Would you like to step out of your bacon and eggs breakfast routine and try something new? Join us in exploring Korea’s tradition of dinner for breakfast. It’s a delicious and filling way to start the day.
Breakfast in South Korea
Breakfast looks different around the world. In South Korea breakfast may consist of soup, side dishes, and rice. Favorite breakfast soups include galbitang, kongnamul bap, kimchijjigae, or manduguk. There is also a side dish meal called baekban which consists of a small bowl of soup with many side dishes. If people are in a hurry, they will often just grab a kimbap at the corner store and call it good.
What It Feels Like to Eat Korean Breakfast
Although this might seem odd at first, Korean breakfast can quickly become a way of life once you get used to it. That’s because galbitang with rice and a few side dishes makes you feel like you could take on the world. You are full but not weighed down. For me, I feel full but not groggy straight through to lunch. No snacks are needed. These days I will choose a Korean breakfast 9 times out of 10 because it gives me energy instead of making me want to crawl back in bed.
How to Know If a Restaurant Serves Breakfast
Interestingly, finding out which restaurants serve breakfast isn’t always easy. They will usually have the information posted on their door but rarely advertise it online. CLICK HERE to read more about how to know who serves breakfast.
Below you will find five places I go for Korean breakfast regularly. Try a few of them and see what you think. Korean breakfast might be your thing or it might not. Either way, it’s worth a try just in order to experience how another culture experiences the start of their day.
Korean ‘Lunch Counters’
You will notice that the following list has many ‘Korean ‘lunch counter’ options. These types of restaurants are all across Korean in almost every populated neighborhood. They are the perfect spots to grab a quick affordable breakfast such as kimbap. Such breakfast spots can also often be found near transportation hubs such as bus terminals and subway stations.
10 Spots for Korean Breakfast in Pyeongtaek
Here are spots we grab breakfast across Pyeongtaek. We usually arrive 30 minutes after their “open” time to give them time to get organized and moving in the am. Most countryside spots arrive right when they say they open which means there might still be some things to do before they can get breakfast on the table. This is true about some places, but not all. We just arrive a little later to be safe.
Songtan Gamjatang
031-663-3241
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Hangul Address
경기도 평택시 특구로5번길 1
Delicious and meaty soups. They open for breakfast. In Korea hearty soups are also served at breakfast time.
Bangil Haejangguk
031-665-5887
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Hangul Address
경기 평택시 고덕면 안재홍로 71
Delicious restaurant with excellent kiimchi.
Bangil Haejangguk Anjeongri
031-691-0606
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Hangul Address
경기 평택시 팽성읍 동서촌로 112
A hearty soup restaurant brand that services up breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Riverside Korean Grill
0316533011
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Hangul Address
경기 평택시 팽성읍 팽성대교길 178
A relaxing countryside restuarant with a great view and plenty of parking. Their menu is quite diverse. They also serve Korean breakfast.
Bongpyeongjangteo
031-681-7511
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Hangul Address
경기 평택시 오성면 신2리길 43-4
Tasty countryside galbitang, haejangguk, sujaebi, kalguksu, mandu, pancake, samgaetang, and more.
Mujinjang
031-667-5310
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Kimbap Country
031-662-8306
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Hangul Address
경기 평택시 고덕면 고덕여염12길 76
A Korean diner with many options. Super affordable and open 24 hours.
Gobongmin Kimbap
031-654-2232
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Hangul Address
경기 평택시 팽성읍 팽성송화로 154
Kimbap house in Paengseong is a small restaurant with just 3 tables that is worth the wait. The dishes are all delicious. Pair your kimbap with either udon or ramen. Best to order a few dishes to share.
Kimbap Nara
031-664-5053
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Hangul Address
경기 평택시 지산로 29
Korean diner with classic Korean foods for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Kimbab CheongGug
031-666-3351
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Hangul Address
주소 경기 평택시 탄현로 251-8
A popular Korean diner chain serving classic Korean dishes at affordable prices. Think a Korean Denny’s. Perfect for those on a budget or eating alone.
Lanae Rivers-Woods moved to Korea in 2011 where she lives in the countryside with her family, friends, and puppies. She holds a BSSW (Bachelor’s of Science in Social Work), a MAIT (Master’s of Arts in International Teaching), and registered by the Pyeongtaek Korean Times with the Korean government as a Cultural Expert.
Ms. Rivers-Woods used her 15 years experience as a social architect, UX/UI designer, and technology consultant to found South of Seoul in 2015. South of Seoul is a volunteer organization that leverages technological tools to mitigate cultural dissonance in multi-cultural communities.
Through South of Seoul, Ms. Rivers-Woods works with independent volunteers, non-profit organizations, businesses, local & federal government, universities, and US military organizations to develop solutions to support English speaking international residents in rural South Korea.
Additionally, Ms. Rivers-Woods founded the South of Seoul smart phone app available for Google Play and iPhone. The app provides information a resources for those living and traveling in South Korea.
When she isn’t in South of Seoul development meetings or working her day job, Ms. Rivers-Woods loves to be outside at skate parks, the beach, or playing in the mountains.
