Onjium

Onjium is part restaurant and part cultural project. It grew out of a research institute dedicated to traditional Korean ways of life, from clothing and architecture to food, and its kitchen studies historic recipes from the Joseon period, particularly the cooking of the royal court and aristocratic households, before reinterpreting them for today. The restaurant opened in 2013, holds one Michelin star in the 2026 guide and has also appeared on the list of Asia's 50 Best Restaurants.

The kitchen is led by Cho Eun-hee, a specialist in Korean royal court cuisine, and Park Sung-bae, who has cooked in Japan and the United States. Their tasting menus follow the seasons and draw on old cookbooks and family recipes, using carefully sourced Korean ingredients and fermented sauces and pickles. The result is subtle and refined rather than fiery, a side of Korean food that most visitors never encounter. Beverage pairings, including traditional Korean liquors, are offered.

The setting is part of the appeal. The restaurant occupies the fourth floor of a building on Hyoja-ro, directly across from the stone wall of Gyeongbokgung Palace, and the dining room mixes traditional Korean materials with a calm, modern design. Counter seats let guests watch the chefs at work, which is a good way to learn about the techniques behind each dish.

Onjium suits curious food lovers, couples and anyone interested in Korean history and culture. It serves lunch and dinner from Tuesday to Friday and is closed on Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays, so plan around a weekday visit. Bookings are handled by the restaurant itself and seats are limited, so reserve well in advance and mention dietary requirements when you do. Lunch is often the easier slot to secure.

Behind the scenes, the team reportedly runs a separate site in Namyangju, outside Seoul, for fermenting ingredients, which gives a sense of the preparation that goes into each course.

Gyeongbokgung Station on Line 3 is the nearest stop, about ten minutes on foot, and buses run along Hyoja-ro. The restaurant sits on the edge of Seochon, the neighbourhood west of the palace, whose lanes are full of small galleries, cafés and bookshops. A palace visit in the morning followed by lunch here makes a very good day in this part of the city.