Pyongyang's food is state-run but stranger and better than expected: buckwheat cold noodles pulled by hand at Okryu-gwan, charcoal duck by the river, seven kinds of beer at Taedonggang Brewery, and sweet potato hooch poured by the tumbler. Every meal comes with a guide.
The only shop foreigners can browse in won rather than euros. Renovated 2012, three floors on Kwangbok Street; the ground-floor food hall sells live carp in tanks, kimchi by the kilo, Taedonggang beer and Samilpo tinned clams. Open roughly 10:00-20:00.
The national noodle temple, opened 1960 on the Taedong's south bank, seating around 2,000. Pyongyang raengmyon arrives in a chilled brass bowl: buckwheat noodles in beef-and-pheasant broth with pear, egg and cucumber. Order the two-bowl portion locals take.
A modern glass block on Chongryu Bridge serving sinsollo — a charcoal-chimney brass hot pot of beef, quail egg, ginkgo nut and pine mushroom that dates to Korean royal cooking. Also does mandu dumplings and Taedonggang draught on the upper terrace.
Neighbourhood-scale dining near the Mansudae Art Studio: dog-meat soup (tangogi jang), pheasant hot pot and grilled Taedonggang carp cooked at the table. Signs are Korean-only; menus are translated verbally by your guide.
The state brewery that bought the entire Ushers of Trowbridge plant in England in 2000, shipped it to Pyongyang and restarted it. Seven numbered beers, from Number 1 (100% barley) to Number 6 (chocolate-dark) and Number 7 (rice-heavy). Tours by prior arrangement.
Riverside barbecue where thin-sliced duck is grilled on a domed tabletop plate, wrapped in lettuce with ssamjang and raw garlic. Popular with Pyongyang's foreign residents and one of the few places locals and visitors eat side by side.
Home of the 23-30% sweet-potato and rice soju sold in green bottles nationwide, plus insam (ginseng) liquor and snake wine bottled with a whole viper. Sample glasses are poured at the shop counter alongside dried squid.
A moored vessel on the Taedong serving grilled sea bream, steamed blue crab from the west coast and cold raengmyon, with a live band and karaoke that starts after the second course. Sailings and set menus run through the evening.
The 1932-founded flagship store's food floor sells kimchi pancakes (kimchijeon), sweet twisted doughnuts (kkwabaegi) and instant-noodle cups. Counters are cash-in-won only and busiest at opening, when queues form for fresh bread.
Beside the Arch of Triumph, the fairground kiosks grill skewered squid and sausage, pour draught Taedonggang into plastic cups and sell soft-serve ice cream. Evenings and Sundays are when Pyongyang families actually turn up and eat outdoors.
A basement brewpub with copper kettles behind glass, pouring unfiltered light and dark ales brewed on site. Bar snacks are dried pollack, peanuts and fried tofu; the crowd is Pyongyang office workers plus the occasional resident diplomat.
Opened 2008 after Kim Jong-il sent chefs to Italy for training; wood-fired margherita, spaghetti alle vongole and espresso, with dough recipes brought back from Naples. One of the strangest and most revealing meals available in the city.