Korean cuisine is widely known for its incredible BBQ meats and fried chicken, but there is so much more to the Korean food world than these traditional favourites.
Korean food is colourful, spicy, rich in history and made always with love and interestingly; a massive focus on vegetables. Although we might think we know Korean food, we can assure you; there’s always more to learn.
Here are some of the most authentic Korean restaurants in Melbourne.
Bonchon
Cragieburn Central
If you’re a massive nerd for a good serve of spicy Korean fried chicken, then this one’s for you/ A celebrated global food icon, Bonchon has brought its succulent fried chicken and signature savoury sauces to Australia, having just opened their flagship store down under. Widely recognised as “the gold standard for fried chicken”, Bonchon has over 370 locations worldwide and are absolute pros when it comes to nailing the best KFC going ‘round. From chicken wings to drumsticks and boneless strips, Bonchon’s made-to-order chicken is its hero but the menu also offers a number of refined Korean-inspired options including steamed bao buns, loaded kimchi and chicken fries, beef Bulgogi and Soju cocktails (the Bonchon Strawberry Cosmo is a must-try).
Eat in or take away, no bookings.
Chae
Cockatoo
After setting up shop in her apartment last year, Jung Eun Chae set up six seats, and cooked her guests beautifully made Korean delights in a uniquely intimate setting. Although not broadly advertised, word quickly spread, and within weeks, Chae had a waiting list of 8,000 people. Now, she plans to open a bricks and mortar restaurant in Cockatoo, just an hour out of Melbourne. The menu is determined by seasonal ingredients, however, Chae can always cater to dietary requirements and special requests. Meals are laid out in a degustation while staying faithful to Chae’s Korean background, highlighting a more herbal and delicate side to Korean cooking, rather than the traditional favourites we see everywhere.
Set to re-open later this year, keep watch at this page here for when bookings re-open.
Hansang
West Melbourne
“Hangsan” directly translates to “table full of food”, which is exactly what you get at this King Street eatery in West Melbourne. Having once been a low-key restaurant, filled with bored students wanting a taste of the homeland, Hansang is now overflowing with locals since hitting the ‘gram pretty hard. People are lining up for all the banchan, all of the time, and we can’t blame them because they’re all bloody delicious. Everything is also incredibly affordable, with lunch sets ranging between $13-$15 and include basically all of the Korean delights you could ever want.
You can book via this number (03)99950867 or just walk-in.
Mr Lee’s Foods
Ringwood East
Mr Lee’s is a 20-seater restaurant deep in the ‘burbs, that offers five dishes only (pork soup, Korean sausage soup, combination soup, steamed soon dae and steamed pork belly), has no website and never has an empty seat. These are the kinds of places that just have to be good! Pork-lovers come from far and wide for the steamed pork belly, and given that the entire menu revolves around pork meat, it gives an authentic insight into the economic traditions of Korean cooking, utilising the entire animal before the word sustainability became an official buzzword.
Walk-ins only.
Melbourne Hwaro Korean BBQ
Little Bourke Street
This is a classic Korean BBQ spot right in the centre of Melbourne’s Chinatown district, where you and your pals can sit around a charcoal fire and cook-up wagyu beef until your little hearts (and hopefully bigger tums) are content. As one of the most beloved Korean BBQ joints in Melbourne, Hwaro owner and chef Eunsook Kim over sees everything herself – including the prep of the 23 different ingredients needs for the hot peppe Sangyu Pusaru seasoning anf the slicing of the Karubi (boneless short ribs). Given this, you can expect nothing less than authentic perfection, passed down the generations.
Book here.
Yong Green Food
Fitzroy
Yong Green Food has been slinging vegetarian Korean treats since 2009, when sisters Seon Mi and Seon Joo Lee started a business to celebrate their love of vegetables, despite hailing from meat-loving South Korea. Although mostly influenced by Korean flavours, their menu sees them fuse Korean with Japanese, Thai, Vietnamese, Mexican and Italian cuisines, with a focus on raw and wholefoods. As you can imagine, the restaurant was an instant success and continues to produce some of Melbourne’s most delicious Korean food today.
Walk-ins only.
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