5 Best Places to Eat at Seoul’s University Quarter (Ewha Womans University, Sinchon and Hongdae)

If you’re heading to Seoul, be sure to allocate one day to visit the famous University Quarter in Seoul. University Quarter primarily consists of two main areas: Hongdae, Sinchon. This area is famous for its elite universities, cafes, shopping and creative art scene. Here we bring to you a list of 5 best places to eat at University Quarter! If you enjoy clubbing, then a good hotel to stay at would be the Benikea Premier Marigold Hotel, which is located in the club district of Hongdae. This article was last updated on 06 June 2019.

Sinchon

#1 Bonjuk

While Seoul is normally associated with desserts, BBQ, Fried Chicken and all kinds of interesting street foods, Bonjuk offers a refreshing option with its delicious porridge meals. Kick-start the day with a simple but healthy breakfast here! Bonjuk serves over ten types of porridge and their signature items are Abalone, Samgye and Crab Meat Porridge. Service was prompt and our Abalone Porridge (KRW 10,000) was served piping hot. It came with side dishes which served as tasty flavour enhancers for the porridge – perfect for people like me who prefer stronger flavours. Bonjuk is definitely a great choice for breakfast!

Directions to Bonjuk (Ewha Women University)
Go out from ‘Ewha Women University’ Metro Station Exit 2, walk straight and turn left at the first intersection. You will see Ewhayeodae 1-gil on the left and Ewhayeodae 2-gil on the right. Turn into Ewhayeodae 1-gil and you will see Bonjuk on your left.
Opening Hours: Daily 10am to 10pm

#2 Mister Bossam

Bossam is a boiled pork dish in Korean cuisine in which the meat is boiled in flavorful brine until it is soft and scrumptious. When in Ewha area, be sure to drop by Mister Bossam as they serve one of the better Bossams in Seoul. A Bossam platter comes with plain, garlic (sweet) or spring onion (spicy) flavours. The restaurant even has an ALL-STAR platter (KRW 9000) which offers all three flavours. One piece and we were hooked! There is a self-service bar within the restaurant where you can help yourself to unlimited rice, soups and even side dishes. Wallet-friendly, delicious and unlimited sides, YES, we are definitely coming back for more!

Mister Bossam
Address: 68 Ewhayeodae-gil
Opening Hours: Daily 11.30am to 11pm

Directions to Mister Bossam (Ewha Women University)
Go out from ‘Ewha Womans University’ Metro Station Exit 2, walk straight and you will cross 3 intersections. Continue walking straight and you will see a zebra crossing. Cross the zebra crossing and turn left and walk straight for 20 metres. Mister Bossam will be on your right. You can refer to the map at the bottom of this article or the Google Maps directions to Mister Bossam from Ewha Womans University metro station.

#3 Caffé Bene (Sinchon)

This cafe is one of our favourite coffeehouses in Seoul. Be prepared to be welcomed by the fragrant smell of freshly-baked pastry as you step into the café. Caffe Bene is modern, clean and spacious. The upper storey of the cafe has full-length windows which let in  an abundant amount of natural lighting. We had everything in Green Tea flavours: Green Tea latte (KRW 5200) and Waffle with Green Tea Ice cream (KRW 5500). Man, it was a heavenly combination. The waffle was served crispy on the outside and tender and warm on the inside. It had us swooning from the first bite! On the whole, Caffe Bene @ Sinchon is a quaint coffeehouse with a tastefully-done up space where you can settle down at a seat by the window to people-watch while sipping on your hot cup of Green Tea Latte.

Hongdae

#4 Churro 101

Churro 101 offers a variety of churros and we ordered the Cinnamon (KRW 2300) and Choco Custard (KRW 3500) flavours. Thick and long churros were heated up and served to us pretty quickly. Choco Custard wins hands down! Just imagine taking a bite out of the sugar-coated churros with the warm chocolaty custard oozing out from the middle. Can churros get any better than this? It was a perfect indulgence and a quick energy booster while shopping in Hongdae.

Churro 101 (Hongdae)
Address: 346-1 Seogyo-dong
Opening Hours: Daily 11am to 11pm
Churro 101 is a short two-minute walk from Exit 8 of Hongik University.

#5 Yeolbong Andong Jjimdak

Yeolbong Andong Jjimdak – A PERFECT restaurant for a rainy day. One of the must-eat in this restaurant is Andong Jjimdak, which is chicken with vermicelli noodles and a variety of vegetables marinated in Korean soy sauce. Boy oh boy, just imagine tender chicken, rice cakes, vegetables, potatoes and vermicelli noodles all soaked in the goodness of the sweet and spicy sauce! It was served hot to us and I can still remember the fragrance as I am typing this. We went for spicy level 2 (already quite spicy) and it was perfect for our tummies on such a rainy day. Spicy level 2? Yes you get to choose the level of spiciness for this dish. Would we eat Andong Jjimdak again if we went back to Seoul? YES! Update (06 June 2019): one of our readers has informed us that this restaurant has closed down.

Yeolbong Andong Jjimdak
Address: 364-23 Seogyo-dong
Operating hours: 11am to 11pm
Directions: The restaurant is a ten-minute walk from Exit 8 of Hongik University Metro Station.

Map of University Quarter

This article is part of our completely free and fantastic Ultimate Seoul Travel Guide. Why spend days researching when all your holiday information is simply a click away?