Locals’ Favorite Woojoktang (Korean Beef Soup) Restaurants

Jeonju is the capital of Korean traditional food. Most visitors go after bibimbap, kongnamul gukbap (bean sprouts soup with rice), and sundae gukbap (Korean blood sausage soup with rice). However, what about other local cuisine? If you’re looking for a stamina booster or something hearty, try woojoktang(Korean Beef Soup) like locals do.

Woojoktang is less known than other similar dishes, such as seollongtang (cow bone soup with brisket) and korigomtang (cow tail soup). However, woojoktang is one of local favourites.

Although its name denotes ‘cow feet soup’, woojoktang also contains cow knee and brisket. You can taste different parts of cow in one hearty bowl. In this post, I’ll introduce two time-honored restaurants specializing in woojoktang.

Kimpansoe Jeonju Woojoktang

Kimpansoe Jeonju Woojoktang is a historic cow Korean beef soup restaurant.  Open since 1960, the restaurant has been run by three generations of the owner’s family. The woojoktang of Kimpansoe is brewed with oriental medicines. It’s aromatic and tastes simple but deep.

Many television programs, magazines, and newspapers have already covered Kimpansoe Jeonju Woojoktang.

The side dishes are: plain noodle, chopped shallot, meoritgogi (steamed meat pieces), turnip cube kimchi, Korean cabbage kimchi, and chilli pepper pickle.

Over the woojoktang bowl are chopped shallot, sliced date, sliced fried egg, and a small ginseng. Add the noodle and more shallot (if you want) into the soup. The vinegared chilli pepper paste is the sauce for meoritgogi.

I really liked the subtle aroma of the oriental medicine. The woojoktang of Kimpansoe is not only tasty but also healthy.

Kimpansoe Jeonju Woojoktang

Address: Taejinro 132, Deokjingu, Jeonju

Contact: 063-252-5010

Opening hours: 07:00-22:00

Geumam Woojoktang

Introduced in major television foodie shows, Geumam Woojoktang is a nationwide famous restaurant. This place is also run by three generations of the owner’s family. Geumam Woojoktang only uses Korean beef cattle. Its side dishes are made from the owner’s own farm.

The side dishes are: turnip kimchi, shallot kimchi, Korean cabbage kimchi, radish kimchi, pickled chilli pepper, chopped shallot, plain noodle, pickled shrimps, and meoritgogi.

On the woojoktang bowl are chopped shallot. You may add salt or pickled shrimp if you want the soup more salty.

Add vinegared chilli pepper paste and sesame seed powder into a small bowl. Mix the two to make the sauce for meoritgogi.

The broth of Geumam Woojoktang is made from cow femur bones only. Hence, the broth is rather thick and goes well with rice. I could understand why many major television foodie shows visited here.

Geumam Woojoktang

Address: Taejinro 136, Deokjingu, Jeonju

Contact: 063-252-8052

Opening hours: 10:00-21:00

Both woojoktang restaurants are near Jeonju Intercity Bus Terminal and Jeonju Express Bus Terminal. If you’re travelling to Jeonju on bus, I highly recommend stopping by one of these restaurants to try this hearty local cuisine.