Gwangju Sikdang 광주식당

Gwangju Sikdang is a Korean home-cooking restaurant located a three-minute walk from Cheongnyangni Station Exit 1 in Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul, celebrated for its brass-pot rice and cheonggukjang. The restaurant has been featured on multiple Korean food programs including Wednesday Food Talk and Tasty Guys, and prominent food YouTubers have also visited. When two or more servings are ordered, rice arrives in a brass pot at the table. After the rice is scooped out, staff return the pot to the kitchen and bring it back with freshly made nurungji - a generous touch that embodies the restaurant's attentive style. Solo diners who add an extra serving of rice also receive the brass-pot treatment. The cheonggukjang has a mild aroma without the pungent smell that sometimes deters newcomers, balanced by a savory depth and large chunks of tofu that add textural variety. While mixing it directly into the rice works well, regulars recommend combining rice, bean sprouts, radish salad, gochujang, and sesame oil in a separate mixing bowl for the full experience. Six side dishes accompany each meal, with the squid jeotgal earning particular praise. The jeyuk bokkeum and ojingeo bokkeum both feature generous portions of well-seasoned meat. The restaurant occupies a humble market-side setting near Cheongnyangni Market that feels welcoming and unpretentious.