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What to eat in North Gyeongsang

Written by hand, not generated. Dishes, markets, timing and prices for North Gyeongsang.

Eating in North Gyeongsang: a local guide

The inland and the coast here are two different worlds. Around Andong and Mungyeong the food descends from ancestral rites and from salting and drying; along the coast at Pohang, Yeongdeok and Uljin it is snow crab and raw fish, used the day it lands.

What people eat here

  • Andong jjimdak Andong

    Chicken braised in soy sauce with vegetables and glass noodles. Most places will adjust the heat.

  • Gan godeungeo (salted mackerel) Andong

    Mackerel salted for the journey from the coast to the interior — the preservation method became the dish.

  • Heot jesabap Andong

    The vegetables and soup of an ancestral rite, laid out to be mixed with rice. Deliberately lightly seasoned.

  • Gwamegi Pohang

    Herring or saury dried in the winter sea wind, wrapped in seaweed with garlic.

  • Snow crab Yeongdeok and Uljin

    Steamed, then rice fried in the shell to finish. Prices move with the market.

Where the food is

Andong Old Market

A traditional market with a jjimdak alley inside it.

Jukdo Market, Pohang

One of the largest fish markets on the east coast, with raw fish restaurants attached.

Ganggu Port, Yeongdeok

A run of snow crab restaurants along the harbour.

Hwangnidan-gil, Gyeongju

Cafes and restaurants in converted traditional houses.

Hupo Port, Uljin

A harbour dealing in snow crab and red snow crab.

When to go

  • Snow crab runs from winter into spring, December to April. There is a closed season, so check before travelling.
  • Gwamegi is only properly in season from November to February.
  • Cold raw fish soup is a summer dish around Pohang, June to August.

Worth knowing

  • Snow crab is priced by the kilo. Confirm the price per crab, the preparation fee and the cost of the fried rice up front.
  • Jjimdak is portioned for two or three. Ask about the size before ordering alone.
  • Hwangnidan-gil in Gyeongju is very crowded at weekends.
  • Inland Andong and coastal Pohang are about ninety minutes apart by car; doing both in a day is tight.

What it costs — Jjimdak for two or three runs around KRW 35,000, cold raw fish soup about KRW 15,000, and snow crab at market price.

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What to Eat in North Gyeongsang — Local Food Guide | TastyLog