From exquisite restaurants that’ll have your mouth watering like you had a medical condition to amazingly down-to-earth markets that’ll have you wondering why more stores aren’t like this, the Korean community has got the food trade down lock, stock and barrel.
by Max Fisher
Buffalo Niagara has amazing Korean restaurants and markets
More Than Kimchi & BBQ
Let’s play a quick word association game, shall we? I’m going to say “Korean food,” and I want to know what comes to mind. Do you think Korean barbecue that’s revered all over the world for its deliciousness? Do you think unprocessed foods and a traditional commitment to freshness that’s unmatched? Or, do you think of that dumpling scene from Oldboy (I’m talking about the original. The less said about the remake, the better, but spike Lee and Josh Brolin, how do you mess that up)?
Seeing as it was a rhetorical question, all those answers and any others you might have thought of are correct (boy, you got to love questions with multiple answers; they’re so inclusive). But let’s delve a bit deeper into the subject and discuss some of the great spots for Korean food in the Buffalo Niagara area.
The Cult of Korean BBQ
There are a lot of great spots to get your Korean food fix, but my favorite spots are The Chin Hills Restaurant and the Arirang Restaurant (in no particular order, we don’t play favorites over here). Let’s discuss Chin Hills first because it has a small but nonetheless noticeable factor that a lot of other Korean restaurants lack. Have you ever gone to a Korean restaurant expecting to have BBQ, but it wasn’t on the menu? Or the selection was so minuscule you wondered why they even put these 2 or 3 things as options? Whatever you ended up getting instead was good sure, but it wasn’t world-renowned Korean BBQ. So to put it mildly, you felt a little slighted, maybe even a bit misled? Have you ever run into the opposite scenario where all you wanted was some traditional hearty Korean food, but you got all these BBQ choices instead?
If you go to Chin Hills, that problem is a thing of the past because they serve A1 traditional Korean food that’ll have you thinking everyone in Korea eats an incredible home-cooked meal every night for dinner, as well as delectable BBQ that’ll turn you into a believer in the faith of Korean BBQ (if you ever doubted, shame on you), and bring you back into the flock if you’re faith ever wavered. So, if you never want to go through the difficult choice of choosing between ordering Galbi and Dolsot Bibimbap, Chin Hills should be your new go-to!
Some Korean BBQ at Chin Hills Restaurant
Arirang Restaurant is up next, and if you’re looking for Korean food with just a splash of creativity, you’ve come to the right place. I’m going to just come out and say it; they have a little bit of everything, and it’s all good! From interesting appetizers like Kimchi Pancake and Shrimp pancakes to authentic Korean soups like Ox Bone Soup and chilled Buckwheat Noodle Soup to an assortment of stir fry and udons. They have all the bases covered (they even have a selection of BBQ). If you have been looking for a spot that covers the gamut in Korean cuisine, give the Arirang Restaurant a shot.
Korean Markets
While we are on the topic of good Korean food in Buffalo Niagara, however, we’d be remiss to ignore the markets. For me, there’s one Korean market I like best and it’s called Hana Mart. Why you ask, do I choose this place over every other? To be honest, for me, it comes down to feeling. Hanna Mart isn’t massive like a Wegmans, but it’s welcoming and run by good people trying to serve their community with the freshest foods possible. I can’t say they have this unique item that no one else has that totally sets them apart from everyone one else.
Still, I can say that when I go in and am greeted by smiles and fresh homemade products, I can actually tell they are fresh just by looking at them (which is such a sad rarity nowadays). I feel as if I’m welcomed into a culture I know very little about and feel the sense that if I were to ask questions, I wouldn’t be shut down but given thoughtful answers (full disclaimer I rarely do this when I go shopping; it’s in service of making something to eat, not chatting, but I always feel as if the door is open). So, if you’re looking for just a damn good market (and homemade banchan, kimchi etc.), put Hana Mart on your list.
You won’t be disappointed.
A few Korean side dish options available at Hana Mart
Enough to Go Around
From exquisite restaurants that’ll have your mouth watering like you had a medical condition to amazingly down-to-earth markets that’ll have you wondering why more stores aren’t like this, The Korean Community has got the food trade down lock, stock and barrel. They have for hundreds of years, and will continue to do so for hundreds more. So, if you’re curious to see why Korean cuisine and food in general always gets high marks whenever it’s brought up, get out there and try some. There’s more than enough Korean food in Buffalo Niagara for all of us!
Korean Food in Buffalo Niagara
choose any location to see restaurant/market information, get directions, & more.
Arirang Restaurant
Buffalo
Chin Hills Restaurant
Kenmore
Hana Mart
Buffalo
Korean Express
Buffalo
Koreana Restaurant
Tonawanda
Pyung Taik Korean Restaurant
Niagara Falls
Seoul House
Rochester
West Side Bazaar
Buffalo
Woo Chon Korean House Restaurant
Williamsville
Worri Mart & Eatery
Buffalo
Young’s Korean Restaurant
Rochester
What do you think of our guide to Korean food in Buffalo Niagara? Know a great place that we missed? Have a favorite? What’s your favorite Korean dish? Let us know.
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