bibimbap gyoza,†where flat dumplings are mixed with vegetables and a sweet and spicy sauce.
[Shikigami Tip]
â–²Location: 7 Sapyeong-daero 56-gil, Seocho-gu, Seoul
▲Business hours: 11:00 — 21:00 every day
â–²Price: Tteokbokki 4,000 won, vegetable bibimbap dumplings 6,000 won
â–²Review (Little Princess of Shikigami 95): The thick thickness of the rice cake steals attention! It's not as spicy as I thought, so it's easy to eat. I tried vegetable bibimbap gyoza, so the gyoza can be eaten with seasoning or dipped in tteokbokki soup, and it's delicious!
3. The coolness added by bean sprouts, 'Cat Kitchen' in Seocho-dong
Image source: Shikigami Contents Team
Image source: Shikigami Contents Team
The “cat kitchen†has a cute atmosphere with cat props placed all over the store. The signature menu is “cat tteokbokki,†which contains plenty of bean sprouts and has a sweet, spicy, and refreshing soup flavor. You can enjoy it even more by adding cotton sarees and toppings according to your preferences. Side dishes that go well with tteokbokki are also available, such as sundae, matang, and rice balls.
[Shikigami Tip]
â–²Location: 7 Gangnam-daero 61-gil, Seocho-gu, Seoul
▲Business hours: 11:00 — 21:00 every day
â–²Price: Cat tteokbokki (small) 10,900 won, colorful rice balls 2,000 won
â–²Testimonial (Watermelon claps): I often go to work for lunch. The store is on the big side, but it's always crowded with people when it's time to eat, so I wait and eat. As a finishing touch, be sure to eat the savory ham fried rice.
4. “Ruby Tteokbokki†in Sinsa-dong, full of crispy fried shrimp
Image source: Shikigami Contents Team
Image source: Shikigami Contents Team
“Ruby Tteokbokki†has been very popular since it aired on the famous media. The signature menu, “Ruby Shrimp Kong Tteokbokki,†is topped with plenty of freshwater shrimp tempura on top of tteokbokki. The aroma of deep-fried shrimp neutralizes the spiciness of tteokbokki and blends harmoniously with the chewy rice cake. “Ruby Handmade Sausage Gimbap,†which has a chewy texture with a whole sausage, is also popular.
[Shikigami Tip]
â–²Location: 21 Seolleung-ro 153-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul
▲Opening hours: 12:00 — 21:00 every day, closed on Sundays
â–²Price: Ruby shrimp tteokbokki 5,000 won, Ruby handmade sausage gimbap 4,500 won
â–²Review (Shikigin Mochine Butcher): A place that aired as a tteokbokki restaurant at the Demand Gourmet Party! I was amazed at the combination of deep-fried shrimp and tteokbokki, but once I took a bite, I was immediately addicted to it! You can use the fish paste soup on your own.
5. 'Red Restaurant' in Nonhyeon-dong, with a refreshing spicy aftertaste
Image source: Shikigami Contents Team
Image source: Shikigami Contents Team
“Red Restaurant†is located in Sinnonhyeon Station Food Alley. The signature menu, “Pepperoni Tteokbokki,†is topped with mozzarella cheese and pepperoni to make it feel like pizza. It is characterized by its refreshing spiciness using Vietnamese green pepper instead of capsaicin. Note that you can choose the spiciness of tteokbokki and the ratio of mochi to fish paste according to your preferences.
[Shikigami Tip]
â–²Location: 21, Gangnam-daero 118-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul
▲Business hours: 11:00 — 02:30 every day
â–²Price: Pepper tteokbokki 15,000 won, steamed red ribs 14,000 won
â–²Testimonial (Shikigami's nickname is difficult): If you are a map lover, this is a place you must visit at least once. I tend to eat spicy food, but this place is so spicy that it makes my tongue tingle. There are lots of tasty and spicy foods, so I recommend it when you want to relieve stress!