Experience the Unique Popular Restaurants of Sokcho
As dawn breaks over Sokcho, the first thing you notice isn’t the sight of the mountains or the sea — it’s the smell. From the harborside markets to the narrow backstreets near Abai Village, the air is rich with aromas of grilled seafood, sizzling soups, and freshly steamed rice. Sokcho, a small coastal city in South Korea’s Gangwon Province, is a paradise for food lovers — a place where the ocean meets tradition, and every meal tells a story.
To experience the unique popular restaurants of Sokcho is to understand the city’s rhythm — a blend of fishing heritage, North Korean refugee influences, and modern culinary creativity. Each restaurant offers not just food, but a slice of Sokcho’s identity, seasoned with the warmth of its people.
A Taste of the Sea: Where the Ocean Shapes the Menu
Sokcho’s cuisine begins with the sea. Walk through Daepo Port in the early morning, and you’ll find fishermen unloading baskets of squid, crab, and mackerel — all destined for the city’s famous seafood restaurants.
1. Daepo Port Live Fish Center (Daepo Hwetjip)
Here, the experience starts before you even sit down. Rows of tanks filled with live fish line the market, and you can choose your catch on the spot. Within minutes, it’s sliced into delicate sashimi, served with soy sauce, chili paste, and fresh wasabi.
It’s more than just dining; it’s theater — watching skillful hands turn the morning’s catch into art. Locals say the best time to visit is just before sunset, when the air smells faintly of salt and sea breeze, and the sky reflects on the water outside.
2. Cheongcho Fish Market
Cheongcho Market is smaller but more personal. It’s where Sokcho residents go when they want seafood without the crowds. Vendors grill mackerel on open flames, while families sit at small tables with bowls of spicy hoe-deopbap — rice topped with raw fish, vegetables, and gochujang sauce.
Here, you eat with chopsticks in one hand and laughter in the other. The market captures Sokcho’s essence: unpretentious, lively, and always delicious.
Abai Village: Food with a Story
No trip to Sokcho is complete without visiting Abai Village, the heart of the city’s cultural and culinary heritage. Founded by North Korean refugees after the war, the village preserves their flavors and memories through food.
3. Abai Sundae Alley
The star here is Abai Sundae — not ice cream, but a savory sausage stuffed with squid, glass noodles, and vegetables. The dish originated from Hamgyong Province in North Korea and has become Sokcho’s culinary signature.
Most restaurants in the alley have been family-run for generations. The owners greet you like old friends, and the food feels like a homecoming. Pair the sundae with a bowl of haemul pajeon (seafood pancake) and a cup of warm makgeolli, and you’ll understand why this place is loved by locals and travelers alike.
4. Gaetbae Ferry Restaurant Street
To reach the village, many visitors cross the small Gaetbae Ferry, a hand-pulled wooden raft connecting downtown Sokcho to Abai. Once you arrive, follow the scent of soup — it will lead you to restaurants serving Abai Gukbap, a hearty rice soup simmered with beef and squid.
Eating here feels like sharing history — a reminder of resilience and unity, one spoonful at a time.
Mountain Flavors: Sokcho Beyond the Shore
Sokcho isn’t only about the sea. The nearby Seoraksan Mountains inspire a different kind of cuisine — earthy, comforting, and full of heart.
5. Seorak Mountain Village Restaurant
Tucked near the entrance of Seoraksan National Park, this humble eatery welcomes hikers with steaming bowls of sanchae bibimbap — rice mixed with wild mountain vegetables, sesame oil, and a fried egg.
Each ingredient is locally foraged, from fernbrake to wild greens, giving the dish a freshness that feels like spring. It’s simple, wholesome, and deeply satisfying — the kind of meal that restores you after a long climb.
6. Osaek Hot Springs Restaurant
Near Osaek Hot Springs, another hidden gem serves doenjang jjigae (soybean paste stew) cooked over traditional stone stoves. The flavor is rustic and intense, the kind of meal that makes you feel grounded. Many travelers stop here after bathing in the mineral springs — a perfect pairing of relaxation and nourishment.
Modern Comfort: Where Tradition Meets Innovation
Sokcho’s younger generation of chefs is reinterpreting local flavors with modern flair. These new restaurants blend heritage with creativity, proving that the city’s cuisine can evolve while staying true to its roots.
7. Café & Restaurant Haru
Overlooking Cheongcho Lake, Haru combines café aesthetics with fine dining. Their seafood pasta and kimchi risotto use local ingredients with Italian inspiration. The view from the terrace is breathtaking — especially in the evening, when lights shimmer across the water.
8. Umi Table
Meaning “Mother’s Table,” Umi Table reimagines home-style Korean dishes with a contemporary twist. Think bulgogi tacos, seafood curry rice, and pumpkin soup with doenjang essence. The interior feels cozy yet modern, with soft lighting and the gentle hum of conversation.
Here, every dish feels personal — like a mother’s care presented with a chef’s precision.
Street Food & Night Delights
Sokcho truly comes alive after dark, when the streets near the Jungang Market turn into an open-air food court.
9. Sokcho Night Market
The night market buzzes with energy. Vendors fry spicy tteokbokki, grill skewered squid, and serve sweet hotteok stuffed with brown sugar and nuts. You can taste a bit of everything — salty, sweet, spicy, and crunchy — all in one stroll.
It’s here that you meet the heart of Sokcho’s people: kind, talkative, and proud of their craft.
10. Dakgangjeong Alley
No culinary tour of Sokcho would be complete without Dakgangjeong, the city’s most famous snack. This crispy, glazed fried chicken is legendary — crunchy on the outside, tender inside, coated in a sticky soy-garlic sauce. Each shop has its secret recipe, and locals will argue passionately about which is best.
Grab a box, find a bench by the lake, and eat with your hands. That’s the Sokcho way.
A Journey Through Flavor and Heart
To experience the unique popular restaurants of Sokcho is to feel the city’s dual spirit — half sea, half mountain; half old, half new. Every meal reveals a piece of the city’s story, from the fishermen’s dawn to the poets’ night.
Sokcho’s cuisine isn’t about luxury — it’s about connection. The warmth of a restaurant owner greeting you with a smile, the scent of the ocean in every bite, the quiet pride in keeping traditions alive.
By the time you leave, you’ll realize that Sokcho isn’t just a place to eat — it’s a place to feel.
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