Where to get the best Korean food in Kochi right now

Somewhere between late-night K-drama binges, endlessly scrolling mukbang videos, and that one friend who suddenly knows what gochujang is, Korean food quietly slipped into Kochi’s food scene. What started as curiosity is now a full-blown craving. Sticky rice cakes, neat kimbap rolls, fried chicken coated in glossy sauce, and bibimbap bowls that look too pretty to disturb. From cosy cafés to pan-Asian regulars, Kochi has more than a few places ready to feed your Korean food obsession.

Let’s Kimchi, Mattancherry

Tucked away in Mattancherry, Let’s Kimchi keeps things simple and comforting, much like the food you see characters eating in slice-of-life K-dramas. The tteokbokki comes chewy and saucy, the japchae is slippery and mildly sweet, and the kimbap is filling without being heavy. The Korean fried chicken is a crowd favourite, sticky with sauce and perfect for sharing, though most people don’t.

• What to try: Japchae, kimbap, tteokbokki, Korean fried chicken
• How to reach: A3, 7/618, Town Hall Rd, Koovapadam, Mattancherry, Kochi 682002

Little Soi, Panampilly Nagar

Little Soi is where Korean flavours meet pan-Asian flair and things get a little dramatic, in the best way. Their buldak chicken and buldak ramen are unapologetically spicy, the kind of dishes that make you pause, sip water, and go back for another bite anyway. Add to that Korean BBQ chicken sliders and sizzling bibimbap, and you have a table full of bold flavours that work well for group outings and long conversations.

• What to try: Buldak chicken, buldak ramen, Korean BBQ chicken sliders, bibimbap
• How to reach: Aditya Tower, Cross Road 3, Panampilly Nagar, Kochi 682036

Chopstix Signature and Chopstix, multiple locations

For those days when everyone wants something different but still wants to say they’re eating Korean food, Chopstix is a safe bet. With multiple outlets across Kochi, it’s easy to drop in for Korean-style wings, tteokguk soup, tteokbokki, bibimbap-style bowls, and bulgogi-inspired dishes. It’s familiar, reliable, and great for easing into Korean flavours without committing fully.

• What to try: Korean wings, tteokguk soup, tteokbokki, bibimbap, bulgogi
• How to reach: Chopstix Signature: 8th Cross, KC Joseph Rd, Panampilly Nagar, Kochi 682036,
  Chopstix Thrikkakara/Kakkanad: Seaport-Airport Rd, Thrikkakara, Kochi

Foodie Mukbang, Kaloor

Foodie Mukbang feels like it jumped straight out of your social media feed. The menu leans heavily into Korean street food and mukbang favourites, from rose tteokbokki and kimbap to kkwabaegi, the twisted Korean doughnuts that disappear faster than you expect. Traditional drinks like sikhye and sujeonggwa add a nice throwback touch and help cool things down after all that spice.

• What to try: Bulgogi, tteokbokki, kkwabaegi, kimbap, sikhye, sujeonggwa
• How to reach: Ground Floor, Bass Building, Kaloor–Kadavanthara Rd, Kathrikadavu, Kochi 682017

Why is Korean food trending in Kochi right now?
Blame the dramas. Or the mukbangs. Or that one rainy scene where everyone’s eating ramyeon and you suddenly want a bowl too. Korean food has become familiar through screens, and once it tasted good in real life, there was no going back. Kochi’s kitchens caught on quickly, serving both classic comfort food and fun, fusion-friendly versions that suit local taste buds.

Whether you like your food spicy enough to make you sweat, neatly rolled and snackable, or served in comforting bowls, Kochi has options. Korean food here isn’t trying to be exotic anymore. It’s casual, crave-worthy, and firmly part of the city’s eating-out culture. Kimchi and Kochi really do belong in the same sentence now.