Los Angeles has never been short on stellar Korean food, but three local heavy-hitters just added something new to their resumes: an official nod from the South Korean government. In a move that functions like a government-backed marker of excellence—something of a Korean Michelin-style nod—the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (MAFRA) and the Korean Food Promotion Institute (KFPI) announced the latest class of “Excellent Korean Restaurants”—and L.A. scored three of the seven global slots.
Baroo, Daedo Sikdang and Soowon Galbi made the cut after a sweeping evaluation that covered 27 different criteria, ranging from cuisine and service to hygiene management and the use of Korean-grown ingredients. The designation comes with government support, subsidies for ingredients and tableware and a shiny Certificate of Excellent Korean Restaurant for the wall. (It’s also a pretty good conversation starter next time someone asks why the banchan tastes so good.)
Baroo, which is already a local darling thanks to its fermentation-forward tasting menus, continues its world tour of praise. The restaurant was named the Los Angeles Times’ Restaurant of the Year in 2024 and later landed on the All-Time Eater 38 list, thanks to dishes like lobster doenjang, soy-braised black cod and layered short ribs that have sent more than one diner into an existential spiral about Korean food.
Daedo Sikdang, the Los Angeles arm of the famed Seoul barbecue house, clinched its spot thanks to pristine cuts of beef and deeply classic flavors in the form of marinated short ribs, bulgogi and ethereal kimchi fried rice. Its whole ethos is about preservation, not reinvention and the evaluators clearly approved.
Soowon Galbi, meanwhile, brings a crowd-pleasing, grill-at-your-table Korean barbecue experience that’s already won over locals and international travelers. Designated in the Michelin guide last year, it’s known for premium meats, perfectly calibrated marinades and smoky bliss that will perfume your jacket for the rest of the night. (We wear it as a badge of honor, frankly.)
They’re joined on the global list by Singapore’s Nae:um, Seoul Restaurant and Um Yong Baek; plus SOON GRILL Champs-Élysées in Paris. According to MAFRA, the program is designed to bolster global trust in Korean cuisine and strengthen K-food's cultural footprint abroad. (The long-term plan is to hit 100 designated restaurants by 2030.)
For L.A., it’s yet another reminder that some of the best Korean food in the world lives right here—and now it’s got the government documentation to prove it.