7 Best Restaurants in Jeju-do, South Korea

Hidden in an old stone home in a small forest grove in the town of Seongsan, this cozy place serves a mean galchi jorim (braised hairtail), a Jeju specialty. It's also known for being especially inviting to solo diners, still something of a rarity in Korea. Solo diners can enjoy their galchi jorim with a choice of three side soups: abalone and seaweed, sea urchin and seaweed, or soybean paste. The dishes are fresh and plentiful, too. Order a bottle of local Hallasan soju to complete the meal.

You'll find heukdwaeji (black pork) all over Jeju, but a can't miss place is Donsadon, where they grill skin-on pork belly and other cuts over coal briquettes, lending the meat a delightfully smoky flavor. Wash the meat down with a shot, or several shots, of Hallasan soju, a much beloved local firewater. If you're still hungry after the meat, order some spicy kimchi jjigae stew and a bowl of rice.

Right on the waterfront in the fishing port of Moseulpo, Glagla Hawaii has plenty of Hawaiian vibes, and there's a poke bowl on the menu, to be sure. The real star of the show, however, is the fish and chips, made with a selection of fish freshly caught in the waters off Moseulpo. The freshly made fish burgers are pretty good, too, and if you want to splurge a bit, try the "Hawaiian steamed seafood," a big spicy bowl of shrimp, murex, mussels, broccoli, corn, potatoes, and sausage. Wash your meal down with a glass of Hawaiian or local draft beer.

Udo Island might seem a strange place to find one of Korea's finest burger joints, yet this renovated lava rock house overlooking the sea hits the spot with massive, filling burgers, the patties made of locally produced "black pork" or shrimp sitting high atop lettuce, tomato, and other ingredients. The signatures are the garlic burger with a sauce made from garlic cultivated just across the strait in Jeju's Gujwa township, and the peanut burger served with a sauce made from Udo's very own peanuts. You'll need to cut your burger in half before grabbing it. Wash it down with coffee or a locally produced fruit juice. For dessert, have an Udo peanut or Gujwa garlic ice cream. Indoor and outdoor seating is available; note the restaurant closes at 5 pm.

This small, unassuming joint in downtown Jeju has only one item on the menu: gogi guksu (a hearty soup of thin wheat noodles, pork broth, and thick slices of pork meat), served with a side of kimchi and a couple of green chili peppers. You can find this local specialty throughout Jeju, but few places do it better. They don't skimp on the pork, and the broth is especially rich and filling. As the celebrity signatures covering the walls would attest, this place is quite popular, with lines forming from the morning. Still, turnover is such that you're unlikely to wait too long.

Located on a small, family-run organic green tea plantation on the middle slopes of Hallasan mountain, this tiny tea shop not only serves a lovely cup of tea, but also offers fine views of the rolling tea fields. The tea costs ₩5,000 per person, and it's the only thing on the menu, but that gets you a lot of tea served with sweets made from Jeju tangerines. While you're there, you can walk around the tea fields, too. The plantation has inspiring views of Hallasan mountain, and the fields are beautifully landscaped with walls of volcanic rock and rows of evergreen trees.

This lively spot in one of downtown Seogwipo's entertainment districts has just one thing on the menu: duruchigi (spicy stir-fried pork and vegetables), which you cook yourself on a skillet at your table. It's cheap, tasty, and filling. Be sure to grab a bowl of rice from the communal steamer and fry it up in the leftover sauce. They don't sell alcohol, but they let you bring your own booze, and there are nearby convenience stores to assist you in this endeavor. It can get crowded at night, but the atmosphere is energizing.