What to Eat in Jeju Island: Must-Try Local Dishes and Where to Find Them

Jeju is not just about beaches and volcanoes – it is one of the best places in Korea to explore truly local food. In this guide, you will meet the must-try Jeju dishes and the types of places where you are most likely to find them, so you can build your own food-focused itinerary.

Why Jeju Food Is Different from Mainland Korea

Jeju’s cuisine developed on a volcanic island with harsh farming conditions and an economy that relied heavily on pork and seafood. That is why Jeju tables are full of pork, noodles, seaweed, and fresh fish rather than heavy rice-based dishes. You will also see ingredients like hairtail fish, gulfweed soup, and pheasant noodles that you rarely encounter in Seoul or Busan.

Many classic Jeju dishes can be found around traditional markets, small local restaurants, and simple mom‑and‑pop eateries. For most visitors, the key is knowing the dish names in Korean and which areas are known for them, then checking recent reviews and maps before you go.

1. Jeju Black Pork (Heuk‑dwaeji)

If you only eat one thing in Jeju, make it black pork. Jeju’s native black pigs are known for their richer flavor and firmer, juicier texture when grilled as samgyeopsal (pork belly). Restaurants that specialize in black pork usually serve thick cuts over charcoal, with basic side dishes and sometimes seafood like abalone or mushrooms on the grill.

Where to find it

✅ “Black Pork Street” in Jeju City is famous for having many black pork restaurants clustered together.

✅ Tourist‑friendly barbecue shops are also common in Jeju City and Seogwipo downtown.

How to order

✅ Look for 메뉴판 with “흑돼지 삼겹살” or “흑돼지 오겹살.”

✅ Most restaurants have a minimum order of 2 servings, so it is easier if you are at least two people.

2. Hairtail Fish Stew (Galchi‑jorim) and Hairtail Soup

Hairtail (galchi) is one of Jeju’s signature fish. It is long, silver, and best when eaten fresh near the source. In Jeju it is loved in two main forms: galchi‑jorim, a spicy braised stew with big pieces of fish and vegetables, and galchi‑guk, a lighter soup.

What it tastes like

✅ Galchi‑jorim has a deep red broth with gochujang and chili flakes, plus radish and other vegetables.

✅ Galchi soup is clearer, gentler, and often recommended as a hangover cure.

Where to find it

✅ Traditional markets and local seafood restaurants along the coast often have 갈치조림 or 갈치국 on their signs.

✅ Seogwipo and the southern coastline are especially known for hairtail dishes.

3. Jeju Pork Noodles (Gogi‑guksu)

Gogi‑guksu is a comforting bowl of wheat noodles in a rich pork broth topped with slices of pork. It is one of the most typical Jeju dishes and a favorite among locals for a quick but satisfying meal.

What makes it special

✅ The pork broth is simmered for a long time and tastes deeper than many ordinary noodle soups.

✅ Noodles in Jeju can be slightly thicker and chewier than on the mainland.

Where to find it

✅ Old noodle shops near Dongmun Market in Jeju City and around local markets in Seogwipo.

✅ Small restaurants often have simple menus focused on gogi‑guksu and one or two other noodle dishes.

4. Abalone Dishes and Seafood

Jeju is famous for abalone, sea urchin, and other fresh seafood harvested by Jeju’s female divers (haenyeo). You will see abalone used in porridge, grilled dishes, and mixed seafood soups.

Typical dishes

✅ Abalone porridge (jeonbok‑juk): mild, slightly briny rice porridge with abalone pieces.

✅ Grilled abalone: simply seasoned and cooked on a pan or grill.

✅ Mixed seafood hotpots and cold raw fish soups featuring local shellfish.

Where to find them

✅ Haenyeo houses and seaside restaurants, especially on the eastern and southern coasts.

✅ Coastal roads around Seogwipo and popular beaches often have signs advertising 전복요리.

5. Seaweed and Sea Urchin Soup (Mom‑guk and Seongge‑miyeok‑guk)

Mom‑guk (gulfweed soup) and sea urchin seaweed soup are unique to Jeju and show how islanders used ingredients from the sea to create filling meals.

Mom‑guk

✅ A soup made with gulfweed, pork, and sometimes other ingredients.

✅ The flavor is savory and slightly earthy, with a thick texture from the seaweed.

Sea urchin seaweed soup

✅ A soup made with sea urchin roe and seaweed, often eaten as a special dish or for celebrations.

✅ Rich and umami, but still light enough for breakfast.

Where to find them

✅ Local restaurants near markets and residential areas, especially places that specialize in traditional Jeju food.

✅ Some breakfast spots in Jeju City and Seogwipo are known for serving these soups early in the day.

6. Cold Raw Fish Soup (Mulhoe)

Mulhoe is a chilled soup made with thinly sliced raw fish, vegetables, and a tangy, spicy broth. Jeju’s version often uses local fish and sometimes soybean paste for a deeper flavor.

Jeju variations

✅ Cuttlefish mulhoe

✅ Damselfish or other local fish mulhoe

Where to find it

✅ Seafood restaurants and beachside eateries, especially in summer.

✅ Look for 메뉴판 with “물회” and pictures of red or orange cold soup bowls.

7. Pheasant Buckwheat Noodles (Kkwong‑maemil‑kalguksu)

This is a more traditional, lesser‑known dish where the broth is made from pheasant and the noodles from buckwheat. It reflects Jeju’s history, when rice and chicken were scarce and people relied on pheasant and buckwheat instead.

What it tastes like

✅ Light but deeply savory broth with a subtle gamey flavor.

✅ Buckwheat noodles add a rustic, slightly nutty taste and make the soup quite filling.

Where to find it

✅ A small number of specialty restaurants around markets or backstreets, often with very simple menus focused on pheasant noodles and grilled pheasant.

8. Omegi Rice Cake (Omegi‑tteok)

Omegi‑tteok is Jeju’s signature rice cake, made with glutinous millet or rice dough, sometimes colored with mugwort, then coated with red beans or bean powder.

Why try it

✅ The outside looks rustic, but the texture is chewy and the taste is lightly sweet and nutty.

✅ It is easy to carry, so it makes a good snack or souvenir.

Where to find it

✅ Rice cake shops and stalls inside traditional markets like Dongmun Market.

✅ Specialty tteok shops that advertise 오메기떡 in their signboards.

Practical Tips for Eating in Jeju

✅ Learn key names in Korean: 흑돼지, 갈치조림, 고기국수, 전복죽, 물회, 몸국, 오메기떡.

✅ Use maps and recent reviews to check opening hours and prices, because small restaurants can change quickly.

✅ Many local places have limited English, so showing the dish name in Korean on your phone can help.

✅Popular spots often have queues, especially at dinner time and on weekends, so visiting a bit earlier than normal meal times can save you waiting.