Korean cuisine is eaten throughout the world and the food generally eaten in the North is almost identical to the traditional cuisine in the South; it’s food that has been eaten in Korea for centuries, although some dishes are particularly northern in origin.
On your tour you’ll have a chance to sample some, if not all, of the foods and snacks listed below. We’ve done our best to gather together our favourite 8 dishes from the DPRK and as well as explaining the history behind them, we’ll include our own little ‘Absolute Nomad’s Taste Test’ so you know what to expect when you arrive for dinner on your first night in-country.
Along with this list of classic Korean dishes, the DPRK is also home to some more recognisable international cuisine. The Pyongyang Pizzeria or the BBQ Duck Restaurant are favourites of ours for the final dinner on a tour, although you don’t need us to tell you about those delicacies!
Bibimbap
Bibimbap is perhaps Korea’s most internationally recognisable dishes, and it’s incredibly popular in North Korea. You’re almost certain to try this delicious mix of rice, vegetables and (usually) meat during your time in the DPRK. Bibimbap is perhaps the most easily-customisable dish of them all; diners are free to mix in anything they want, often spicy sauces or kimchi are available to mix in.
Our favourite variant of the Bibimbap is the ‘Dolsot Bibimbap’ which is served in a hot stone bowl. Not only does this look pretty cool, the hot bowl cooks anything held against it with a satisfying sizzle. This means the rice at the bottom is crispy and golden brown by the time you reach it with many of the ingredients round the edge, including the egg on top if you choose to have one, are nicely cooked in real-time as you eat.
Fact: Historically, Pyongyang was famous for it’s vegetable Bibimbaps – a dish you’ll be able to try in the city itself. The city has been renowned for this dish not just in recent years, but back in the days of a unified Korean peninsula.
A dish you 100% have to try! It’ll be practically unavoidable as an option for most places we stop for dinner. There’s no way to define how bibimbap tastes since it can vary so much. You just have to experiment with the ingredients and find out for yourself.
ABSOLUTE NOMADS TASTE TEST
Top Tip: Try the Dolsot Bibimbap in the stone bowl if the opportunity arises, it adds a whole new level to the dish.
Naengmyeon/Raengmyon
Another dish popular in both the North and the South, Naengmyon, or Cold Noodles, actually originate in the North. So much so, ‘Pyongyang Naengmyon’ is something you’ll see advertised pretty regularly around Seoul and other southern cities. For our purposes however, you’ll likely encounter this dish as an option alongside other staple meals such as Bibimbap or meat dishes.
The noodles are typically made from buckwheat and served in a cold broth of beef or some other meat. This is the version which originates in Pyongyang. Alternatively, there is a version which relies heavily on red chilli paste to add a degree of spice to the dish; a variant of this version originates from Hamhung, another northern city.
Fact: Naengmyon is often associated with, and eaten during, the summer. This makes sense given the typical temperature of the dish, however historically it was considered a winter meal. It’s also regularly eaten to celebrate birthdays!
Delicious! Whilst the phrase ‘Cold Meat Broth’ might be a tad off-putting, the dish itself is a lovely option for a hot day and, with the right toppings, really isn’t as bland as one might expect from buckwheat noodles.
ABSOLUTE NOMADS TASTE TEST
Top Tip: In some places, the noodles can become so stringy that it’s necessary to cut through them with special scissors, so be prepared to do battle with your meal!
Bulgogi
Bulgogi translates literally to ‘fire meat’ and it’s easy to see why. These thin slices of grilled beef are another example of a Korea-wide dish which originated years ago, in what is today, North Korea. There’s no specific way to serve this meat, although having it alongside rice, kimchi, radish and other side dishes would be most typical. Bulgogi can also be mixed in to other dishes, especially Bibimbap.
Fact: Bulgogi beef is a staple in both North and South Korea. Historically, the correct way to prepare the dish was over a charcoal fire – although a pan and a stove has become more popular.
For those who eat meat, this will be all-but unavoidable during your trip. Rarely served as a dish on it’s own, but the meat in your Bibimbap, or wrapped up in your lettuce with Kimchi, is likely to be some kind of Bulgogi beef.
Absolute Nomads Taste Test
Top Tip: Wrap up your beef strips in a lettuce leaf with a bit of Kimchi for added flavour and maybe some radish and sauce for a truly authentic experience.
Kimchi
There’s no way we could write a list covering classic Korean food without mentioning this, the heart of any truly Korean meal. Kimchi is a spicy fermented cabbage which is a real staple of the Korean diet. Served usually as a side dish, it’s typically mixed in with whatever you’re eating to add a little extra kick.
Usually, a meal in North Korea consists of a main meal and a large collection of sides. Invariably, Kimchi will be one of these additions. Kimchi itself comes in hundreds if not thousands of different types, but it is, at it’s heart, still just fermented cabbage.
Fact: Kimchi in the North is, on average, generally less spicy than its southern counterpart. However, in both countries it can be combined with dishes such as Kimchi jjigae – a kimchi-based soup.
A must-try dish for anyone visiting Korea. Kimchi is the bedrock of the traditional Korean meal. Don’t worry if you’re not a spice fan, radish is often available alongside to counteract Kimchi with too much kick.
Absolute nomads taste TEst
Top Tip: Mix Kimchi in well with other ingredients. It’s delicious as-is, but it adds a special something to any dietary ensemble.
Injobap
Something you won’t find in the South, Injobap is rice, wrapped with a skin made from soy-bean paste. You won’t find this outside North Korea since the dish originated during the 1990s when the country underwent the ‘Arduous March’ – a chronic food shortage. This dish, although simple, is quite delicious when dipped in chilli sauce since it creates a meat-like texture.
Fact: You can sometimes find Injobap on the menu in the DPRK’s overseas restaurants. These establishments often serve North Korean diplomats and workers seeking a taste of the fatherland.
If you get the chance, definitely try it. Even as a side-dish alongside your main meal. Although don’t forget the sauce! Otherwise it may be a bit too dull to stomach.
Absolute nomads taste test
Top Tip: Play around with different sauces and toppings – the dish has no ‘proper’ way to be served so feel free to experiment.
Tofu
Although not originally Korean, and now a staple food around the world, you’ll no doubt stumble across tofu during your time in North Korea. You’re likely to find it as a meat substitute in soups and broths as well as the centrepiece of most vegetarian options.
Fact: Sundubu-jjigaeis a popular stew in both the North and South which is based around tofu rather than meat.
You likely already have an opinion on Tofu, but try it in Korea – you’ll get to taste all the spices and other unique flavours often mixed in with tofu in the DPRK.
Absolute nomads taste test
Top Tip: If you’re vegetarian, get ready for plenty of tofu-based meals. Vegetarianism isn’t so common in Korea compared to the western world and so tofu is a great way to serve the usual meals with the meat removed and replaced.
Dried Pollack
Typically eaten along with a glass of Taedonggang or Ponghak Beer, dried Pollack is a classic snack in North Korea. The strips of fish are a common sight on the tables of bars around Pyongyang as well as the hotel bar. While you might not encounter this snack at the dinner table, it may be available while you’re sitting around with a drink and chatting to your guides.
Whilst local Koreans will happily chow down on this snack, tourists may not find the sight of this delicacy so appealing. However, it’s very good for you.
Fact: Dried Pollack and beer is an example of Korea’s passion for seafood. Being a peninsula, Korean cuisine is no stranger to fish.
It tastes as you’d expect; fishy. Although even if you’re not the greatest seafood fan, you’re likely to overpower the fish flavour with the beer you’ll certainly be drinking simultaneously.
Absolute Nomads Taste Test
Top Tip: If you can pick up dried Pollack in China, it’s a great gift for your guides when you get to Pyongyang – something to share around at the bar.
Dog Soup
You will never be in a situation where you have a bow of dog soup in front of you without having asked for it. During our tours, there is usually only one chance for tourists to try dog, a meat which has become a stereotype for Korean cuisine around the world. Although it is eaten, it’s not the most common dish these days. Koreans believe the meat is good to eat during the summer to encourage regulation of your body temperature and improving stamina.
Known as Bosintang, dog meat soup won’t be available to you in typical restaurants. However, a trip to Kaesong may include the chance to try it. In this case, your guide will ask who wants to try and then order it specifically when we arrive. If you don’t want to try it, everyone will understand; the vast majority don’t partake.
Fact: Dog meat, or Kaegogi, has been eaten in Korea since at least the 4th century, hence the stereotype of Korean cuisine.
At Absolute Nomads we’re split about wanting to try dog meat soup. Those that have describe the taste as a slightly sweet beef. The texture and general flavour is almost indistinguishable from beef, especially when mixed in with the taste of the soup.
Absolute Nomads Taste Test
Top Tip: Be prepared for a small surcharge (15 EUR or so) since the dog soup isn’t usually included in the tour price.