Many thanks to Kamila Chruszcz for her research and content for this post.
The search continues!!
Eating gluten-free in Busan, South Korea, can be a bit challenging but certainly manageable with some preparation. Traditional Korean cuisine often features ingredients like soy sauce, which contains wheat, and various marinades and broths that may have hidden gluten. However, there are still many dishes that can be enjoyed by those avoiding gluten. For instance, bibimbap (rice with mixed vegetables and meat) can be safe if you ensure that no soy sauce is used, and it's a good idea to stick to fresh sashimi or grilled fish options at seafood restaurants. Many restaurants in Busan, especially those catering to tourists, are becoming more aware of dietary restrictions, so don't hesitate to ask questions or use a translation app to communicate your needs.
For those seeking gluten-free snacks and groceries, Busan has several international grocery stores and larger supermarkets where you can find gluten-free products like rice cakes, gluten-free bread, and noodles. Organic and health food stores are also popping up around the city, offering a selection of gluten-free grains, snacks, and baking ingredients. It's helpful to learn a few key phrases in Korean, such as "밀가루 없어요" (milgaru eopseoyo), which means "no wheat flour," to navigate menus and grocery stores more easily. Overall, while it may take a bit more effort, eating gluten-free in Busan is entirely possible with the right resources and a little planning.
Kamila travelled through Korea for 3 weeks testing and trying lots of different eateries, so here are some that she safely ate in in Busan. Kamila is a supersensitive Coeliac and any contamination even the slightest crumb would cause a reaction.
1. Anga Sutbul-gui 안가숯불구이
This is great BBQ but bring your own soy sauce or mustard - they do not offer any additional condiments apart from salt and pepper. Works with Coeliac Card.
2. Woojung Dolsot Bibimbap Seomyeon
Very good Bibimbap - only gf option is: no premium no meat without red pepper paste though.
3. Chaseonchaeg 차선책
This is actually on the 2nd floor of the building so not really the easiest to find. However, you can recognize it by the curtains and it is an amazing café where all cakes are Gluten Free! Find it and you will want to go back daily.
4. Mochi eui Haru 모찌의하루 서면본점
Kamila used her Coeliac Card here (you will find details in part 1). She had peach mochi here! They are not certified so maybe was a bit risky but it’s just a mochi with fruit and the lady informed her that they use only potato starch. As she did not have any reaction and as she is very sensitive she thinks that between the card and the lady's understanding they are safe as mochi are not normally made with any wheat products in the dough, but we can't guarantee 100%. They are also individually packed in a box.
5. Jangsusam:
This place offers Samgyetang which is a naturally gluten free chicken soup. The place is very small and run by a very sweet elderly woman. She read Kamila's coeliac card very thoroughly and she said all is gluten free except for the red pepper paste (Gochujang) which she put on a different plate. If you have your own you could always use it. She said the kimchi was also gluten free however as Kamila wasn't 100% certain, she didn't try any, just the jalapeno/ green peppers, onion and soup. which was was really delicious.
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Now a little warning for this place which Kamila would NOT recommend to anyone with severe allergies or coeliac disease.
Sunssalppang: https://bit.ly/Sunssalppang.
Kamila found this place through the FindMe GF app and the reviews were mixed but after reading comments many people actually got a very bad reaction. It advertised itself as gluten free as it is a Rice Bakery. Kamila found that didn't know what gluten was and what coeliac disease is. When entering the place Kamila asked if things were gluten free and they told her everything was gluten free.... twice. However, she thought products simply looked too good to be true sometimes. They did not read her coeliac card till the end and insisted that she buy something! Then the lady told her only two breads are with gluten. And when she insisted saying even little amounts of gluten will be toxic for her the bakery finally said everything has gluten.
For this bakery: Moonggoojeom Vegan Bakery https://bit.ly/MoonggoojeomVeganBakeryBusan
it was similar story but they speak English and with coeliac card they immediately told Kamila it is not safe because there is contamination even for gluten free products.
Watch out for Part 3!! - We are now on the look out for fried chicken....
