Korean food spots in Chennai: Where to go, what to eat

Shorteats like kimchi, squid rolls, yoghurt smoothies, and pork belly cutlets have landed in Chennai. Ride the Hallyu wave and step into these Korean cafes in the city.

Cafe Dokebi, InKo Centre 

Dokebi, in Korean mythology, are prankster spirits with supernatural powers that surprise humans. Like its playful namesake, the cafe promises its patrons a delightfully similar menu and atmosphere. Nestled quietly in the left corner of the InKo Centre on Adyar Club Gate Road, the recently opened Cafe Dokebi offers visitors a refreshing menu of Korean beverages and short eats, along with a colourful shelf filled of popular Korean snacks. With its cosy ambience and shelves decorated with souvenirs, it is the perfect gateway into Korean cafe culture.

Meeso Ryoo, who set up the cafe in April 2023 says, “Indians love spice , but Korean food is spicier .” Noodle dishes, like ramen, are one of Dokebi’s most popular dishes, although Ryoo laughingly notes that not everyone can handle the heat. “I try my best to serve authentic food, all from Korea. Most things we serve are firmly rooted in Korean cuisine, and a lot of the ingredients, like plum and citrus syrups for the drinks, are from there.” Another popular dish is their triangle-shaped gimbap, a dish made of cooked rice, vegetables, fish, and meat rolled in seaweed, which comes in vegetable, chicken, and pork variants. 

Cafe-goers who don’t enjoy spice can indulge in the newest addition to the menu: bungeo-ppang, a fish-shaped bun filled with sweet red bean paste. The bun’s familiar sweetness, combined with the taste of the slightly nutty Korean red bean, makes it a pleasantly surprising treat that is best enjoyed with a cup of coffee. But what truly sets Cafe Dokebiapart from other Korean cafes is its beverage menu.

Along with a range of hot coffees and teas, Dokebialso offers a refreshingly crisp, cold matcha tea, Korean yoghurt smoothies, and various fruity drinks, with flavours including the wonderfully tart yet sweet Korean green plum, which comes mixed in cold soda. These iced drinks are more popular than their warm counterparts and are perfect for combating Chennai’s sweltering summer heat.

Another Kitchen, Adyar

As you step into Another Kitchen, the tantalising aroma of classic Korean barbecue wafts through the air, inviting you to indulge in a symphony of flavours that will transport you to the streets of Seoul. Another Kitchen, Adyar, is a restaurant that specialises in Korean dishes, baked goods, and barbeques. Spanning over two floors, itoffers visitors various kinds of seating, including special tables embellished with chimneys designed especially for their famous Korean barbeques.