Gwangju is the heart of the fertile Jeolla province, bringing together the best of the nation's ingredients in mouthwatering cuisine. Gwangju offers a diverse range of dishes, using crops harvested from the Honam Plains, seafood from nearby coasts and various vegetables. Thanks to its diverse use of ingredients, restaurants in Gwangju generally provide more side dishes than other regions.
Most korean style restaurants in Gwangju serve fresh, seasonal foods such as nutritious young greens in the spring, fresh vegetables in the summer, mushrooms and seafood in the fall, and maesaengi ddeokguk(sliced rice cake and seaweed soup) in the winter.
The Table is full of seasonal vegetables. You may choose to eat one of them as a wrap with gochujang(red chilipaste) and fish sauce. If not, you may choose to go bibimbap style, get a little bit of every side dish on the rice bowl and mix.
The Ddeokgalbi of the late elderly matron Choi Cheo Ja put the Songjeong five-day traditional market on the map in the 1950's as the destination for this savory meat patty dish. Songjeong Ddeokgalbi Alley has since sprung up there with a variety of Ddokgalbi restaurants.
Healthy and tasty roasted wild sesame powder gives Gwangju Oritang a taste that makes any other recipe of this duck soup pale in comparison. Check out Duck Street alongside NC Department Store to experience health benefits of this delicious dish yourself.