I'm Yubeen Choi, a Korean realtor in Charlotte, and this is where I go for Korean food. Ten places, in no particular order. Most of them are about as authentic as Korean food gets around here. KPOT is the exception, and I'll tell you why.
They're spread across the greater Charlotte area, so the addresses are in a table near the end. I checked those in November 2026, but hours and menus change, so look before you drive out.
Korean restaurants
Daebak
Get the tangsuyuk and the jjampong. Those two are among our favorites. Daebak is in Mint Hill, and you can look up the menu on its ordering page.
Bibim Korean Bistro
Order the hot stone bibimbap. It's the best in the area. I'd add the soft tofu, or the milmyeon if you catch it on the summer menu. Bibim is in Ballantyne.
PePeRo
One of the longest-running Korean markets and restaurants in the area, and still open. The kitchen makes traditional dishes, with a variety that's hard to find anywhere else in Charlotte. PePeRo is in Matthews, and the market is right there, so you can eat and shop on one trip.
KPOT
This is my fusion pick. KPOT is all you can eat, Korean BBQ style with Chinese hot pot. The sauces and sides aren't traditional, so don't go expecting a classic Korean BBQ spread. The meat is still good, though, and it's close to traditional Korean BBQ.
Street food, fried chicken and noodles
Seoul Good CLT
The corn dog here is my favorite in Charlotte, and the cheese pull is perfect. Seoul Good does Korean street food in Monarch Market, Uptown.
bb.q Chicken
A personal favorite. bb.q is a Korean chicken franchise with an authentic taste, and the chicken is usually fried fresh.
Paik's Noodle (홍콩반점)
New this year in Pineville. In Korea this franchise is 홍콩반점, and Paik's Noodle brings those authentic noodle flavors to the greater Charlotte area. If you've been missing jjajangmyeon, start here.
Korean bakeries and cafes
Littl Madeleine
A local Korean bakery and cafe in Ballantyne, and the baked goods are amazing. Littl Madeleine has a variety of madeleines, with some flavors on rotation. My favorite thing there is the Basque cheesecake.
Tous les Jours
A Korean franchise bakery, and the cakes get it right: the correct amount of sweetness, the softness, the taste of a Korean cake. The whipped cream is great too. There are three around here, in South End, the SouthPark area and inside Super G Mart in Pineville.
Where to shop for Korean groceries
Super G Mart
A big international supermarket with Korean and other Asian groceries. There are two stores. The Pineville one is newer (it debuted in 2022), and it has a Tous les Jours inside and Paik's Noodle in the same shopping center. The other is on E Independence Blvd. For a smaller Korean market, go to PePeRo.
If you're not sure what to order
- Tangsuyuk is sweet and sour pork, battered and fried crisp, in a glossy sauce.
- Jjampong is a spicy seafood noodle soup. It and tangsuyuk are both classics of Korean-Chinese cooking.
- Jjajangmyeon is noodles in a dark black bean sauce, from the same Korean-Chinese tradition.
- Hot stone bibimbap is rice and toppings in a very hot stone bowl, so the rice keeps cooking and crisps at the bottom.
- Soft tofu usually means sundubu jjigae, a stew made with very soft tofu.
- Milmyeon is chilled wheat noodles, which is why you tend to see it in summer.
- Korean corn dogs have a crunchy batter, and the cheese ones stretch when you pull them apart. That's the cheese pull.
Where to go for what
- Traditional dishes that are hard to find: PePeRo
- Bibimbap: Bibim
- Korean-Chinese food: Daebak or Paik's Noodle
- All-you-can-eat meat: KPOT
- A quick snack: Seoul Good
- Fried chicken: bb.q Chicken
- Cake: Tous les Jours
- Coffee and something sweet: Littl Madeleine
- Groceries: Super G Mart or PePeRo
Addresses
| Place | What to get | Address |
|---|---|---|
| Daebak | Tangsuyuk, jjampong | 6908 Matthews-Mint Hill Rd, Mint Hill |
| Bibim Korean Bistro | Hot stone bibimbap, soft tofu, summer milmyeon | 14027 Conlan Cir, Charlotte |
| PePeRo | Traditional dishes, groceries | 10920 Monroe Rd, Matthews |
| KPOT | All-you-can-eat Korean BBQ and hot pot | 8652 Pineville-Matthews Rd, Charlotte; 8760 J M Keynes Dr, Charlotte; 9609 E Independence Blvd, Matthews |
| Seoul Good CLT | Corn dog | 101 N Tryon St, Charlotte |
| bb.q Chicken | Fried chicken | 8206 Providence Rd, Suite 1600, Charlotte |
| Paik's Noodle | Jjajangmyeon and other noodles | 10400 Centrum Pkwy B, Pineville |
| Littl Madeleine | Madeleines, Basque cheesecake | 11318 N Community House Rd, Charlotte |
| Tous les Jours | Cakes | 2041 South Blvd, Charlotte; 4625 Piedmont Row Dr, Charlotte; 10500 Centrum Pkwy, Pineville |
| Super G Mart | Groceries | 10500 Centrum Pkwy, Pineville; 7323 E Independence Blvd, Charlotte |
If you're planning a move here, my guide to moving to Charlotte covers the practical side, and you can read more about me. I work with buyers and sellers in English and Korean, and I'm always happy to swap restaurant recommendations.
Sources and Further Reading
- Daebak Korean Restaurant: Daebak Korean Restaurant: online ordering and location
- Bibim Korean Bistro: Bibim Korean Bistro: location and hours
- Charlotte's Got a Lot: Pepero Korean Restaurant
- KPOT: KPOT Korean BBQ and Hot Pot: Matthews
- Seoul Good: Seoul Good: Korean street food in Uptown Charlotte
- Restaurantji: bb.q Chicken Arboretum
- Paik's Noodle: Paik's Noodle: North Carolina location
- Littl Madeleine: Littl Madeleine: organic coffee and bakery
- Charlotte's Got a Lot: Tous les Jours South End
- The Shelby Report: Super G Mart serves as meeting ground for different cultures
Frequently Asked Questions
Super G Mart has two stores, in Pineville at 10500 Centrum Pkwy and in Charlotte at 7323 E Independence Blvd. PePeRo at 10920 Monroe Rd in Matthews is a Korean market and restaurant in one.
From this list, I would start with hot stone bibimbap at Bibim, tangsuyuk and jjampong at Daebak, or a corn dog at Seoul Good if you want something quick.
They are all in the greater Charlotte area. Daebak is in Mint Hill, PePeRo is in Matthews, and Paik's Noodle is in Pineville, which are separate towns in Mecklenburg County. KPOT, Tous les Jours and Super G Mart each have a location in Charlotte and one or more in a nearby town. The rest are in Charlotte.
