Korean Street Toast (2024)

FAQs

What is the famous toast in Korean? ›

Gilgeori toast, which literally means “street toast” in Korean, is a popular salty-sweet egg sandwich sold by many street-food vendors in Korea. For many who grew up there, it's a nostalgic snack, reminiscent of childhood. Eaten for breakfast or lunch, it's quick, easy and adaptable.

Try my version of Korean street toast for one of the most memorable sandwich experiences of your life. A slightly sweet, super savory vegetable and egg patty is sandwiched with smoky ham, melty Cheddar, and a ridiculous amount of mayo and ketchup between two slices of crispy, buttered bread.

Seoul's famous street toast

Gilgeori toast is Korea's favourite street breakfast sandwich. Here you can have it with egg, ham, bacon or bulgogi beef. There are also options to add cheese, a hashbrown or both. Pro tip: pair your sandwich with galbae juice (Korean pear juice) to put an instant stop to your hangover.

Korean Toast, also known as “gilgeori toast,” originated in the vibrant street food scene of South Korea. In the late 20th century, enterprising food vendors began crafting this innovative snack by blending Korean ingredients with a Western concept—sandwiches.

Kaya toast is a dish consisting of two slices of toast with butter and kaya (coconut jam), commonly served alongside coffee and soft-boiled eggs. The dish was believed to be created by Hainanese immigrants to the Straits Settlements in the 19th century while serving on British ships.

건배 — Cheers

The classic and most frequently used Korean cheers. It's derived from ganbei, the Chinese way of saying cheers. When more literally translated, 건배 means “empty/dry cup.” Normally, 건배 is just said by itself as an interjection. 우리 건강을 위하여 건배 (uri geongangeul wihayeo geonbae)!

#Soboro Bread or Soboro-Ppang (소보로빵)

Soboro-ppang, also known as Gombo-ppang, is one of the most popular breads in Korea due to its soft and crunchy texture.

One type of bread that is unique to Korea is "Gwangeo-ppang" or "Crown Bread." It is a sweet, soft bread in the shape of a crown and filled with red bean paste or cream.

Soondae is one of Korea's most popular street foods, and you'll find it at just about every street stall and pojangmacha. But don't think bratwurst or salami – soondae is a blood sausage that's made from cow or pig intestine stuffed with pork blood and some combination of glass noodles, glutinous rice and vegetables.

Korean street foods such as tteokbokki, dakgangjeong, hotteok, fish cake, bungeoppang, rice cake skewers, and global foods such as churros, crepes, and takoyaki are located.

Why does Korean street food have so much cheese? ›

It's a hangover from the Korean War (1950-1953), when US army bases would hand out American food such as Spam, hot dogs, chocolate and slices of cheese to locals. Alice's grandmother remembers when they first started eating cheese in Korea.

Korean Street Food = Exceptional Cuisine Everywhere!

Tteokbokki originated during the Joseon Dynasty period and was originally a braised dish of sliced rice cakes, meat, eggs, & Korean spices. Considered to be a luxurious dish, due to the shortage of flour, it was a food afforded only by the upper class at the time.

As of 2016, the chain has over 700 retail stores in South Korea. It has further expanded internationally and established branches including Macau, Taiwan, Malaysia, and Singapore. It is named after Isaac, the Hebrew patriarch of Genesis.

Milk toast was a popular dish in the 19th and 20th centuries, particularly for small children and adults suffering from illnesses or gastrointestinal problems (the soft, bland bread was considered easy to digest).

The most common and popular items include “gyeran-ppang” (egg bread) and “soboro” buns (a type of streusel). 'Egg bread' is a sweet and savoury oblong muffin with a whole egg baked on top. Bungeoppang are fish-shaped waffles, filled with sweet red bean paste.

A Korean cream cheese bun, or “Korean cheese bun” or “Korean cream cheese garlic bread,” is a popular and indulgent street food snack in South Korea. It's a delightful combination of a soft bread roll filled with a premium and creamy, savory cream cheese mixture and coated with garlic butter.