14 Tasty Food Options in Ministop Japan & Korea

Budget travelers know that visiting a Ministop in Japan or Korea is one sure way to get a cheap but satisfying fill!

Highlights

• Ministop, which is a popular brand of convenience store that’s headquarted in Chiba, has close to 5,000 stores in Japan and Korea alone.
• If you have plans to backpack in Korea, visit a Ministop for some affordable and tasty food items, such as kimbap and jokbal.
• The Japanese Ministop offers ramen and a dessert inspired by the Philippine halo-halo!
• Aside from dining at a convenience store, another way that you can save money when you travel is by using this app, which will let you book restaurants in Tokyo, Osaka, and Seoul at a discount!

Explore more: LOOK: IKEA Japan to Release the Brand’s First Clothing Collection

7 Items to Try in Ministop Korea

There’s no doubt about it — Korea is a foodie paradise. If you have plans to travel to Seoul next year, I’m very positive that you’ll make your way to this kind of restaurants, which serve samgyeopsal, tteokbokki, and Korean fried chicken. You’d get satisfied (and it’ll be worth it!), but you’d eventually find that eating out can hurt the budget. If you want to limit your expenses during your stay, find a convenience store like Ministop Korea that offers these items that are worth the try:

1. Kimbap

Kimbap (or gimbap) is a stuffed rice roll wrapped in dried sheets of seaweed. It’s usually filled with bulgogi, kimchi, tuna, or hotdog and are cut in bite-size pieces. Ministop in Korea sells kimbap for around ₩2,300 or $2.

2. Dakgangjeong 

Dakgangjeong is fried chicken that’s glazed in sweet and spicy sauce or soy sauce and garlic. The dish is quite popular for having delightful textures: the crispy coating, juicy meat, and the thick and flavorful sauce. Ministop in Korea sells dakgangjeong for ₩3,800 or $3.1.

3. Jokbal

Jokbal is a traditional Korean dish made of pig trotters. The pig’s foot is braised in sauce that’s made of sugar, ginger, soybean paste, bay leaf, and chili powder, so you can expect a good combination of salty, sweet, and spicy in a bite. Jokbal is best paired with beer and costs ₩4,900 or $4 at Ministop Korea.

4. Smoked BBQ Chicken Leg

Aside from dakgangjeong, Ministop in Korea also sells fried chicken leg that’s coated in smoky BBQ sauce. A piece will only set you back ₩1,800 or $1.5.

5. Fried Chicken Skin

Inspired by the fried chicken skin trend, Ministop also released a Mini Food box of crispy chicken skin! It costs ₩1,800 or $1.5 as well.

6. Spaghetti Pomodoro with Pork Cutlet

If you’re looking for a meal that’s got more carbs, you can get the spaghetti dish that’s paired with pork cutlet at a Ministop in Korea! The pair costs ₩3,900 or $3.6.

7. Meatball Skewers in Teriyaki Sauce

Ministop sells these sweet and savory BBQ meatballs for only ₩1,800 or $1.5 a stick!

8. Spicy Hotdog

Ever tried spicy-hotdog-on-a-stick with a crispy coating? No? You can get it for only ₩1,800 or $1.5.

9. Tarts

If you’re looking for something sweet, try Ministop Korea’s flavorful tarts. It comes in various flavors, such as Cream, Berry, and Chocolate. They are sold for ₩2,000-3,500 or $1.7-2.9 each.

10. Macaron

Yes, Ministop Korea has macarons! They come in three variants: strawberry, citrus, and cola. A piece sells for ₩3,200 or $2.7.

Love Korean food?

If you have plans to visit Korea, here are some restaurants on WAUG that you can add to your itinerary:

• [Gangnam] LUNA Restaurant
• [Near Itaewon] Chicken Revolution
• [Hongdae] Joseon Era Pub

7 Items to Try in Ministop Japan

Now, let’s take a look at the food and goodies offered in Ministop Japan!

1. Juicy Chicken

If you’re a fan of fried chicken, you’ll love Ministop Japan. Their chicken is perfectly crispy and seasoned, and you’ll like that it only sells for ¥181 or $1.72!

2. Roast Chicken

Don’t like greasy stuff? Well, you can go for Ministop Japan’s roasted chicken with herbs and spices! A piece also sells for only ¥181 or $1.72, so you might just keep coming back for it during your trip.

3. Green Onion & Salmon Nigiri Set

When in Japan, it’s imperative to have sushi. If you’re on a budget, you can head on over to a nearby Ministop; the sushi won’t disappoint! Try their salmon nigiri set for only ¥432 or $4.1.

4. Pork Yakiniku

Yakiniku or grilled meat is one of Japan’s most loved dish. If you find yourself tired after touring Tokyo or Osaka, you can get this filling bento box for only ¥550 or $5.2.

5. Miso Butter Ramen

Wondering if Ministop Japan has ramen? Why, yes, they do — and a decent one at that! For only ¥480 or $4.6, you can enjoy a delicious bowl of Miso Butter Ramen — a simple treat that you may just find surprising.

6. Shrimp & Cheese Au Gratin

Potato Gratin may just sound boring, but you can trust Ministop to put a good Japanese twist on it. They offer a couple of flavors here, but the Shrimp & Cheese variant is the best one. It only sells for ¥429 or $4.

7. Shrimp Dumpling Soup with Ginger

If you’re thinking that this item looks Chinese, you’re not wrong. In fact, Ministop Japan offers a couple of international treats in their store, and the Shrimp Dumpling Soup with Ginger is only one of them. Treat yourself to this warm delight when it gets cold. Only costs ¥351 or $3.3.

8. MEGA Melon Halo-Halo

Like the previous item, this Ministop menu item isn’t exactly Japanese. It’s inspired by the unique Filipino dessert Halo-halo, which is milky shaved ice mixed with beans and fruits. Ministop Japan offers multiple halo-halo flavors, but the one in the photograph is called the MEGA Melon and costs ¥559 or $5.3 (it’s the most expensive one!).

9. Fried Corn

It’s not your typical coated Japanese corn fritter, but the fried corn in Ministop tastes just as good. If you haven’t yet, make sure to try it. It’ll only set you back ¥162 or $1.5.

10. Belgian Chocolate Parfait

Love Belgian chocolate? Ministop Japan has just the right sweet ending for you. Their Belgian Chocolate Parfait isn’t very sweet and suitable for when you want to cool down. It only costs ¥280 or $2.7.

Traveling to Japan next year?

Check out these attractions that you can add to your itinerary:

• [Tokyo] Tokyo Disneyland® & Disney Sea
• [Osaka] Abeno Harukas 300 Observatory
• [Kyoto] Kinkaku-ji

Before you go!

Which of these Ministop food from Korea & Japan would you try? Sound off in the comments section below! Of course, if you’ve any other items to recommend, feel free to share as well!

Jump Back