For all the political constraints of travel in North Korea, eating in Kaesong is one of the highlights — the city has a centuries-old reputation for refined cuisine, dating back to the Koryo court that ate here. Two specialities dominate. The first is pansangki, a tray-set meal of 9, 11, or 13 small brass bowls — each holding a different vegetable, meat, or pickled side. The second is ginseng chicken soup (insam dak), made with the famous Kaesong-grown root, which is reputed to be the best in Korea.
Independent dining is not possible, but lunch and dinner stops on tours typically include Kaesong's traditional restaurants. The Tongil Restaurant and the Kaesong Folk Hotel restaurant both serve good pansangki.