Seoul names 15 time-honored dining spots to safeguard culinary history

Beneath the gleaming skyscrapers and bustling pace of Korea’s capital lie quiet, time-worn restaurants where charcoal fires have burned for six decades and recipes remain unchanged across generations.

City officials designated 15 such historic restaurants on Thursday as the latest additions to "Oraegage" — a municipal heritage designation honoring long-standing local establishments.

The term Oraegage, which translates roughly to "store with a long history," was established by the Seoul Metropolitan Government to identify and safeguard culinary and cultural landmarks that have withstood gentrification and rapid urbanization. With this year’s inductees, the citywide roster expands to 150 certified heritage venues across food, traditional crafts, and neighborhood services.

This year’s search targeted Seoul’s eastern districts — Gwangjin, Dongdaemun, Seongdong and Jungnang. Officials winnowed down 1,731 public nominations submitted in June before conducting rigorous on-site inspections and expert evaluations. The 15 finalists represent a tapestry of neighborhood history, ranging from legendary barbecue joints to humble street-food stalls.

Among the new designations is Hongneung Galbi, a Dongdaemun mainstay that has served charcoal-grilled beef ribs and cold buckwheat noodles since the 1960s. In Seongdong District, Daedo Sikdang’s original Wangsimni location earned a nod for its 60-year legacy of serving premium Korean beef ribeye near the historic Majang-dong meat market.

Other inductees highlight the city’s working-class heritage.

Songlim Sikdang in Gwangjin District began more than 40 years ago as a five-table diner for taxi drivers and built a citywide following around its spicy barbecued pork. Meanwhile, Yennal Halmoni Tteokbokki in Jungnang District was recognized for over 50 years of serving comfort food, maintaining its chewy rice cakes and sweet-and-spicy chili glaze through a recent relocation near Jungnang Station.

Beyond historical preservation, city officials envision the Oraegage program as a centerpiece of neighborhood-level tourism, connecting international visitors with authentic local culture.

"Oraegage are spaces that hold the flavors, culture and stories of Seoul, preserved alongside the daily lives of its citizens," said Cho Sung-ho, director general of the city’s Tourism and Sports Bureau. "We will actively promote these newly selected locations so that domestic and foreign tourists can discover a different side of Seoul."

To support the venues, the city government will award each eatery a physical certification plaque and integrate their locations into digital mapping platforms, including Naver Maps and the Smart Seoul Map.

Detailed venue profiles in both Korean and English will go live on the official website in October, leading up to "Oraegage Week" from Oct. 14-25, an inaugural promotional event featuring neighborhood food tours and cultural programming.

This article was published with the assistance of generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.