Busan is not just South Korea's second-largest city — it is the country's undisputed seafood capital, a port city where the daily catch shapes the menu from street stalls to sit-down restaurants. The food here is robust, deeply seasoned, and tied to the sea in a way that sets it apart from Seoul's more varied culinary identity. Whether you arrive for the beaches, the festivals, or the temples, eating your way through Busan is an experience that stands entirely on its own. Book your flights to Busan through Traveloka and arrive hungry.

Dwaeji gukbap is Busan's definitive comfort dish — a thick, milky broth built from pork bones and meat, served alongside a bowl of rice that you can stir directly into the soup. Toppings are customisable, and most restaurants will offer a condiment spread of fermented shrimp paste, spring onions, and kimchi to adjust the flavour to your taste. A bowl costs between 8,000 and 12,000 KRW, making it one of Busan's most satisfying and affordable meals. Bonjeon Dwaeji Gukbap near Busan Station is the city's most celebrated address for the dish.

Bokguk is a premium Busan experience — the careful preparation required to safely serve pufferfish is a mark of serious culinary craft, and the resulting soup has a delicate, distinctive texture that no other fish can replicate. Seasoned with soy sauce, garlic, and aromatic herbs, the broth is clean and restorative, with the fish providing a firm, almost gelatinous bite. Expect to pay 30,000 KRW and above for a proper serving, which places it firmly in special-occasion territory. Halmae-jib Wonjo Bokguk is the recommended address for first-timers.

Sometimes called "rice thief" in Korean — because the intensely savoury gejang makes it impossible to stop eating rice — ganjang gejang consists of fresh raw crabs marinated in soy sauce, garlic, ginger, and layered seasonings until the flavours have fully penetrated the flesh. The result is a deeply umami dish with a silky, almost custardy texture that is unlike anything else in the Korean food repertoire. Prices typically start from 30,000 KRW for a proper serving. Golmok Gejang is a reliable place to try the dish without compromise.

Busan's food scene is best experienced alongside the city's extraordinary coastline and cultural sites. Find the best hotels in Busan close to both the seafood markets and the beach neighbourhoods of Haeundae and Gwangalli.

Milmyeon is a Busan invention that emerged in the aftermath of the Korean War, when wheat flour was more accessible than buckwheat. The dish features firm wheat noodles served cold in a tangy, gently spiced broth seasoned with gochujang, topped with thin slices of cucumber and radish for freshness. Priced between 7,000 and 10,000 KRW, it is excellent value and a welcome cooling dish on a warm summer visit. The Choryang milmyeon district near Busan Station is the historic home of the dish.

No visit to Busan is complete without at least one meal at or near Jagalchi Market in Nampo-dong — South Korea's largest fish market and a sensory experience that goes well beyond the eating. You can choose your fish live from the tanks on the ground floor and have it prepared upstairs in the restaurant section, picking from raw preparations, grilled options, or bubbling seafood stews. Pricing starts from around 20,000 KRW and scales with the size and rarity of your choice. The atmosphere alone — the calls of the vendors, the tanks, the salt air — is worth the visit.

Ssiat hotteok is the Busan upgrade to the classic Korean sweet pancake, stuffed with a mixture of brown sugar, honey, peanuts, and seeds instead of the standard sugar filling. The result is a crispy, caramelised exterior that gives way to a gooey, nutty interior with greater complexity than the traditional version. Costing just 1,000 to 3,000 KRW, it is the city's greatest street food bargain. Head to Gukje Market and look for the stalls with the longest queues — they are queues for a reason.

Busan's markets, beaches, and historic sites are all waiting to be explored. Check out the full range of activities available in Busan, from Lotte World rides to relaxed coastal walks along Haeundae.

Yukgaejang is a deeply satisfying bowl of shredded beef slow-cooked with fernbrake, mushrooms, bean sprouts, and a generous hand of chilli in a rich, brick-red broth. It is the kind of soup that warms you from the inside, making it particularly well-suited to a Busan visit during the cooler autumn or winter months. Prices sit between 8,000 and 12,000 KRW for a full serving. Gosame in the Seomyeon neighbourhood is the recommended address for a properly made bowl.

Eomuk — fish cakes threaded onto skewers and served with a warm, savoury dipping broth — is the quintessential Busan street food experience. Made from ground fish paste formed around the skewer and cooked in seasoned broth, each skewer costs just 1,000 to 3,000 KRW, making it an easy, no-commitment snack between larger meals. The variations in filling and sauce give even a single market visit some interesting range to explore. In Busan, eomuk is a constant backdrop to street life — you will encounter it at nearly every market or busy shopping street.

Pajeon is a savoury Korean pancake built from a batter of eggs, rice flour, wheat flour, and a generous quantity of green onions, pan-fried to a golden, slightly crispy finish. Busan's version — particularly around Dongnae Pajeon Town — is thicker and more substantial than what you might find elsewhere, with seafood additions common in the port city context. Prices range from 5,000 to 15,000 KRW depending on size and filling. It pairs naturally with a small glass of makgeolli (Korean rice wine), following a pairing tradition that is as old as the dish itself.

Samgyeopsal is perhaps the most universally beloved dish in the Korean barbecue repertoire — thin slices of pork belly grilled tableside on a charcoal or gas grill, then wrapped in perilla leaves or lettuce with garlic, ssamjang sauce, and kimchi. In Busan, the quality of the pork and the sociable, shared nature of the meal make it an essential part of any visit. Prices range from 15,000 to 25,000 KRW per portion. This is deeply embedded in the city's food culture, and almost any busy grill restaurant will deliver the goods.

Traveloka, Southeast Asia's leading travel platform trusted by over 100 million users, makes planning a Busan food trip straightforward and affordable. The app covers everything from deals on hotel stays near the Haeundae beach strip to a car rental for day trips along the South Korean coast. Book your airport transfer from Gimhae International Airport and arrive ready to eat. Check Traveloka promotions for the latest deals, and download the app for flights, hotels, activities, car rental, eSIM, and travel insurance all in one place.