Busan Food Crawl 101: Street Snacks, Markets & Must-Try Bites

If Seoul is “city speed,” Busan is “eat by the ocean and wander” energy.

It’s the kind of place where you can spend a whole day just walking from market to market, grabbing snacks, and ending the night with something hot and comforting in a tiny alley shop.

Here’s a friendly, practical guide to doing a Busan street food and market crawl—what to eat, where to go, and how to plan your route.

Busan is a coastal city, known for:

• Its harbor and fishing culture
• Fresh seafood everywhere
• Compact old-town areas where markets, alleys, and street food streets sit right next to each other

That means in one afternoon, you can:

• Walk through a fish market with live tanks
• Turn a corner and find carts selling hotteok, skewers, and tteokbokki
• Slip into a busy market alley for noodles or soup
• End the night with late snacks and drinks in another market

Places like Jagalchi Market, BIFF Square, Gukje Market, and Bupyeong Kkangtong Market all sit relatively close to each other in the Nampo-dong area, making it perfect for a walking food crawl.

Jagalchi Market is Busan’s famous seafood market and a must-visit stop. It’s partly indoor, partly outdoor, and full of stalls selling:

• Live fish, crabs, shellfish, octopus, squid
• Dry seafood like anchovies, seaweed, dried fish
• Small restaurants and “sashimi floors” where you can eat on-site

What to Do

1. Walk through the ground floor
   • You’ll see tanks and tables piled with fresh seafood.
   • Vendors may call out to you; you can just smile and keep walking if you’re browsing.
2. Choose seafood & get it cooked
   • At many stalls, you can:
     • Pick what you want (e.g., fish, shellfish).
     • Pay for it.
     • Then have it taken upstairs to a restaurant area where they’ll cook it for an additional fee.
   • Popular ways: grilled, steamed, spicy stew (jjigae), or sashimi.
3. Try simple dishes like:
   • Hoe (raw fish slices) with sauces and side dishes
   • Grilled fish plates
   • Seafood stews with clams and shellfish

Tips

• Prices can vary; don’t be afraid to compare a couple of stalls before deciding.
• If you’re not used to live seafood, you can also just head straight to one of the established small restaurants inside and order off their menu.

Busan-Style Ssiat Hotteok

Ssiat hotteok = hotteok (fried sugar-filled pancake) + seeds and nuts.

• The vendor slices open the hotteok and fills it with sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, peanuts, etc.
• Inside: gooey brown sugar-cinnamon mix.
• Outside: crispy, oily, chewy perfection.

There are a few famous stalls with long lines—if you see one with a queue, that’s a good sign.

Beyond hotteok, you’ll find:

• Skewers (fish cake, sausage, chicken, etc.)
• Tteokbokki (spicy rice cakes) and sundae (blood sausage)
• Fried snacks (twigim)
• Random seasonal treats, like roasted chestnuts or corn

How to Enjoy BIFF Square

• Go late afternoon or evening when the area is bright and busy.
• Grab a hotteok and something savory.
• Walk slowly around Nampo-dong’s streets, which are full of shops, stalls, and people.

Gukje Market

Gukje is more of a traditional/general market, selling:

• Clothes, shoes, bags
• Household items
• Some food stalls and small eateries

You’ll find little restaurants tucked into alleys with:

• Noodles
• Simple stews
• Everyday comfort dishes

Bupyeong Kkangtong Market

This one is especially known for its night market vibes.

You’ll see:

• Tons of street food stalls in the evening
• Seafood skewers, tteokbokki, Korean pancakes (jeon), dumplings
• Grilled items, small plates, and snacks perfect for grazing
• Some stalls selling international-style street food, depending on the season

How to Use These Markets in a Crawl

• Late afternoon: wander Gukje Market for atmosphere.
• Evening: head to Bupyeong Kkangtong Market as more stalls open and lights come on.
• Grab small portions at several stalls instead of just one big meal, that’s the whole point of a crawl.

1. Milmyeon (밀면) – Wheat Noodles

Like a cousin of naengmyeon (cold buckwheat noodles), but with wheat-based noodles, often in a cold broth with slices of meat and vegetables.

• Refreshing and slightly chewy.
• Good for warmer months or if you’ve had a lot of hot, heavy food.
• Found in milmyeon specialty shops around the city (you can search “밀면” on maps).

2. Dwaeji Gukbap (돼지국밥) – Pork Soup with Rice

Busan classic comfort food:

• Rich, milky pork broth
• Rice served in the soup or on the side
• You customize with salt, kimchi, chives, and sauces at the table.

There are whole streets of dwaeji gukbap restaurants, especially around Seomyeon and other busy districts.

3. Eomuk (어묵) – Fish Cake

Busan is famous for fish cakes.

You’ll see:

• Skewers simmering in hot broth at street stalls (grab a cup of broth too).
• Fish cake bars, shops, and souvenir packs.
• Specialty eomuk stores you can visit as part of your crawl.

Hot tip: Eomuk + a cold evening + sea breeze = chef’s kiss.

Half-Day Crawl (Afternoon → Night)

Start ~3:00–4:00 p.m.

1. Jagalchi Market
   • Walk through, snack on something small (eomuk or a light seafood dish).
2. Walk to BIFF Square
   • Grab Busan-style ssiat hotteok and a street snack (skewer, tteokbokki).
3. Continue into Gukje Market
   • Explore the alleys, peek at shops, maybe sit down for noodles or a small dish if you’re hungry.
4. Head to Bupyeong Kkangtong Market as it gets dark
   • Do your main “street food crawl” here in the evening: try 2–4 small dishes from different stalls.

Full-Day Crawl (More Relaxed)

Late Morning / Lunch

1. Start with a proper meal:
   • Dwaeji gukbap near your area, or
   • Milmyeon at a well-reviewed spot.

Afternoon

2. Explore Jagalchi Market & harbor area
   • Light seafood snack or coffee with a view.
3. Wander into Nampo-dong shopping streets
   • Shop, rest, and slowly make your way to BIFF Square.

Evening

4. BIFF Square hotteok & street snacks
5. Gukje Market walk-through
6. Bupyeong Kkangtong Market night session
   • More food, maybe drinks, and soaking up the night market vibe.

Adjust based on your appetite, remember you don’t have to eat everything in one day (even though it’s tempting).

Budget

A rough idea (per person):

• Small street snack: ₩1,000–₩4,000
• Heartier dish (tteokbokki, noodles, etc.): ₩4,000–₩8,000+
• Full meal like dwaeji gukbap or milmyeon: around ₩8,000–₩12,000+

A half-day crawl with multiple snacks and one “real meal” might land around ₩15,000–₩30,000, depending on how much you eat.

Cash vs Card

• Many stalls and shops in big markets now accept card, but some small vendors may be cash-only.
• Best to carry some cash (₩10,000–₩30,000 in smaller bills) just in case.

Etiquette

• Don’t block the stall completely if you’re not buying; step aside if you’re just watching.
• If you eat at a standing table or stall, throw trash in the given bin—don’t walk away with dishes.
• For shared dishes, it’s normal to use individual plates if they provide them; if not, just avoid double-dipping with sauce.

Simple Ordering Phrases

If you want to keep it easy:

• 이거 하나 주세요. (I-geo hana juseyo.) = “One of this, please.”
• Point at the item while saying it.
• If you want two: 이거 두 개 주세요. (I-geo du-gae juseyo.)

You can also show a number with your fingers and smile—body language works.