7 Best Restaurants in Pyongyang

Ben Crowley

Aug. 20, 2024

When thinking about travelling to North Korea, or the DPRK as the locals prefer it to call it, it is unlikely that food is one of the top reasons for your interest. While that is justified, it doesn’t mean you’re not in for a culinary delight! When showcasing their country to foreign guests, the Koreans provide an array of dining experiences, which will often leave you shocked as to the quality and amazing flavour of the dishes you are served.

If you’re travelling to North Korea, chances are that you’re a tourist on a tour. As such you won’t get to choose the restaurants you’re eating at, however, we design tours to ensure that you get a variety of experiences, including eating at some of Pyongyang’s finest establishments. That being said, there is no harm in getting an idea of what is in store for your next adventure. Here are our favourite seven restaurants in the North Korean capital.

1. Pyongyang Duck Barbecue Restaurant

Coming in at number one is a Pyongyang institute, the Duck Barbecue Restaurant. Small barbecues are brought to the table, along with perfectly marinated duck pieces. Guests then communally cook the food, creating quite the atmosphere as the restaurant fills with smells of cooked meat.

The Pyongyang Duck Barbecue Restaurant is a popular place with locals. You won’t just be served duck, as it is also tradition to have duck and squid together for a North Korean style BBQ. In addition, you’ll also receive a dizzying number of side dishes, soup and rice, as well as condiments that go perfectly with your duck and squid.

The key when eating at the Pyongyang Duck Barbecue is to do as the locals do. This means placing your meat on the small barbecue and carefully tending to it until it's done. You then place the piece of duck in the provided lettuce leaves, carefully add a little sauce and kimchi, and then place the whole thing in your mouth in one huge bite!

2. Okryu-Gwan

Okryu-gwan is probably the most famous restaurant in the capital. Opened in 1960, and nestled beside the Taedong River, Okryu-gwan can sit up to 2000 guests. This massive number of patrons have primarily come for one reason – Pyongyang Cold Noodles.

Locals receive vouchers to dine here, and you’ll see queues every day of hungry Pyongyangites waiting to be seated to get their hands on what is arguably the national dish of North Korea. Korean war veterans receive free noodles at Okryu-gwan.

Pyongyang cold noodles are served spicy, with some locals adding extra red chilli paste, and the restaurant has branched out with various locations located in China and Japan, becoming famous not just in North Korea but around the world.

3. Moranbong Barbecue

Like the Duck Barbecue Restaurant, the Moranbong Barbeque specialises in grilled meats. Once again small grills will be brought to your table and an array of meats will be presented for you to cook for your own consumption. You’ll be brought chicken, beef and pork, all pre-marinated in traditional Korean spices and flavours.

Not to be confused with the Moranbong Restaurant, next to the Moranbong Hotel, which, serves Korean and Japanese sushi and sashimi.

Sharing a meal with friends is another reason this has become a popular haunt for longs from Pyongyang, and the quality and taste of the food match the social aspect. Perfect with some grilled meats is a cold Taedonggang beer or Korean soju.

4. Samtaesong Hamburger Restaurant

Move over McDonald's, there is another burger restaurant in town. Just because Korea is a socialist country doesn’t mean they too can’t enjoy a burger, and at the Samtaesong Hamburger Restaurant you too can try the Korean take on an American favourite.

Opening in 2009, there are actually multiple venues of this burger restaurant across Pyongyang. Samtaesong has become particularly popular with tourists who want to see how Koreans interpret a burger.

The restaurant itself looks a bit like how fast food restaurants looked in the 80s and 90s, and if you can’t bring yourself to down a burger with a coke, you can always order something Korean food from the menu.

5. Ryungsong Italian Restaurant

When the Koreans decided they wanted an Italian restaurant, they didn’t settle for second best. They sent a team to Italy to pick up an Italian chef who would train the local Koreans on how to make traditional Italian style pizza. They also picked up a proper Italian pizza oven - after all, it wouldn’t be a real Italian pizza otherwise.

With that in mind, you’re now no longer in amazement at how seemingly Italian pizza has made its way to the North Korean capital. Ryungsong Italian Restaurant also serves great pasta and is a great place if you’re feeling a bit tired of Korean food.

Even the ingredients here are imported from Italy and considering the pizzas are all under $10 USD, it’s pretty great value as well.

6. KITC Restaurants

All over the DPRK, the Korean International Travel Company (the state owned local provider of tourism services) owns restaurants that are specifically for tourists. Locals rarely eat at these restaurants. As part of dining at the KITC restaurants, you are privy to a live performance of singing and dancing in traditional Korean clothing.

When visiting one of these establishments, the most famous of which is KITC Restaurant Number 2, you’ll be given a set menu usually consisting of Bibimbap or Pyongyang Cold Noodles, along with various side dishes, rice and soup.

Although obviously very contrived and almost entirely for tourists, this is still an experience in itself, and part of the experience of dining in North Korea as a tourist!

7. Mansugyo Beer Bar

We know it’s not a restaurant, but we think it qualifies for the list. The Mansugyo Beer Bar is another local institution serving the most famous beer in North Korea - Taedonggang. For around $1 USD a pint, you can enjoy multiple different beers including a nice roasted dark stout and a light sparkling rice beer. In total, there are seven beers, which are creatively called 1 through 7.

The main hall of the beer bar is standing room only as locals pack in here after work to have a couple of cold drinks before heading home. For $5 USD you can get a taster and receive a small serve of all 7 beers.

The reason the Mansugyo Beer Bar makes it to the list is that you can also buy snacks to enjoy with your fellow travellers. It’s also an absolute favourite for drinkers and non-drinkers alike as you get to see local Koreans how they normally wind down after a hard day at work.

If you're interested in coming to the DPRK to sample some awesome Korean and non-Korean food then send us an email to [email protected] to secure your spot on one of our upcoming DPRK tours !

Have a bit more of a read about North Korean dishes here .