Sit down for a Korean meal and before you’ve even opened your mouth to order, the waiter will bring an array of tapaslike plates for the table to share—enough kimchi, broiled fish, pickled radish, and glass noodles to constitute its own meal. Add to that the bold, spicy nature of local cuisine and the fact that, by tradition, friends pour alcohol into each other’s out-held cups (never into their own), and you’ll begin to understand the challenge Seoul poses to single diners.

For years, foreigners seeking more accessible options had few choices outside the American military base in downtown Seoul and imported chains like Pizza Hut. But the country made itself foreigner-friendly in preparation for the 2002 World Cup. In addition to a high-speed rail link to Busan, the country’s second largest city, and plenty of English signage, Seoul has sprouted excellent restaurants—with English menus and impressive wine lists.

The Han River separates Seoul’s older, historic northern half, with its universities, government buildings, old palaces, central train station, and many of the best restaurants and hotels, from the newer, flashier districts to the south, where many European and North American businesses have offices in shiny skyscrapers. The more established restaurants, including several in this story, are located north of the river.


Namsan: The Paris Grill
Grand Hyatt
747-7 Hannam 2-Dong
Yongsan-Ku
02-797-1234 
The Hyatt sits on the haunches of Namsan, the mountain that rises up in the town’s center. Who needs a companion when the Paris Grill’s floor-to-ceiling windows provide the best view in the city: south over a manicured terrace to the Han River and the glittering office towers beyond. Inside, the atmosphere is ritzy, with white tablecloths and waiters in bow ties who were almost too attentive as they shuttled between tables on a slow night. The wine list runs for pages and includes 22 by-the-glass, more than most of Seoul’s best restaurants. The menu includes standards like French onion soup and filet mignon, lots of fish, and a handful of very rich desserts.

Dress: Business casual
Prices: Very expensive
Reservations: Recommended
Close to: Grand Hyatt Hotel, Shilla Hotel


Downtown: Tani
9/F Avenue L, 130
Namdaemun-ro 2-Ga Jung-gu
02-2118-6100

Seoul’s “classy” restaurants tend to overshoot the mark, favoring the gilded and gaudy. Not so at Tani, where 20-foot-high indoor trees complement the natural wood decor—including, behind a glass wall, a forest of wine racks. The top-notch Japanese fusion cuisine and swanky vibe have drawn generous comparisons to Nobu. But here you can light up a Cohiba from the cigar menu. Each course on the set menu (thinly sliced pork pastrami followed by caramelized apple salad, pumpkin soup, mustard shrimp tempura, steak, sashimi, and chocolate mousse was $40 at lunch) comes to the table just as the previous one disappears. Ask for a seat that overlooks the open kitchen and wood-fueled fire.

Dress: Business casual
Prices: Moderate to expensive
Reservations: Strongly recommended
Close to: City Hall, Downtown Seoul, Westin Chosun Hotel, Radisson Plaza Hotel

Kangnam: Mad for Garlic
648-19, Yeoksam Dong
Kangnam Gu
02-562-6977

Located south of the river near the offices of Nike, Samsung, Chrysler, and other large firms, Mad for Garlic’s decor—dark, exposed brick, low-slung vaulted ceiling, and dim wall fixtures—does nothing to discourage Dracula jokes. As the name implies, garlic dominates nearly every dish on the Italian menu (salad, pasta, steak, pizza that isn’t greasy). It’s not too fancy—paper place mats show photographs of the food—but the wine list is extensive, featuring a $486 bottle of Opus One. There are several locations in the business districts south of the river, such as Cheongdam, Samsung, and Gangnam. All are reliable places to duck into on the way to or from a meeting.

Dress: Casual
Prices: Inexpensive to moderate
Reservations: Recommended
Close to: Kangnam district businesses


Itaewon: Villa Sortino
124-12 Itaewon-dong
Yongsan-gu
02-553-9000

A curious thing happens when a Seoul restaurant reaches a certain level of success: The owners open a second branch down the street—or even right across from it. In Itaewon, cut-rate tailors and brothels are gradually giving way to retail storefronts and pairs of good restaurants. Expats say Sortino serves the best Italian food in Seoul—even the owners of a rival Italian place reportedly eat there. The Italian-Canadian owner makes sophisticated dishes with difficult-to-find ingredients, like guanciale (a fatty pig jowl), and wild boar. The Sortino on the south side of the street is casual and popular with groups; go to the Sortino on the north side for a quieter, fancier meal at a table that looks into the kitchen.

Dress: Casual
Prices: Moderate to expensive
Reservations: Strongly recommended
Close to: Itaewon, Hannam-dong, Yongsan military base, Hamilton Hotel, Grand Hyatt Hotel


Namdaemun: T-Won
43-205, Dongja-dong
Yongsan-gu
02-392-0985

In 2004 a high-speed rail line began whisking passengers to Busan, one of the world’s largest ports and a shipping and shipbuilding hub for East Asia. Don’t eat on the train—go to the fourth floor of the Concos department store connected to Seoul Station. Single diners are seated by default at a bar that faces a line of chefs working furiously at their woks, but ask for a table by the window overlooking the station’s main plaza. The menu includes oddities like shark’s-fin soup, but there are more-familiar Chinese dishes that are tasty and filling—and not smothered in the black-bean paste that dominates most Korean-style Chinese food.

Dress: Casual
Prices: Moderate
Reservations: Unnecessary
Close to: Seoul Station, Hilton International Hotel