TripZillaIt’s no secret that Filipinos can’t get enough of Korean food, whether it’s munching on popular Korean snacks or cooking Korean barbecue. So why, some might argue, would anyone look for Filipino food in South Korea? Well, the answer is simple. With the growing number of Filipinos living and settling in South Korea, it’s only natural to miss the comforting flavours of one’s home country — and surely, how can anyone resist the culinary delicacies of the Philippines?
Luckily, there are easy ways to beat homesickness in South Korea if you know where to look. Whether you’re a Filipino immigrant or a local who developed a taste for homemade sinigang or tinola in the Philippines, here are the Filipino markets and stores you should visit in South Korea.
Also read: How a Filipino Made His Dream of Moving to South Korea a Reality
Where to find Filipino food in South Korea
Daehangno Filipino Market
Image credit: Seoul Metropolitan Government Official Website
If you’re searching for a lively Filipino community to help you feel at home in Seoul, we recommend paying a visit to the Hyehwa-dong neighbourhood. On Sundays, the Daehangno Filipino Market is packed with green tents along the road between Hyehwa-dong Catholic Church and Dongsung High School.
Here, you’ll meet Filipino vendors selling different products from the Philippines. Expect a colourful range of tropical fruits and fresh vegetables; sweet snacks like puto, leche flan, banana turon, and ube jam; and of course, savoury dishes and snacks such as pork barbecue, empanada, tocino, and chicharon — salty, crispy pig skin that gives a satisfying crunch with each bite.
Image credit: Seoul Metropolitan Government Official Website
For aspiring chefs who would like to bring a taste of the Philippines into their homes, we have good news: The Daehangno Filipino Market is also your one-stop shop for Filipino ingredients that you can’t find in any other supermarket. Keep an eye out for different condiments and spices, corned beef, coconut oil, fish sauce, apple cider vinegar, potato chips, cheese, instant noodles, sinigang mix, and other native products from the Philippines.
Whether you miss the food from home or you’re thinking of expanding your food crawls, this Filipino market has a welcoming and energetic atmosphere that’s impossible to miss. Who knows? You might even run into Korean celebrities who used to live in the Philippines. Take Sandara Park, who recounts her personal visit to this Filipino market in her vlog here.
Address: Hyehwa-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea
Alice Filipino Store and Restaurant
Image credit: Alice Restaurant Official Facebook Page
Of course, nothing will transport your senses to the Philippines quite like a homemade meal. Claiming to have the “best Filipino cuisine in town,” Alice Filipino Store and Restaurant serves chicken adobo, longganisa, chicharon, lumpia, and pancit bihon, banana cue, and more Pinoy favourites.
Image credit: Alice Restaurant Official Facebook Page
Located in Pyeongtaek in Gyeonggi Province, this Filipino restaurant is a go-to place for visitors who want to get their hands on familiar meals and snacks from the Philippines. They also offer catering services if you want to throw a proper fiesta with your family or friends.
Address: 13-268 Anjeong-ri, Paengseong-eup, Pyeongtaek-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea
Also read: 20 Legendary Filipino Snacks That Foreigners Should Try in The Philippines
Teresa’s Filipino Restaurant
Image credit: Teresa’s Filipino Restaurant Official Facebook Page
If you’re craving Filipino food, Teresa’s Filipino Restaurant presents a mouth-watering variety of dishes that are typically present on any Filipino family’s dinner table: adobo, palabok, tilapia, pinakbet, kaldereta, menudo, and porksilog, just to name a few. Here, you can even enjoy suman, kutsinta, and other sticky rice desserts that will sate your sweet cravings.
Want to whip up your own meals instead? Just around 35 minutes from Pyeongtaek Station, this homey restaurant in South Korea also sells plenty of ingredients for anyone who wishes to cook Filipino dishes in the comfort of their home.
Address: 10 Shopping-ro 9beon-gil, Sinjang-dong, Pyeongtaek-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea
Jovy’s Grill
Image credit: Jovy’s Grill Official Facebook Page
Everyone loves to watch samgyeopsal sizzle on the grill, but what if you’re hankering for Filipino-style barbecue instead? Smokey, salty, and sweet all at once, the rich flavours of barbecue in the Philippines can be dangerously addictive and lip-smacking.
Found near the stores and buildings along Cheonggyecheon Stream, Jovy’s Grill is an affordable Filipino restaurant in Seoul that puts grilled meats front and centre. One of their must-try dishes is the inihaw na liempo or grilled pork belly, with its crispy skin and glistening meat served on banana leaves.
Another popular item on the menu is chicken inasal, a grilled chicken dish from the Western Visayas region. Together with a dipping sauce of soy sauce and calamansi, the chicken’s tender meat and its distinctive marinade — consisting of ginger, calamansi, vinegar, lemongrass, and sugar — make it a winning dish for Filipinos and non-Filipinos alike.
Image credit: Jovy’s Grill Official Facebook Page
Aside from the grilled meats at Jovy’s Grill, you can also try other classic Filipino dishes such as sizzling pusit, sinigang, gambas, crispy pata, and sisig with garlic rice. Pair this savoury feast with an ice-cold beer — and just like that, you’re back in the Philippines.
Address: 1 Cheonggyecheon-ro, Seorin-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul
Also read: A Taste of the Philippines: Top 10 Food Destinations for Travellers
The next time you find yourself missing Filipino food in South Korea, don’t forget to check out these markets and restaurants on your next food crawl. To all the Filipinos who are based in South Korea, did we miss anything on our list? Drop us a line on our Facebook page if you have any recommendations!
