Why Kimchi Jjigae Is Made for a Pittsburgh Winter

Pittsburgh has a way of announcing winter: the wind coming off the rivers, the gray light at four in the afternoon, the walk down Smithfield Street with your collar up. There’s a Korean answer to all of that, and it arrives at the table still bubbling.

It’s called jjigae (찌개), and if you only try one thing on our menu once the weather turns, make it the kimchi jjigae.

What is jjigae?

Jjigae is Korean stew. It’s not quite a soup: it’s thicker, more concentrated, and meant to be eaten with a spoon and a bowl of rice alongside. A good one is built around a bold, savory broth with tofu, vegetables, and usually a bit of meat or seafood, and it’s served hot enough that it keeps simmering at the table.

Jjigae has been at the center of our menu since we opened in the Strip District in 1990. The stews start early in the day and cook low and slow, because there’s no shortcut to a broth that tastes like it has somewhere to be.

Why aged kimchi matters

Kimchi jjigae is the most beloved of the bunch, and the secret is in the kimchi itself. Fresh kimchi is crisp and bright. Aged kimchi, fermented longer until it turns tangy, funky, and deeply sour, is what you want for stew. Simmered with pork, tofu, and vegetables, it gives up all of that complexity and turns the broth spicy, savory, and a little sour in a way that’s hard to describe until you’ve had it.

That’s why the kimchi matters so much to us, and why we ferment it in-house.

How to eat it

• Order rice. Jjigae is meant to be eaten with rice. Spoon some stew over a bite of rice, or dip and go back and forth. Both are correct.
• Let the banchan work. The small side dishes that arrive with your meal are there to cool, crunch, and reset your palate between spoonfuls.
• Mind the heat. Kimchi jjigae has a kick. If you want it hotter or milder, tell your server and we’ll sort you out.
• Take your time. It stays hot for a long while. There’s no rush.

Not a kimchi person? Try these

Our menu has more than one stew, and each one is a different kind of comfort:

• Doenjang Jjigae: a savory soybean paste stew with tofu, zucchini, and mushrooms. Mellow and earthy, and available without meat for vegetarians.
• Sukuh Jjigae: a seafood-packed stew with cod, clams, mussels, scallops, squid, shrimp, and octopus in a rich, spicy broth.

Come warm up

We’re at 110 Smithfield Street, a block from Market Square in Downtown Pittsburgh, serving lunch and dinner Tuesday through Sunday. Dine in, take it to go, or order online. If you’re coming with a group, you can reserve a table.

Take a look at the full menu, and bring an appetite.