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Where to find the culinary heart of South Korea in Cape Town

October 8, 2022 (Last Updated: October 4, 2022)

We’ve said it before and we’ll continue saying it for years to come. Cape Town – the city that keeps on giving – is an avid foodie’s dream. With a multitude of flavours to choose from, why not discover the sweet and spicy jewels of the East?

Grab your chingus and head down to these culinary gems for a true taste of South Korea:

Gogi

It’s all about GIY here at Gogi Korean BBQ – a place where your South Korean fantasies come to life.

If by sheer chance you’ve watched even just a snippet from any Korean Drama, it would almost without a doubt be that one scene of the team dinner, university or high school alumni gatherings, or simply a bunch of friends chillin’g for the night. Where do these events take place? At a grill-it-yourself style barbeque restaurant.

Plenty of meat, plenty of soju. It’s simply the South Korean way of life.

Location: 1 Dean Street, Newlands
Operating hours: Tuesday to Thursday 12 pm to 9 pm | Friday and Saturday 12 pm to 11 pm | Sunday 12 pm to 9 pm
Website: gogi-restaurant.com

Korea Mart

Your absolute one-stop Korean shop to fulfill all your snackish desires.

With the popularity of Korean pop culture rising steadily in Cape Town, it’s only natural that Korea Mart has become a hub-spot for all K-drama fans yearning to taste the tteokbokki, mandu or corndog they’ve seen on the latest episode. They’ve recently moved just across the road to its new home in St Peter Square.

A sit-down and takeaway menu that will .

Location: first floor, St Peter Square 423 Main Road, Observatory
Operating hours: Monday to Saturday 9.30 am to 5.30 pm | Sunday 10 am to 4 pm
Website: korea-mart.business.site

Plucky’s

If that Korean Drama snippet we mentioned earlier wasn’t of a Korean BBQ place, we can almost bet that it was a scene of a wholesome parent-child moment, or the main group of characters chowing away on some of the crunchiest sounding Korean-style fried chicken to ever make your mouth water instantly. KFC is will always be finger-licking good, but there’s simply something in South Korea that even Colonel Sanders couldn’t get his hands on.

Until now. With a diverse menu including vegetarian options, this halaal-friendly gem has arrived to answer all our double-fried Korean chicken needs. We guarantee you’ll be back for more after just the first bite.

Location: V&A Food Market, Victoria & Alfred Waterfront
Operating hours: Monday to Sunday 10 am to 7 pm
Website: pluckys.co.za

Korean Kitchen

In the heart of Stadium on Main lies one of the first few well-known Korean cuisine establishments to stock authentic K-pop merch for Cape Town’s ever-growing fandom members and a pioneer in hosting events to unite South African K-pop stans, K-drama addicts, and Korean culture enthusiasts alike.

Not only does Korean Kitchen serve a truly authentic Korean food experience with an array of traditional dishes, but they also go one step further to giving us a portal into South Korea.

After your meal is done, and you’ve had a few drops of Korean liquid courage (soju, obviously), make your way to their noraebang (karaoke) and live out your best kpop-idol fantasies with their gigantic selection of both Korean and english songs.