Korean cuisine in Sydney, still has a long way to go, although thanks to a recent boom interest in Korean culture, we have Korean BBQ and deli’s popping up.
If you think Korean cuisine is just bibimbap and kimchi, you’d be wrong. It’s about quality ingredients, respect for cooking, and bringing the heart of Seoul to the harbour city.
So if you’re looking to immerse yourself in Korean culture, here’s where to find the best banchan, fried chicken, and BBQ.
SOUL Deli
Surry Hills
SOUL Deli is your neighbourhood Korean Deli, cafe, eatery, homewares shop, and more. Here you can go for breakfast or lunch, pick up a jar of kimchi to take home, or browse locally made ceramics and fashion. The modern layout is fresh and flooded with light. Stay for breakfast where you will find a kimchi bacon and egg roll, omelettes, Korean pancakes and more. A visit to this deli is guaranteed to inject some K-culture into your life.
SOUL Dining
Surry Hills
SOUL Dining is the older sister of SOUL Deli, presenting Korean food with modern Australian techniques. Dining here is more formal than the deli, but expect the same great taste and quality dishes. Expect roasted cauliflower, Korean spicy charcoal chicken, wagyu steak, and kingfish in kimchi water. There is a tasting menu for $79 per person, designed to share. The menu features wagyu tartare, prawn Tteokbokki, burrata, and purple sweet potato pastry for dessert. You can upgrade to the steak for an extra $20 per person.
Red Pepper Bistro
Strathfield, West Ryde, and North Ryde
Here is where you will find succulent, spicy Korean fried chicken, that’s finger-licking good. This diner is hidden in a Strathfield sports club, offering a casual, no-fuss dining experience. Be sure to ask for the chimaek.
Sang
Surry Hills
This tiny restaurant and bar will change your perceptions of what a Korean restaurant looks like. You will still find barbeque and bulgogi, but be prepared to try dishes you might not have heard of before. The gujeolpan is a traditional royal recipe, of nine or so ingredients arranged artfully around a pancake. The idea is to make your own wrap with the ingredients. There is also janchi guksu, a noodle soup, and other traditional dishes you would find in Seoul. Don’t forget to try their Korean beer range, it’s always a crowd-pleaser.
Myeong Dong
North Strathfield and Chatswood
In 2018, Myeong Dong was the new kid on the block, now with two locations and a stellar reputation, this Korean restaurant is one of the best in Sydney. The first thing to arrive is the Banchan, which consists of 12 side dishes including spicy cured octopus and chestnut jelly. You can then order main dishes, such as kimchi stew, seafood pancake, and tender pork-rib soup—just to name a few. In the end, the dining experience is what you would expect if you were to go to a family members house in Korea—wholesome and traditional.
Hansang
Strathfield
Everyone will tell you the thing to order here is the beef-bone stew simmered in a cauldron for 72 hours. But that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Receiving a table full of banchan for free is standard and you’re guaranteed homestyle Korean cooking every time. Soups, stews, and earthy rice soups are the focus but expect to be overwhelmed with flavours and aromas.
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