Busan is a seafood city, but its most famous foods tell a much bigger story. During the Korean War, refugees fleeing south poured into this port city, and the foods they created from scarcity became Busan’s soul food. Today, those dishes, like pork and rice soup, fish cakes on a stick, and seed-stuffed pancakes, draw food lovers from all over the world. This guide introduces five foods every first-time visitor should try, plus a simple eating route to fit them into one delicious day. If you’re still wondering what to eat in Busan, start here.
Quick Vocab
pork and rice soup – dwae ji guk bap
fish cake – eo muk
seed-filled sweet pancake – ssi at ho tteok
grilled hagfish – kkom jang eo gu i
cold wheat noodles – mil myeon
salted shrimp – sae u jeot
fried snacks – twi gim
dumplings – man du
spicy rice cakes – tteok bok ki
“It’s delicious!” – ma si sseo yo
Dwaeji-gukbap: Busan’s Pork Soup and the Ultimate Hangover Breakfast
If you’re deciding what to eat in Busan and can try only one food, make it dwaeji-gukbap, a bowl of rice in a milky pork bone broth with slices of tender pork. The origin story is practical: refugees from the north arrived with almost nothing, and cheap cuts of pork became a hearty, affordable meal for working people. A steaming bowl on a cool morning, with a side of kimchi, is one of the most comforting meals you can have in the city.
Busan Eomuk: Fish Cakes on a Stick, Best With Hot Broth
Busan is known as the birthplace of eomuk, Korean fish cakes, and “Busan eomuk” has become almost a brand name in Korea. Busan’s fish cakes use locally caught fish: mashed fish meat is combined with salt and flour, then kneaded and shaped. After the Korean War, Busan’s eomuk factories grew to supply the entire country, and Samjin Eomuk on Yeongdo is one of the best-known names among the city’s long-running fish cake makers. You’ll see eomuk everywhere in Busan, from street carts and market stalls to modern fish cake bakeries. The classic way to eat it is simple and perfect for travelers on the move. Fish cakes are threaded onto long skewers and simmered in a salty, savory broth. You pick a skewer, eat it standing at the stall, and sip the warm broth. Much like Japanese oden, it’s a light, warming snack that’s especially good on a cool day or in the evening. Eomuk is also a key ingredient in tteokbokki, the spicy rice cake dish, and many market stalls serve both side by side, so you can dip a piece of fish cake into the red sauce. For an easy introduction, order a couple of skewers of eomuk and a small plate of tteokbokki to share. The simple skewer in broth is still the version most locals grew up with. It’s cheap, quick, and one of the easiest ways to taste a real piece of Busan’s food history between sightseeing stops.
Ssiat Hotteok: The Seed-Stuffed Pancake You Can’t Skip
Hotteok, a sweet pancake filled with brown sugar syrup, is popular all over Korea, but Busan has its own version that’s become a must-try for visitors: ssiat hotteok, or seed hotteok. What makes it different is the filling. After the pancake is fried on a griddle, the vendor slits it open and stuffs it with a pocketful of seeds and nuts, commonly peanuts, almonds, sunflower seeds, and pumpkin seeds, along with the sweet syrup. As a result, Busan’s version is larger, thicker, and crunchier than the traditional kind, and a little less sweet, with a nutty flavor and a satisfying mix of textures in every bite. It’s warm, crisp on the outside, and gooey and crunchy on the inside. The most famous place to try ssiat hotteok is BIFF Square, near Jagalchi Market in the old Nampo-dong area. The square takes its name from the Busan International Film Festival and is now a busy street food hub. Be prepared to wait in line at peak times. A word of caution for first-timers: the sugar filling is very hot when it comes off the griddle, so take a small first bite and let it cool for a moment. Ssiat hotteok makes a perfect afternoon snack while you explore Nampo-dong, Gukje Market, and the surrounding streets on foot. It’s also a good reminder that Busan’s food culture isn’t only about seafood and soup. Desserts and snacks are a big part of the experience, and skipping them would mean missing one of the city’s sweetest traditions.
Kkomjangeo-gui and Seafood: Busan’s Most Adventurous Bite
For a more adventurous meal, try kkomjangeo-gui, grilled hagfish, often called “sea eel” on English menus. Hagfish has an unusual history in Korea. People once used its skin to make leather goods and simply threw the flesh away, but resourceful Busan cooks discovered that the meat was delicious when grilled, and it became a local specialty. It can make for a memorable experience at the table, because the pieces can twitch on the hot grill, which is startling if you aren’t expecting it. A famous place to try it is the kkomjangeo alley near Jagalchi Fish Market, Korea’s largest seafood market, where you can also choose live seafood and have it prepared on the spot. Busan’s coast is lined with seafood restaurants serving raw fish, grilled eel, grilled shellfish, and hearty seafood stews, so even if hagfish isn’t for you, there’s plenty to explore. Grilled eel is another Busan favorite with roots in the hard years after the Korean War, when the city’s refugees had to find food wherever they could. If you’re traveling with friends who are nervous about unfamiliar seafood, try ordering a mix: something adventurous like hagfish, alongside a safer choice like grilled shellfish or fried seafood. Jagalchi Market is open daily from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. and closes on the first and third Tuesdays of each month. In Busan, the most unfamiliar dish on the table often turns out to be the one people talk about long after the trip.
A Busan Eating Route, and How It Compares With an American Food Crawl
When planning what to eat in Busan, the best approach is to graze. Instead of planning one big meal, wander through the city’s markets and street stalls, tasting small portions of different foods. This lets you experience more of Busan’s food culture, even if you have just a day or two. Here is one way to do it. Start the morning with a bowl of dwaeji-gukbap, seasoned at the table with salted shrimp and chives, just as many locals do. Late in the morning, head to the old Nampo-dong area and walk through Jagalchi Fish Market to see the day’s seafood. If you want to see where Busan’s fish cakes come from, Samjin Eomuk’s main store on Yeongdo is about a 20-minute walk away. For lunch, go back to the market area and try kkomjangeo-gui, or order grilled shellfish if your group prefers something milder. In the afternoon, walk to BIFF Square for ssiat hotteok, then wander toward Gukje Market. Along the way, stop at a stall for a skewer of eomuk in hot broth and a small plate of tteokbokki, and pick up some fried snacks or dumplings to share. Then compare it with a typical American food crawl. In the U.S., a food crawl often means moving between sit-down restaurants or food trucks, ordering a full dish at each stop. In Busan, many of the best bites are eaten standing at a stall, a few skewers or a single pancake at a time, so you can try more things without getting too full. Bring some cash for small purchases, go slowly, and share plates so everyone gets a taste.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What is milmyeon?
Milmyeon is another Busan specialty, cold noodles made with wheat flour. Refugees from the North created it during the Korean War, using wheat flour distributed by U.N. troops instead of the buckwheat they used back home.
Can I see how Busan fish cakes are made?
Yes. Samjin Eomuk’s main store on Yeongdo, about a 20-minute walk from Jagalchi Market, lets you watch fish cakes being made through the store windows.
Is dwaeji-gukbap spicy?
No. The broth itself is mild, and you season it to your taste with salted shrimp, chives, and kimchi. Add chili or spicy paste only if you like heat.
Where is the gukbap street in Busan?
Busan has a street named after dwaeji-gukbap, lined with dozens of restaurants serving it. Search for “dwaeji-gukbap street” in Naver Map or KakaoMap to find the nearest one.
My Take
Dwaeji-gukbap, one of Busan’s signature foods, is hot broth with pork and rice, and honestly, it’s the best thing for a hangover in the morning. It might look a little strange at first, but there are dozens of kinds of gukbap, just counting the ones I know, and you can find gukbap anywhere in Korea. It’s working-class food, made from pork parts. Busan eomuk is perfect for a quick bite while you travel, especially warm fish cakes with broth at a market or street stall, and tteokbokki is a treat, too. You can’t skip dessert and snacks in Busan, either. The warm, crispy hotteok is filled with nuts and seeds, so it feels a little different from regular hotteok. The food I remember most was grilled kkomjangeo. To me, it’s just grilled hagfish, but my American friend kept looking at the hagfish wriggling over the charcoal, and then at me. He hesitated at first, but after one bite, he ate like crazy. That’s what I remember most. Walking through Busan’s traditional markets, you’ll find snacks you won’t get at restaurants. I recommend trying fish cakes, fried snacks, dumplings, and tteokbokki, a little of each, and sharing them. We walked and ate, walked and ate all day, and by the time I got back to my room, I felt like I’d gained ten pounds.
Sources
- Korean Culture and Information Service – Webzine Korea: Busan’s historical dishes (Jan. 2023): korean-culture.org
- Busan Metropolitan City – Michelin Guide Busan and dwaeji-gukbap: busan.go.kr
- The Korea Herald – Busan’s delectable fare: koreaherald.com
- The Korea Times – Pork and rice soup tops Busan food ranking among Taiwanese visitors (2025): koreatimes.co.kr
Suggested Reading
Korean Winter Street Food (2026): Bungeoppang, Hotteok, and Roasted Sweet Potatoes
Loved Busan’s ssiat hotteok? Here’s what else to eat from Korea’s street stalls when the weather turns cold.
Busan Travel Guide for First-Timers (2026): Haeundae, Gamcheon, Jagalchi, Gukje Market, and a 3-Day Plan
Where to go between meals — Busan’s must-see areas and an easy three-day itinerary.