Gangneung sits where the Taebaek mountains meet the East Sea, and its food reflects both: hearty potato-and-buckwheat dishes from the highlands, and the freshest seafood from the coast. Add the famous Chodang seawater tofu and a beachside coffee obsession, and you've got one of Korea's most distinctive regional menus.

It's an easy KTX ride from Seoul, which makes it a perfect food day-trip. Here's what to eat, and where.

💡 Where to graze

Gangneung's food spreads out: Chodang Tofu Village for sundubu, Jumunjin Port up the coast for seafood, Anmok Beach for the coffee street, and the central markets for ongsimi, makguksu and potato snacks.

The Gangneung must-eats

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Chodang sundubu
초당순두부 — Seawater soft tofu
📍 Chodang Tofu Village

Gangneung's signature dish: ultra-soft tofu curdled with clean East-Sea seawater instead of brine, which gives it a subtle ocean sweetness. Eat it warm and plain, in a gentle soup, or in a spicy stew — a whole village of restaurants does little else.

💡 Tip: Try the plain warm sundubu first to taste the seawater difference, before the spicy versions.
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Gamja ongsimi
감자옹심이 — Potato dumpling soup
📍 Mountain & market eateries

A cosy Gangwon-Province mountain dish: chewy hand-rolled dumplings made from grated potato, simmered in a warm, clear broth. Simple, filling comfort food born from the region's potato farming.

💡 Tip: Great on a cool or rainy day — often served alongside makguksu or potato pancakes.
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Makguksu
막국수 — Cold buckwheat noodles
📍 Noodle houses citywide

Gangwon's beloved cold buckwheat noodles, served either in a chilled tangy broth or tossed in a sweet-spicy sauce. Light, nutty and refreshing — the perfect East-coast summer lunch.

💡 Tip: Pair the cold noodles with a side of warm potato or buckwheat pancake.
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Jumunjin hoe & seafood
주문진 회 — Raw fish & seafood
📍 Jumunjin Port & fish market

Just up the coast, Jumunjin is one of the East Sea's great fishing ports, with a lively market full of crab, squid and raw fish. Pick from the tanks for the freshest possible hoe with a sea view.

💡 Tip: Go for what's in season — snow crab in winter, squid through the warmer months.
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Gangneung coffee
커피 — Coffee culture
📍 Anmok Coffee Street

Improbably, this beach city became Korea's coffee capital, with a seaside "coffee street" of cafés and roasteries at Anmok Beach and its own annual coffee festival. A cup looking out at the East Sea is a Gangneung ritual.

💡 Tip: Anmok Beach is the heart of it — grab a coffee and walk the shore.

Make a food trip of it

Gangneung rewards a slow food day: warm Chodang sundubu for breakfast, makguksu or ongsimi for lunch, fresh hoe at Jumunjin, and a coffee on the sand at Anmok to finish. Mountains and sea on one plate.

🗺️ Plan the trip

Pair this with our Gangneung travel guide for what to see and do, and see where it fits on our map of Korean regional foods and the Korean street food guide.

And if you want a drama to set the East-coast mood first, our AI Drama Recommender can find one by the sea. 🎬