The Gwanghwamun area in Seoul is known as a major office district, home to the Seoul Government Complex, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the U.S. Embassy, various corporate headquarters, and numerous other offices. Consequently, during lunch hours, the streets are filled with office workers.
Thanks to this, there are many restaurants in the Gwanghwamun area, primarily found in the underground shopping malls of large buildings.
“Seoul Gwanghwamun Dumpling Restaurant, Pyeongando Mandujip”
In the Daewoo Building, where the KB Kookmin Card headquarters is located, west of Gwanghwamun Square, you can find various restaurants in the basement. Pyeongando Mandujip, known for its delicious dumplings, is located here.
This restaurant, famous for its juicy dumplings and dumpling soup, has been featured on the TV show “Wednesday Food Talk.” It has also received multiple awards from the “Blue Ribbon” guide, similar to the Michelin Guide, recognizing its excellent taste.
“A Restaurant Offering Dumpling Soup, Dumpling Hot Pot, and More”
The menu at Pyeongando Mandujip includes dumpling soup, plate dumplings, and dumpling hot pot. The price range is as follows:
- Dumpling Soup: 12,000 KRW
- Plate Dumplings: 12,000 KRW
- Bindaetteok (Mung Bean Pancake): 10,000 KRW
- Pork (100g): 12,000 KRW
- Pork (200g): 24,000 KRW
- Dumpling Hot Pot: (2 servings) 40,000 KRW, (3 servings) 60,000 KRW, (4 servings) 80,000 KRW
- Kimchi Stew: 8,000 KRW
- Kimchi Cold Noodles: 8,000 KRW
“Dumpling Soup: 12,000 KRW”
On my first visit, I ordered the most basic menu item, the dumpling soup, which costs 12,000 KRW. The price is reasonable.
The food overall aims for a clean and refined taste, emphasizing the natural flavors of the ingredients rather than relying on heavy seasoning.
“A Small Restaurant”
While Pyeongando Mandujip is renowned for its food, one downside is its small size, which often leads to crowding. During lunchtime, you can see many office workers lining up.
In the evenings, when it is generally less crowded, you might find no lines, but you may still need to wait if you’re unlucky.
The restaurant can accommodate about 20 customers at a time, which limits its capacity and remains its only drawback.
“Seoul Gwanghwamun Pyeongando Mandujip”
- Address: B104, Daewoo Complex Building, 30 Saemunan-ro 3-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul
- Phone: 02-723-6592
- Business Hours: (Mon-Fri) 11:00 – 20:00, (Sat) 11:00 – 22:00, (Mon-Sat Break Time) 15:30 – 17:00