Think South Korean food, and bibimbap will be one of the top dishes that come to mind. Made of rice, vegetables, meat, egg and chilli paste, which are stirred together before eating, the name of the dish comes from the term bibim, which means "mixing," and bap, which means "cooked rice." Jeonju, a city in the west of the country, is renowned for its version of bibimbap, which, rumour has it, will enable you to live for a century. It is said that a resident named Kim Saengwon loved bibimbap so much that he consumed the dish regularly and maintained such good health that he lived for over 100 years without illness. This reputation made Jeonju bibimbap famous far and wide, attracting visitors who would come just to eat it, earning it the nickname of baek-se-bap (century rice). In May 2012, Jeonju was chosen as a Creative City for Gastronomy as part of UNESCO's Creative Cities Network, an honour recognising the city's traditional home cooking handed down over thousands of years.
The Jeonju Hanok Village is one of the top places for bibimbap in the city. It contains over 800 Korean traditional houses called hanok, and was designated as an International Slow City in 2010 in recognition of its relaxed pace of life. The annual Jeonju Bibimbap Festival takes place at this site every year. If you find yourself in Jeonju, check out these five places for an irresistible plate of bibimbap.
With nearly 50 years of tradition and dedication, Gogung is a place where you can eat bibimbap by a specialised Jeonju food master who has spent decades honing their craft. Founded in 1996, the restaurant is easily the most famous one in the city. It has been so successful that in 1999, the company opened another restaurant in Seoul’s Myeong-dong neighbourhood. The restaurant offers not only traditional Jeonju bibimbap but also Korean dishes like stone-grilled bulgogi and grilled short rib patties.
Address: 33 Songcheonjungang-ro, 덕진동 Jeonju-si, Jeonbuk State
Famous for its Jeonju-style raw beef bibimbap, the Gamasot Bibimbap has been certified by the Blue Ribbon Survey—South Korea’s premier restaurant guidebook—for five years in a row. Their special sauce is made by mixing three kinds of gochujang and the rice is cooked in a traditional cast iron pot. Those who are vegetarian will also be catered to here. Visitors frequently leave online reviews praising the restaurant’s bibimbap as the best they have ever had.
Address: 19-3 Jeollagamyeong 5-gil, Wansan-gu, Jeonju-si, Jeonbuk State
This establishment has been run by three generations since 1965 and has been frequented by former presidents. The gochujang, which determines the taste of bibimbap, is made every winter using a traditional cauldron so as to maintain the original method of making it. What also sets Seongmidang apart from other establishments in the city is the fact that their gochujang is mixed into the rice from the beginning. As a result, the rice is very flavourful. Locals rank the restaurant as among the top spots for the most delicious bibimbap one can have in Jeonju.
Address: Jeonbuk State, Jeonju-si, Wansan-gu, Jungang-dong 3(sam)-ga, 31-2
This restaurant has been certified by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and opened in 1970. It specialises in Jeonju bibimbap, which the staff make with raw beef and various toppings on rice cooked in a hot stone pot. The ingredients are then mixed with a special sauce and sesame oil. Jongno Hall also offers side dishes like boiled pork and various vegetables, and they can make your bibimbap vegetarian or vegan upon request. One of the most interesting things about having a meal here is that your food is served by robots.
Address: 60-2 Jeon-dong, Wansan-gu, Jeonju-si, Jeonbuk State
Hangugjib is a century-old restaurant that has been run by three generations of the same family since 1952. It is also supposedly the oldest traditional bibimbap place in the city. The owners stick to using homemade sauces and high-quality Korean beef to maintain the reputation of their Jeonju bibimbap. The dish is served in a brass bowl and filled with raw beef, vegetables and nuts. The place is packed with foreigners who know that this is one of the top places to eat in Jeonju. Try their bulgogi, too.
Address: 119 Eojin-gil, Wansan-gu, Jeonju-si, Jeonbuk State