Where to eat in Hwaseong Fortress & Downtown, Suwon
Suwon's old town sits inside the walls of Hwaseong Fortress. Eat cauldron-fried chicken on Fried Chicken Street, crispy dumplings and jjolmyeon by the north gate and sundae in Jidong Market, then head into the newer city for Suwon galbi, the big beef ribs the city is known for, and a 24-hour bowl of haejangguk.
11 places our guide covers in Hwaseong Fortress & Downtown, with what to order, how long the wait is and how to eat each dish.
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Boyoung Mandu (Bukmun main branch) 보영만두 북문본점
Street snacks · Hwaseong Fortress & Downtown, Suwon · Since 1977
The original Boyoung Mandu, by Janganmun Gate, open since 1977. Order crispy fried dumplings with a bowl of spicy, chewy jjolmyeon. Suwon's classic combination.
Try: Gun-mandu (fried dumplings)
Short wait - 🍗
Maehyang Tongdak 매향통닭
Fried chicken · Hwaseong Fortress & Downtown, Suwon · Since 1970
Often called the original shop on Suwon's Fried Chicken Street, frying chicken since 1970. Whole chickens go into an iron cauldron without batter, so the skin turns thin and crisp. Locals' old-style favorite.
Try: Gamasot tongdak
Locals' pickShort wait - 🥩
Bon Suwon Galbi 본수원갈비
Korean BBQ · Hwaseong Fortress & Downtown, Suwon
One of Suwon's best-known galbi houses, grilling the city's big beef ribs for over 50 years. Choose plain saeng-galbi or sweet marinated yangnyeom-galbi. Best with a group.
Try: Saeng-galbi
Short wait - 🍜
Daewonok 대원옥
Noodles · Hwaseong Fortress & Downtown, Suwon
A small Pyongyang naengmyeon house beside Fried Chicken Street, named a Hundred-Year Store. Mild, cold buckwheat noodles. A light meal between the fortress and the chicken.
Try: Pyongyang naengmyeon
Locals' pick - 🥩
Dongheung Sikdang 동흥식당
Korean BBQ · Hwaseong Fortress & Downtown, Suwon
An old diner in a Haenggung-dong alley. Locals come for thin frozen pork belly grilled at the table and a spicy yukgaejang beef soup. It opens early, so it works for breakfast too.
Try: Naengsam (frozen pork belly)
Locals' pickShort wait - 🍲
Honam Sundae 호남순대
Soups & stews · Hwaseong Fortress & Downtown, Suwon
Often called the original shop in Jidong Market's Sundae Town, near Paldalmun Gate. Share a sizzling pan of stir-fried sundae and pork intestines, then finish with fried rice, or have a bowl of sundae-gukbap.
Try: Stir-fried sundae and pork intestines
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Hwacheong Galbi 화청갈비
Korean BBQ · Hwaseong Fortress & Downtown, Suwon
A galbi house right by Hwaseong Haenggung Palace, handy between sights. Staff grill the ribs for you, and a lunch-only galbi set is a cheaper way to try Suwon galbi.
Try: Saeng-galbi
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Ipjujip 입주집
Korean BBQ · Hwaseong Fortress & Downtown, Suwon
A beef gopchang (grilled intestines) house near Paldalmun Gate, running for more than 50 years. Order the mixed platter and finish with fried rice in the same pan.
Try: Mixed gopchang platter
Locals' pickShort wait - 🥟
Yeonmil 연밀
Korean-Chinese · Hwaseong Fortress & Downtown, Suwon
A Chinese-style dumpling house between Haenggung Palace and Paldalmun Gate. Try the juicy pork dumplings and the crisp 'ice flower' pan-fried dumplings. Regulars also love the dried tofu dish.
Try: Juicy pork dumplings
Short wait - 🍗
Yongseong Tongdak 용성통닭
Fried chicken · Hwaseong Fortress & Downtown, Suwon
A big, busy shop on Suwon's Fried Chicken Street, frying chicken in large iron cauldrons. Get half fried, half sauced, and enjoy the free fried gizzards and chicken feet.
Try: Half and half
Short wait - 🍲
Yuchi Hoegwan 유치회관
Soups & stews · Hwaseong Fortress & Downtown, Suwon
Suwon's famous 24-hour haejangguk house near Suwon City Hall Station. Beef soup full of cabbage greens, with the seonji (ox blood) served on the side. Order the soup; that's practically the whole menu.
Try: Haejangguk
Short wait