The 10 Authentic Local Dishes of Daegu, Korea
Photos and Writing : Eun Young Yoo (Travel Writer)
For you who are wondering what to eat during a trip to Daegu, I present you the 10 representative local dishes in Daegu. I guarantee that while you are traveling, you will be captivated with the 10 authentic local specialties in Daegu. One day you might find yourself going to Daegu to eat their food.
야끼우동 Yaki Udon
The Chinese restaurant ‘Junghwa banjeom(중화반점)’ is the first house that made Yaki Udon. Since the debut of Yaki Udon in 1973, it has continued to capture the taste buds of the people in Daegu until now.
Cooked with squid, shrimp and vegetables to the brim, Yaki Udon tastes spicy yet sweet. It tastes spectacular as it is enhanced by ‘Junghwa banjeom’ through adding a special taste through the use of fire.
Junghwa banjeom(중화반점)
• Open : 11:30 - 21:00, Closed on Mon
• Menu : Yaki Udon 8,000won
• Contact : +82-53-425-6839
• Location : 2 min walk from Jungangro Station Exit 2, Subway line 1
• Address : 406-12, Jungang-daero, Jung-gu, Daegu, Korea
납작만두 Napchak Mandu or Flat Dumplings
Spring onion is scattered on the flat golden brown fried dumplings. Sprinkle chili powder, soy sauce, and vinegar on top of it before eating.
It’s considered a delicacy to order Tteokbokki (spicy rice cake) or Jjolmyeon (spicy cold chewy noodles) then wrap it around the dumpling before eating it. Miseongdang(미성당) is quite small but it can be called as the original flat dumpling house as it has stood for more than 5 decades. There are many stores that sell flat dumplings in the Seomun Market and Gyodong Market.
Miseongdang(미성당)
• Open : 8:30 - 19:00, Closed on Seolnal, Chuseok holidays
• Menu : Napchak Mandu 3,000 or 3,500won, Jjolmyeon 4,000won
• Contact : +82-53-255-0742
• Location : 2 min walk from Sinnam Station Exit 4, Subway line 3
• Address : 75-1, Namsan-ro, Jung-gu, Daegu, Korea
Daegu is where one can find the oldest noodle factory which has the highest consumption of noodles.
Donggok Granny Sonkalguksu(동곡할매손칼국수집) is well known for its pressed noodles as they have been selling it for more than 60 years and as the place has been managed down to the 4th generation.
The noodles boiled with sliced pumpkin are topped off simply with seaweed flakes and a spoon of sauce. But the noodles are chewy and savory and nothing can be more refreshing than its soup. You can taste the savory Daegu noodles even when you go to Seomun Market noodle alley where about 50 noodle houses are grouped together.
Donggok Granny Sonkalguksu(동곡할매손칼국수집)
• Open : 10:00-21:00, Closed on 1st week Mon
• Menu : Sonkalguksu 7,000won
• Contact : 82-53-582-0278
• Location : In front of Dong-gok Elementary School
• Address : 104-4, Dalgubeol-daero 55-gil, Habin-myeon, Dalseong-gun, Daegu, Korea
동인동매운찜갈비
Dongin-dong Spicy Jjimgalbi or Dongin-dong-style Spicy Braised Short Ribs
막창구이 Makchang Gui or Grilled Beef Entrails
따로국밥 Ttaro Gukbap or Rice and Ox Blood Soup
반고개무침회 Muchimhue or Raw Fish with vegetables
복어불고기 Bogeo Bulgogi (Grilled marinated blowfish)
뭉티기 Mungtigi or Thick-sliced chunks of raw meat
Daegu’s braised short ribs are spicy and burning because of the red chili powder and piquant garlic added to it, yet has a sweet taste.
Although it’s spicy, once you start, you can’t stop eating. Dongin-dong jjimgalbi (braised short ribs) alley is famous for being selected as Korea’s very first ‘Good alley’.
Bongsan Jjimgalbi(봉산찜갈비)
• Open : 9:00~22:00
• Menu : Jjimgalbi 15,000won
• Contact : 82-53-582-0278
• Location : 10 min walk from Chilseong Market Station Exit 3, Subway line 1
• Address : 9-18, Dongdeok-ro 36-gil, Jung-gu, Daegu, Korea
The Anjirang makchang alley where Gopchang (tripe) and Makchang (entrails) houses can be found is very popular that it was chosen as Korea’s top 5 food themed street in 2012 and was included in the top 100 tourist attractions of Korea in 2015.
‘Donbaksa(돈박사)’, which has been serving makchang to the customers in the Gopchang Alley for 11 years, is famous for its fruit makchang which is marinated with all natural fruit marinade made from pineapple, kiwi, apple, pear, and 10 other various fruits. The soft makchang with its odor removed tastes savory the more you chew it. The red sauce made from various sauce mixed with chili paste and chili powder goes perfectly with gopchang.
Donbaksa(돈박사)
• Open : 4:00PM-1:00AM
• Menu : Saeng Makchang(Fresh Beef Entrails) 8,000won, One bucket of Gopchang(Tripe) 12,000won
• Contact : 82-53-624-1855
• Location : 8min walk from Anjirang Station Exit 3, Subway line 1
• Address : 79-1, Daemyeong-ro 36-gil, Nam-gu, Daegu, Korea
Daegu’s unique rice and soup culture called ‘Ttaro Gukbap’ was given its name because rice and soup are served separately.
‘Apsan Dedeok restaurant(앞산 대덕 식당)' is so famous that everyone in Daegu knows about it. When soup and rice (Gukbap) is ordered, they are served separately. In the spicy soup, you can add red sauce and minced garlic. Restaurants famous for Ttaro Gukbap are crowded at Jung-gu central intersection and Mangyeonggwan cinema.
Apsan Dedeok restaurant(앞산 대덕 식당)
• Open : 24 Hours
• Open : 24 Hours
• Menu : Rice and Ox Blood Soup 5,000won
• Contact : 82-53-656-8111
• Location : 17min walk from Anjirang Station Exit 3, Subway live 1
• Address : 443, Apsansunhwan-ro, Nam-gu, Daegu, Korea
When you come out of exit 1 from the Bango-ge station, you can find the ‘Bango-gae Muchimhue Alley’. Muchimhue has never been left out from banquets in the Gyeongsan-do region ever since the old times.
During those days when it was difficult to taste fresh sashimi because they are located inland, Muchimhue(which is made by mixing parboiled squid together with vegetables) was considered to be the best food to be served to the guests.
Muchimhue which is a mix of conch, freshwater snail radish shreds, and water parsley together with red chili paste with vinegar (chogochujang) is spicy yet sweet and sour.
Honam Restaurant(호남식당)
Honam Restaurant(호남식당)
• Open : 9:00~23:00
• Menu : Muchimhue 14,000won, Flat dumplings 3,000won
• Contact : 82-53-557-5451
• Location : 5min walk from Bango-gae Station Exit 1, Subway line 2
• Address : 26-1, Dalgubeol-daero 375-gil, Seo-gu, Daegu, Korea
복어불고기 Bogeo Bulgogi (Grilled marinated blowfish)
Blowfish is usually eaten steamed, in stew or as shabu shabu but in Daegu, it’s eaten as bulgogi. Stir-frying meat of the deboned blowfish and bean sprouts with spicy sauce become blowfish bulgogi.
‘Misong boggeo(미성복어)' had invented blowfish bulgogi 30 years ago. The light meat of blowfish goes well with the spicy sauce. When you’ve finished blowfish bulgogi, it’s hard to resist mixing rice with the leftover sauce even when you’re already full.
Misong boggeo(미성복어)
• Open : 10:00~23:00(Mon to Thu), 9:00~24:00(Fri to Sun), Closed on Seolnal, Chuseok and the day before Seolnal and Chuseok
• Menu : Bean sprouts blowfish bulgogi 13,000won
• Contact : 82-53-767-8877
• Location : 15min walk from Hwang-geum Station, Subway line 3
• Address : 87, Deulan-ro, Suseong-gu, Daegu, Korea
Mungtigi is different from Yukhoe (Korean styled raw beef) in that it consists of sliced chunks of raw meat. It is raw meat without marinade but its texture is elastic yet soft.
It tastes even more savory if you dip it in a sauce made from diced chili mixed with grounded garlic and sesame oil. Dong-gu retail meat restaurant is well known for serving Korean beef that the restaurant raised their own.
Ansim retail meat restaurant(안심농장직영식육식당)
• Open : 11:00~21:30
• Menu : Mungtigi 20,000won
• Contact : 82-53-964-0022
• Location : 30min walk from Ansim Station Exit 3, Subway line 1
• Address : 1, Daegyeong-ro, Dong-gu, Daegu, Korea
논메기매운탕 Rice paddy catfish Maeun-tang (Spicy Fish Stew)
Daegu is a city of river, surrounded by Shincheon, Nakdong and Geumho river. Such geographical conditions led to its strong fish stew culture. Since 1990, Dalseong-gun agricultural advisory center started raising young catfishes in rice paddies and as they begun cooking fish stews, fish stew restaurants appeared one by one.
Sanjeong catfish fish stew(산정 논메기 매운탕) which first opened its doors in 1996 was given recognition as the number 1 fish stew restaurant as it won in the Daegu Food Exhibition and Food Contest. The soup is spicy and refreshing while the firm catfish meat is chewy and flavorful.
Sanjeong catfish fish stew(산정 논메기 매운탕)
• Open : 9:00~21:00
• Menu : Maeun-tang(Spicy Fish Stew) 20,000won~30,000won
• Contact : 82-53-582-2566
• Location : 9min walk from Munyang Stationi Exit 2, Subway line 2
• Address : 142-13, Dalgubeol-daero 109-gil, Dasa-eup, Dalseong-gun, Daegu, Korea