South Korea has become a popular travel destination and Muslims account for a significant share. However, Seoul is still one of those cities where not only tourists but also expatriates have always found it difficult to locate halal restaurants in Seoul.
But fret not! The Korea Tourism Organisation (KTA) and restaurant owners themselves are making an effort in making South Korea a Muslim-friendly country. KTA also announced that they are planning to increase their efforts in encouraging more restaurants to get halal certification, in order to serve 1.2 million Muslim tourists coming in 2017.
To help you out with your trip to Korea planning, we have found five must-try halal restaurants in Seoul. This will certainly help you to eat both traditional Korean and international cuisine without any doubt. If you’re a vegetarian or simply a seafood lover then check out our favourite Korean halal dishes that we believe are worth the try, they are super yummy and can be found here.
EID Halal Korean Food
EID restaurant is a halal-certified; favourite amongst the Muslim locals and tourists. EID restaurants is located within Seoul Central Mosque area, and popular with a wide range of local dishes. Taste their popular dishes: Banchan (a meal made up of multiple side dishes served with rice and kimchi), Bibimbap (mixed rice with an assortment of vegetables) and Korean beef stir fry for a true Korean experience. We recommend EID for mainly special occasions as it can be expensive on an everyday basis. Moreover, this halal Korean restaurant is small. Hence, the waiting queue can be quite long. Make sure you plan your visit in advance. Food at EID makes the place definitely worth a visit as one of our favourite Halal restaurants in Seoul.
Must-Try in their menu: Korean stir fry beef
Google Rating: 4.3/5
Facebook Page: EID Halal Korean Food
Location: https://goo.gl/maps/EG4WQuYSbMx, nearest station; Itaewon
Opening Hours: 11:30 AM – 9 PM, closed on Mondays
Balwoo Gongyang
Balwoo Gongyang keeps true to the principles of eating food at a Buddhist temple, following the principles of true Korean cuisine started in the beginning of the Joseon era. The name of the restaurant refers to disciplining oneself in Buddhism, maintaining self-control as well as the method of monastery meals consumed by the monks. Balwoo serves only organic vegetarian food, excluding the forbidden five pungent vegetables from their diet: scallions, onions, chives, leeks and garlic from its cuisine. Balwoo’s cuisine makes one realise the importance of vegetables and encourages it to be the main focus in their recipes as they are cooked following techniques used for centuries.
P.S: Although it’s Buddhist, Muslim travellers still can enjoy this cuisine as it’s purely vegetarian.
Must-Try in their menu: Song-l and Sansa
Google Rating: 4.3/5
Location: https://goo.gl/maps/Vd1oTREe2Hv, nearest station; Gyeongbokgung
Opening Hours: Till 9 PM, closed on Sundays
Makan Halal Korean Restaurant
Makan restaurant in Itaewon is run a Korean Muslim family who serve the traditional Korean cuisine to tourists and locals. They took an extra step and got certified by KMF (Korean Muslim Federation) in 2015 for an additional assurance their meals are halal. We recommend that you try their best-selling dishes Makan Bulgogi (thin, marinated slices of beef) and Bulgogi Bibimbap, a Korean rice dish with a selection of vegetables. With an extremely affordable price point and warm hospitality from the owners, Makan is definitely a notable halal restaurants in Seoul to check out if you’re visiting.
P.S: They also offer help and information services to Muslim tourists.
Must-Try in their menu: Samgyetang, a Korean Ginseng Chicken Soup
Google Rating: 4.9/5
Facebook Page: Makan Halal Korean Restaurant
Location: https://goo.gl/maps/VwHCiFWcc9n, nearest station; Itaewon
Opening Hours: 10:30 AM – 10:30 PM, closed on Tuesdays
Yang Good (Yangguk) Halal Korean BBQ
Korean Barbecue is one of South Korea’s most favourable food that garnered attention all over the world. Multitude of Korean BBQ restaurants have been opening up in recent years which makes it a great food awakening.
Yang Good BBQ is a restaurant where you can sample the world-famous Korean barbecue without having to worry about whether it is halal or not as this restaurant offers halal meat imported from Australia. Locals consider Yang Good BBQ to be one of the best halal restaurants, if not the best halal BBQ place in South Korea. You can enjoy a tasty lamb kebab or skewers prepared in Korean style, glazed with sweet-spicy Korean barbecue sauce. Barbecues and kebab are not the only food you can enjoy here; they also serve other traditional Korean dishes such as cold noodles and kimchi soup.
Must-Try in their menu: Skewered Lamb meat and mutton soup
Google Rating: 4.4/5
Facebook Page: Yang Good Korean BBQ Lamb – Halal
Location: https://goo.gl/maps/o3oqJqiSx6y, nearest station; Yeoksam
Opening Hours: 3 PM – 12 AM, closed on Sundays
BoA Travel House
BoA Travel is conveniently located in Hongdae, an urban region in Seoul known for its youthful ambience. BoA Travel house is a restaurant as well as a guesthouse; known for its eight kinds of halal dosiraks. Dosiraks are Korean packed lunches that consist of rice, side dishes and soup. Dosiraks are kept warm by their special packaging – Thermo steel containers (no plastic!). This is very convenient for tourists who are visiting the area and want to eat Korean food on the go.
P.S: BoA travel house is also an awesome place to stay in Seoul (recommended by us on Tripfez. Check BoA Travel House Muslim amenities). Plus, they offer their guests a 10% discount for their restaurant!
Must-Try in their menu: Bulgogi Dosirak
Google Rating: 4.4/5
Facebook Page: Halal Korean Food Dosirak, Hongdae of Seoul
Location: Hongdae, https://goo.gl/maps/p6Co4iJ184B2, nearest station; Hongik University
Opening Hours: 12 PM – 9 PM, closed on Mondays.
Marrakech Restaurant
This Middle Eastern restaurant uses the same name as the capital city of Morocco: Marrakesh restaurant’s interior has a quintessential Middle-Eastern style that sets the mood, and the restaurant’s menu is filled with dishes that effectively recreate the Moroccan cuisine. Moroccan sandwiches with chicken or falafel, and Kabsa, a mixed rice dish with served with either chicken or lamb with a topping of potatoes, raisins and pine nuts are local must-try favourites here. Another notable dish at Marrakech is couscous (steamed crushed wheat semolina). They also serve hookah (a smoking device for those craving for shisha) giving you the ultimate Moroccan experience.
Must-Try in their menu: Falafel Sandwiches and Couscous
Google Rating: 4.5/5
Location: https://goo.gl/maps/F92nVeb7oWA2, nearest station; Itaewon
Opening Hours: Mon-Sun, till 3 AM
MURREE Halal Korean Food
Murree restaurant takes its name from a city in Islamabad from northern Pakistan and embodies a mix of the Pakistani and Korean food cultures. The owner, a Muslim Pakistani from Murree, offers a variety of Pakistani foods that are enriched with history and flavour, from currys of different spices to Biryani, a mixed rice dish served with meat – their special must-try dishes. The restaurant is also well-known for serving Korean food such as Dakdoritang (Korean spicy stew), Kimchi stew and Bulgogi, a tribute to his host country.
Must-Try in their menu: Tandoori Chicken and Biryani
Google Rating: 4.3/5
Location: https://goo.gl/maps/vyt9AX5dTRS2, nearest station; Itaewon
Opening Hours: Mon – Sun, 11 AM to 10 PM
Little India
Little India restaurant is located near Seoul Central Mosque and is often crowded with locals and tourists wanting to taste their flavourful curry. ‘Little India special for 2’ is their most popular choice on the menu as it offers Lasooni Kebab (a garlic-infused meat), Tandoori Chicken, Plain Naan, Malai Kebab (chunks of chicken wrapped in sour cream, creamy textures of cheese and cream cheese), Garlic Naan and Mango Lassis (yoghurt based drink). If you are a party of one, go for the Chicken Dopiaza curry cooked with flavourful spices and a large amount of onions.
Must-Try in their menu: Little India special for 2
Google Rating: 4.1/5
Location: https://goo.gl/maps/h938xApkLt32, nearest station; Itaewon
Opening Hours: Mon – Sun, 11:30 AM to 10:30 PM
Salam Restaurant
Salam restaurant serves Turkish cuisine and is located right next to Seoul Central Mosque. It is known to be the very first Turkish restaurant to open in South Korea and has been certified by the KMF (Korean Muslim Federation). The owner of the restaurant is, in fact, a Muslim Korean who visited Turkey and could not forget the taste of the Middle Eastern dessert Baklava (a sweet pastry dessert). This inspired him to open up a restaurant in Korea in order to bring the Turkish culture to Korea, and he was able to achieve this by hiring two Turkish chefs. The restaurant’s menu represents the Turkish cuisine by re-creating authentic foods such as lamb or chicken doner and Köfte. If you have a sweet tooth, enjoy desserts and pastries at an affordable price at Salam Bakery which is just next door.
Must-Try in their menu: Lamb shish kebab
Google Rating: 4.2/5
Location: https://goo.gl/maps/Yyg5RruntSp, nearest station; Itaewon
Opening Hours: Till 10 PM, closed on Mondays
FOREIGN (레스토랑)
You can get a different taste of cultures simply by eating at Foreign Restaurant (레스토랑).
The restaurant is located in Itaewon and specialises in Indian food, but it also serves Korean dishes as well as Middle Eastern and Bangladeshi cuisine, with an occasional serving of Chinese and Italian. This eatery is popular amongst locals as it deviates away from their everyday Korean meals, and they can taste so many different cuisines in one place. Tourists also come here often for the buffet; while slightly limited, the buffet does give value for money at ₩20,000 per person. They also have weekday lunch specials for a more reasonable price from around ₩8,000. A definite must-visit if you are looking for international experience.
Must-Try in their menu: Tandoori Chicken
Google Rating: 3.5/5
Location: https://goo.gl/maps/FKQTauUB1YQ2, nearest station, Itaewon
Opening Hours: Mon – Sun, 11:30 AM– 11 PM
Tips to help you when searching for halal food in Seoul:
- When in doubt, make to sure to double-check with the restaurant before you order anything. If not, opt for a vegetarian choice.
- South Korea launched an app called ‘Halal Korea’ dedicated to help Muslims in find the best halal restaurants.
It may still be a struggle finding halal food everywhere in South Korea, especially in cities outside of the capital area. However, on the positive side of things we are starting to see an uprise of Muslim-friendly eateries. If you are deciding to travel to Busan, you can enjoy a selection of our favourite halal restaurants in Busan.
Did you like these Halal Restaurants in Seoul?
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