One of the questions we get asked the most is our favourite places to go in Seoul. This can be hard to answer sometimes as some of our all time faves have been the result of stumbling across something fabulous (because it is a magical city where each place is as amazing as the next). But, today we're running through some stand out faves. This isn't a single day itinerary as some of the places aren't close together, but just make sure you hit these spots.
Acid House, Gangnam
This one starts as an indoor outdoor brunch spot and then quietly turns into a wine bar as the day goes on, which is our favourite category of venue and one we wish existed more widely. It's chic without being precious about it. Open, airy, lots of light, and positioned so that you end up doing a good amount of people watching without having to be obvious about it.
You need a reservation for brunch. We wouldn't chance walking in, and we say that as people who usually do chance it.
Tulear, Gangnam
Shared plates, a wine list that someone has clearly thought properly about, and again, excellent people watching.
Nothing Written, Hannam-dong
You can go for the clothes. But we mostly go for the interior (they are sometimes out of stock of some pieces, just to save you the disappointment). It's a concept store, and they change the space often enough that it's genuinely different every time we visit. It reads more like stepping into someone's home than walking onto a shop floor. We've left empty handed and still felt like the trip over was worth it, which feels like the highest compliment we can pay a retail space.
You Salon, Cheongdam
Getting your hair done in a country where you don't speak the language is a small act of faith. This is where we go, and the reason we go back is that they're properly foreigner friendly, so we're not sitting there nodding along and hoping for the best.
They're also incredibly thorough, particularly with the scalp treatment that's been all over everyone's feed.
New Star Clinic, Gangnam
Clinics in Seoul can feel a bit like a conveyor belt, given the volume of customers they see. This one doesn't. It's clean, it's foreigner friendly, and the whole thing feels super personal.
There are massage chairs in the waiting area, which is a small detail that does a lot of work when you're nervous. And you get your own space to actually sit with a doctor and talk properly, rather than a quick consult in a corridor. Being able to ask questions and have them answered slowly mattered to us far more than we expected it to.