From Korean BBQ, bibimbap, mandu, and bingsu (shaved ice), to Korean pastries like milk bread, ube cream-filled donuts, and mango cloud cakes, there is an endless array of exciting flavors to try along a 5-mile stretch of Route 40 in Ellicott City, Maryland. Officially dubbed Koreatown in 2 021, two grand hand-carved Korean palace-style signs mark the road that leads not only to seemingly unlimited food options, but also to Korean karaoke bars, K-pop retail stores, virtual golf studios, two huge Korean supermarkets (H Mart and Lotte Plaza Market), and nationwide chains like Korean fried chicken favorite BB.Q Chicken and Kyo Matcha. While the DMV is long home to Korean cuisine in Northern Virginia areas like Annandale and Centreville, this short Maryland stretch of Howard County is quickly coming into its own. Read on for some top spots to check out right now.  Hang Ari This Maryland  restaurant specializes in dakgomtang (chicken soup), which takes chef Joseph Chung five hours to make the stock alone; he then adds seven different vegetables, including onion, green onion radish along with clear cellophane noodles and shredded chicken seasoned with salt and garlic. The savory soup served with rice on the side also comes in a spicy version. Kimchi and chive pancakes make the perfect accompaniment. Soondobu, a spicy soft tofu stew with kimchi, and the sizzling hot Dolsot Bibimbap, a Korean stone pot rice bowl, can be ordered vegetarian or with a variety of protein options. 9380 Baltimore National Pike Tous Les Jours This French Asian bakery touts the fact that they offer more than 300 different kinds of baked goods. The endless cake options of mocha, strawberry jam, Jeju green tea rolls, yuzu castella, strawberry gateau, Earl Grey Latte, peach cream, green tea, strawberry lychee, and blueberry yogurt make choosing extremely difficult. Luckily, there is a combo cake set with a variety of slices if you can’t make up your mind. There are also pick-your-own cases filled with specialty treats like sesame, sweet rice, matcha cream, and red bean donuts; yuzu crispy hand pies, honey cheese, mochi pancakes, and of course, whole milk bread loafs. With all that, plus the specialty coffees and teas made on-site, it’s a great place to sit back and savor. 9380 Baltimore National Pike View this post on Instagram Ugane  Owner and chef Sung Un Yoo and sister opened their own fast-casual Korean spot in 2024 after spending many years working at the family’s other restaurant Kim Bop Na Ra (see below). In addition to making its own kimbab rice rolls – a seaweed roll with a variety of different fillings including the popular kimchi and anchovy – they also serve tempura, rice balls and Tteokbokki, a Korean style spicy rice cake with fishcakes and vegetables. The combo menu is a great option here because it allows you to mix and match to try each of the delicacies. Still hungry? There are also dumplings, spicy ramen, rice bowls, and fun noodle options like Mul Naengmyeon, a Korean icy cold noodle specialty. 10045 Baltimore National Pike Honey Pig This widely popular, female-led Korean BBQ restaurant has been in business since 2008. Seafood and kimchi pancakes along with steamed or panfried dumplings are a great way to start. After that, cook your own barbecue with a choice of high-end wagyu beef, shrimp, chicken, pork, beef brisket, prime rib, bulgogi at your table while giant TV screens play the latest K-pop hits. Entrees come with endless small sides (banchan), and waiters here use the grill to whip you up a quick fried rice. Keep the party going next door at Honey Pig karaoke to belt out tunes in your own room. This place can get popular on the weekend with wait times over an hour. A second Honey Pig Hot Pot BBQ, located in Normandy Plaza, offers a 50-item AYCE seafood, meat and vegetable buffet. 10045 Baltimore National Pike Uma Uma Ramen  This Japanese-influenced spot specializes in ramen soup topped with green onion, soft boiled egg, bean sprouts, and dried seafood made with house-made noodles. Choices of protein, pork or vegetarian soup base, and an ascending (1-5) spice level lets you decide how much you want to crank up the heat. Chicken, shrimp, and beef yakitori drizzled with teriyaki sauce are also fan favorites here. 9380 Baltimore National Pike Kim Bob Na Ra This family-run restaurant has built a name for itself over the years as the place to come for Korean comfort food. They serve freshly made kimbap, seaweed rice rolls, served with a variety of fillings, sizzling bibimbap rice bowls, kimchi stews, along with Korean noodle dishes from spicy ramens, tempura udon, to refreshing chilled noodles like Mul Naengmyeon, a buckwheat noodle in a cold beef broth. They also make Boonsik, Korean street food snacks such as Dduybokyi, spicy rice and fish cakes with egg and vegetables, fried meat dumplings and chicken katsu, fried chicken cutlets served with rice and salad. 9339 Baltimore National Pike  Shilla Bakery From the pillowy soft blueberry yogurt to mango fresh cream to green tea chiffon, this Korean bakeshop knows how to craft cakes with unexpected flavor combinations. Adorable animal-shaped cakes, from pandas to pigs to bears filled with chocolate buttercream and strawberry jam, will certainly be the center of attention at any children’s party. There are also other unique treats like tapioca bread, green bean bun, and honey dew roll cakes to choose from. 9339 Baltimore National Pike View this post on Instagram ChoSun Hwaro At this much-loved, family-friendly Korean BBQ restaurant stretching up two stories, each table has its own stove-top gas grill where guests can serve as their own grill master cooking meats such as prime rib-eye, brisket, and other options specifically to their liking. Banchan such as kimchi, pickled radish, rice, seaweed, and other snacks are served by the droves. There is also more than just KBBQ. They also offer (seafood and veggie) bibimbap, cold noodle dishes, and kimchi and seafood pancakes, along with other delicacies. 9445 Baltimore National Pike View this post on Instagram Tiger Sugar  Take a break and stop in for delicious brown sugar boba with intriguing options like coffee jelly, matcha, mochi, red bean, and toro pudding. Or pick up a refreshing golden oolong tea with brown sugar boba or a black tea latte with cream mousse or a mango oolong tea with mango jelly and aloe. The drink combo options are endless. 9338 Baltimore National Pike View this post on Instagram ...read more read less