Gluten Free in South Korea - Part 2 (Updated September 2025)
- Joanne Colman-Bown
- Aug 29, 2024
- 6 min read
Updated: Sep 18
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.
Thanks once again for the research and content from Kamila Chruszcz. Between Kamila and myself, we have had some great food in some great restaurants in Busan. We are both supersensitive Coeliacs and any contamination even the slightest crumb would cause a reaction. Here are just a few of our favourites!
1. Anga Sutbul-gui 안가숯불구이
One of the best Korean BBQ restaurants we have visited in Busan! They serve only samgyeopsal (삼겹살) which pork but each tray also comes with an assortment of vegetables, salad, and a seaweed soup. The staff are very friendly and nice, even helping us flip the meat and teaching us different methods of eating! Great if you have never eaten Korean BBQ before, slightly annoying if you have and they keep taking the tongs and scissors from your hands. I always suggest start with just 1 portion of meat person, and if you want more just ask. The seaweed soup isn't GF and bring your own soy sauce or gochujang/mustard - they do not offer any additional condiments apart from salt and pepper. Just show then a coeliac card though and they are very helpful.
2. Woojung Dolsot Bibimbap Seomyeon
Woojung's Bibimbap is a Korean restaurant located near the Street of Youth of Seo-myeon, specializing in hot stone pot bibimbap. Their signature menu is the dolsot bibimbap (hot stone pot bibimbap). Widely known as a must-visit restaurant in the Busan area, the Bibimbap is considered one of the representative dishes of Korean cuisine. Now the downside....its very very good Bibimbap - but only gf option is: no premium no meat without red pepper paste though. Now I've I have 2 thoughts. 1. Take my own gluten free gochujang and 2. not sure I would go back, especially with all the great places to go that offer more choice.
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. Try the get the cinnamon honey iced latte! (hot would be good too) or a Salted Venetian iced coffee.
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.
Now for my favourites....
5. Jang Su Sam
Busan 7, Suyeongseong-ro 3beon-gil, Suyeong-gu, 1f
I know Samgyetang (Ginseng Chicken Soup) is good, but didn’t know it could be this good! It's perfectly cooked, with subtle but delicious flavour. The chicken falls off from the bones, and so tender that it just melts in your mouth. 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.
6. Olimpcake & Dessert 올림프케이크&디저트
22 2F Haeundaehaebyeon-ro, 197 Beon-gil, Haeundae-gu, Busan
Where do I start.. the poached eggs and smashed avocado on toast, the amazingly light breads, pistachio eclairs.... Vegans, vegetarians, gluten and their friends... everyone loves this place. First time I was there I was with a mixed group of dietary needs and those with none, and we all had an amazing brunch (we just planned a quick cake to take-away stop). Its now on my regular go to list.. and I have no problem being a frequent flyer there!
Oh and I forget...its also healthy! they do not like to use chemical flavourings or preservatives. And if like me, you want something to take away and they don't have enough, they will make it for you to collect or takeaway at the end of your visit.
7. Horang2 Gelatteok (호랑이 젤라떡)
957-2 Jung-dong Haeundae-gu Busan
I came across this lovely little dessert shop near Mipo Station and Haeundae Blueline Park, at the end of Haeundae Beach. They do gelato wrapped in sweet rice cake, which looks a bit like steamed buns – or think Mochi! The roasted pistachio is the highlight, but there are other great flavours too, like Jeju green tea and coffee with cinnamon cookie. Each one is served on a small wooden plate, making it very photogenic. It’s hugely popular though, so there’s a limit on how many you can buy and it often sells out early. There’s no seating and usually a queue, so it’s best to head there as early as you can.
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Now a little warning for these two places 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 a very similar story but they speak English and with coeliac card they immediately told Kamila it is not safe because there is contamination present for the gluten free products.
If you want more tips, give us a shout. I am steadily compiling a list of tried and tested places in South Korea. With dietary needs, it can be difficult to know where to go and your options. Tailor-Made Korean Journeys open up South Korea, a country where timeless traditions meet modern sophistication. Whether it’s exclusive cultural experiences, fine dining, or curated tours around festivals and landmarks, we’ll design a holiday that reflects your style. Let us craft a seamless itinerary with all the details taken care of, so you can simply relax and enjoy.
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