Nine Seoul sweets stops for the walk you are already taking
Rice cakes near Jongno, tea in Bukchon, bingsu in Myeong-dong or hotteok at a market: choose one sweet stop that fits your day.
Nine Seoul sweets stops for the walk you are already taking
You do not need to cross Seoul for all nine of these sweets. A rice cake fits a morning near Jongno, tea offers a seat after Bukchon, and bingsu makes sense on a hot Myeong-dong afternoon. Start with the neighborhood you are already visiting. Addresses, opening notes and planning budgets were researched on 13 September 2026; check the day’s opening and menu prices before setting out.
Near the palaces and Bukchon
Nakwon Tteokjip (낙원떡집)
If your morning takes you past Jongno 3-ga, look at the rice cakes at Nakwon Tteokjip. A market-style selection may be better early, but a particular variety might not last all day. Before taking a package away, ask the seller how long it can stay at room temperature.
Type: Rice cakes · Address: 438 Samil-daero, Jongno-gu, Seoul
Coordinates: 37.5734, 126.989 · Nearest station: Jongno 3-ga Station (Lines 1/3/5), Exit 5
Hours check: Market-style early opening; call/check map same day · Budget: About ₩3,000–₩10,000
Caption: Rice cakes are a morning-market choice; ask how to store a takeaway package. Photo: Korea.net / Korean Culture and Information Service (KOCIS), Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0
Seoulseo Duljjaero Jalhaneunjip (서울서둘째로잘하는집)
On Samcheong-ro, Seoulseo Duljjaero Jalhaneunjip is a place to sit over sweet red-bean porridge and traditional tea. It was described as a walk-in spot with limited seats, so allow for a weekend wait. Check holiday opening before making a special trip.
Type: Sweet red-bean porridge and traditional tea · Address: 122-1 Samcheong-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul
Coordinates: 37.5861, 126.9818 · Nearest station: Anguk Station (Line 3), Exit 1, then walk/bus
Hours check: About 11:00–20:30; possible holiday closure · Budget: About ₩7,000–₩10,000
Osulloc Tea House Bukchon (오설록 티하우스 북촌점)
For Korean tea with a tea-based dessert, consider Osulloc Tea House Bukchon. The floors may close at different times; consult the current official store listing for the space you want. Milk and egg ingredients can also differ from one green-tea dessert to another.
Type: Korean tea and tea desserts · Address: 45 Bukchon-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul
Coordinates: 37.5821, 126.9853 · Nearest station: Anguk Station (Line 3), Exit 2
Hours check: Daily, but floor hours may differ; check official listing · Budget: About ₩8,000–₩20,000
Cafe Onion Anguk (카페 어니언 안국)
Cafe Onion Anguk pairs a bakery with a hanok setting. A morning visit or takeaway may suit you better than a busy midday stop. Check its official social feed for weekday versus weekend opening, and ask about wheat, milk and egg in individual pastries.
Type: Hanok bakery · Address: 5 Gyedong-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul
Coordinates: 37.5774, 126.9862 · Nearest station: Anguk Station (Line 3), Exit 3
Hours check: Usually early weekdays/later weekend opening; check official social feed · Budget: About ₩5,000–₩12,000
Myeong-dong, Namdaemun and Jangchung
Taegukdang Main (태극당 본점)
In Jangchung, Taegukdang Main offers monaka, red-bean buns and castella to take away. Its long history does not tell you today’s opening hours, so check the current official notice. Ask about dairy in the monaka and wheat or egg in the baked goods.
Type: Historic Seoul bakery and monaka · Address: 7 Dongho-ro 24-gil, Jung-gu, Seoul
Coordinates: 37.5595, 127.005 · Nearest station: Dongguk Univ. Station (Line 3), Exit 2
Hours check: Visit Seoul lists 08:00–21:00; reconfirm official channel · Budget: About ₩3,000–₩15,000
Sulbing Myeongdong 1st (설빙 명동1호점)
On a hot Myeong-dong day, a bowl of patbingsu or injeolmi bingsu at Sulbing Myeongdong 1st may be enough for two. Expect a possible summer-evening wait and match the address to the exact branch. Ask about condensed milk, other dairy and nut toppings.
Type: Patbingsu and injeolmi bingsu · Address: 35-20 Myeongdong 10-gil, Jung-gu, Seoul
Coordinates: 37.5627, 126.985 · Nearest station: Myeong-dong Station (Line 4), Exit 8
Hours check: Usually late morning to night; reconfirm the exact Myeongdong 1st branch · Budget: About ₩12,000–₩20,000
Caption: The bowl pictured is a cold shaved-ice bingsu topped with red beans. Photo: matthew254, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0
Namdaemun Market Hotteok Stalls (남대문시장 호떡 노점 선택)
At Namdaemun Market, choose a hotteok stall that is cooking when you arrive rather than looking for one permanent shop. Daytime in autumn or winter is a sensible window, but vendors and weather decide what is available. Ask about wheat, peanuts, other nuts and sesame.
Type: Hotteok (best in autumn/winter) · Address: Around 21 Namdaemunsijang 4-gil, Jung-gu, Seoul
Coordinates: 37.5592, 126.9771 · Nearest station: Hoehyeon Station (Line 4), Exit 5
Hours check: Varies by vendor/weather; daytime recommended · Budget: About ₩1,500–₩3,000
A packaged sweet in Hannam
Golden Piece Hannam (골든피스 한남)
Golden Piece Hannam is an option for gift-packed yakgwa or Gaeseong juak. At research time a tourism listing showed 12:00–18:00 and suggested that the following week’s bookings might open on Fridays. Check its official Instagram for the current arrangement, as well as same-day closure or sell-outs.
Type: Yakgwa and Gaeseong juak · Address: 25 Hannam-daero 27-gil, Yongsan-gu, Seoul
Coordinates: 37.5365, 127.0027 · Nearest station: Hangangjin Station (Line 6), Exit 3
Hours check: 12:00–18:00 in Visit Seoul listing; check sell-outs/closures same day · Budget: About ₩3,000–₩35,000
Caption: Yakgwa can accompany tea or travel as a packaged gift. Photo: Korea.net / Korean Culture and Information Service (KOCIS), Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0
Seasonal stalls near Gwangjang Market
Gwangjang Market Bungeoppang & Kkwabaegi Stalls (광장시장 붕어빵·꽈배기 노점 선택)
Around Gwangjang Market, bungeoppang and twisted doughnuts depend on the season and the stalls operating that day. Fish-shaped cakes are more likely in colder months. Bring cash and a mobile-payment option, and ask about red-bean or custard filling and shared frying oil.
Type: Bungeoppang and twisted doughnuts (seasonal) · Address: Around 88 Changgyeonggung-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul
Coordinates: 37.5701, 126.9996 · Nearest station: Jongno 5-ga Station (Line 1), Exit 7
Hours check: Varies by vendor/weather; bungeoppang mainly in cold months · Budget: About ₩1,000–₩5,000
Caption: Street sweets around the market depend on the vendor and the weather.
Diet and allergies
Ask about coatings, fillings and shared equipment when buying rice cakes. Yakgwa, hotteok and baked goods may contain wheat, nuts, sesame, egg or milk. Honey, animal fat and shared oil or tools also mean “traditional” is not a vegan label. If you have a serious allergy or follow a strict vegan diet, confirm ingredients and preparation directly with staff in Korean; this list cannot establish either for you.
Make the stop count
Rice cakes suit a morning purchase; tea gives you a seated break. Save bingsu for heat, red-bean porridge or hotteok for cold, and consider packed rice cakes or yakgwa for a gift. Stalls may not open in bad weather and are not generally reservable; busy shops can have weekend queues or sell out. One stop on your existing walk is plenty.