Heritage: Timeless Shops of the Past

The history of Gangnam-gu is not long. It was created along with the Seoul urban development plan in the 1970s. However, since the time when the name ‘Gangnam-gu’ did not exist, someone has made a living in Gangnam-gu, and there are still people who continue to do so. An old restaurant that has been in Gangnam-gu for several decades now embraces the history of Gangnam-gu itself. Even now, that history is still ongoing.

Samwon Garden

There was a time when the name of most rib restaurants across the country was ‘~~Garden.’ The restaurant that started the so-called ‘rural rib restaurant’ craze is Samwon Garden, which opened in Apgujeong in 1976. Samwon Garden, which offered quite unconventional services at the time, such as a 1,200 pyeong size, valet parking service, and uniformed staff, was renewed and opened in June 2022. When the news of the opening was announced on Instagram, many people who had a special time and made memories at Samwon Garden expressed their joy, such as ‘I had my first birthday party here!’ and ‘This is where I ate out every time I graduated!’ With the addition of the main building and an annex, it has become large enough to accommodate nearly 600 people, and the green ‘garden’ can be seen at a glance through the full-length windows on the first floor. Although the building may have changed, Samwon's traditional marinated ribs, loved by many, are still excellent. Samwon Garden Eonju-ro 835

New Dumpling House

A (new) dumpling restaurant that has been quietly maintaining its location since 1981, 7 years before the first McDonald's branch opened in Apgujeong. The late Han Dong-suk from Pyongyang started selling the dumpling soup he used to eat in his hometown, and it has now been passed down for two generations. One serving of dumpling soup comes with 6 dumplings. The fairly thick dumpling skin contains plenty of filling made from minced pork, bean sprouts, tofu, and green onions. The clear broth made by boiling beef brisket and green onions is light and savory. Thickly steamed mung bean pancakes are also a popular menu item. It has been selected for the Michelin Bib Gourmand continuously since 2017. New Mandujip Apgujeong-ro 338

Hanilgwan Apgujeong Branch

Hanilgwan started in Jongno 3-ga in 1939 and moved to Apgujeong in 2008, writing down the history of a 100-year-old restaurant. The Seoul Future Heritage and Hundred Years Store signboards at the entrance, as well as the autographs of numerous famous people, tell of its history and reputation. Hanilkwan's bulgogi is a typical 'Seoul-style bulgogi' with a moderately sweet seasoning, a light broth, a sirloin so soft that it tears apart with just the touch of chopsticks, and a variety of vegetables, and is said to have contributed greatly to the popularization of bulgogi. If you order Hanilgwan's lunch menu, which can be ordered until 2:30 p.m., you can enjoy one serving of bulgogi at an affordable price. Traditional galbitang, which is sold in limited quantities every day, is also popular. What's special about Hanilgwan is that you can see many elderly people having a meal while reminiscing about old memories. Hanilgwan Apgujeong Branch 14 Apgujeong-ro 38-gil

New Year

Sinjeong has been operating since 1986 around Gangnam Station, where the pace of change is the fastest in Gangnam-gu. You can taste a variety of meat menus, including roast duck, grilled lamb ribs, and Genghis Khan. The most popular menu item is noodle soup. Add thinly sliced ​​beef brisket, green onions, and noodles to the broth made from anchovies and kelp and boil. The difference from Shabu Shabu style Genghis Khan is that you add all the ingredients at once and boil them. Both the main dish and side dishes are healthy and not overly seasoned. The store is large and has many rooms, so it is good for gatherings.

39-3, Sinjeongheonreung-ro 569-gil

Manna Snack

Manna Snacks in the underground shopping mall of Eunma Apartment in Daechi-dong has been in business since 1990, three years before the College Scholastic Ability Test was administered. Even among the various variations of tteokbokki, such as soup tteokbokki and tteokbokki made with rice cake, the taste of tteokbokki made with smooth wheat rice cake that does not blow easily remains unchanged even after more than 30 years. Manna Bunsik's unique delicacy is the rice cake skewers, which are fried rice cakes, placed on a plate, and then sprinkled with sauce, and the puffed ice cream, which is made by putting vanilla ice cream between fried rice cakes. Manna Bunsik Samsung-ro 212 Eunma Underground Shopping Mall A-63 (in front of Building 20)