Dunsan-dong pasta restaurant for a Sungsimdang day-trip date: Plate

I had an important presentation to give in Daejeon recently. Since I'd made the trip all the way there, it felt like such a waste to just turn around and go home — so I made sure to stop by the famous Sungsimdang bakery for some bread shopping, and my boyfriend and I decided to grab a nice Western meal together too.

I was searching frantically for where to go when I found out there was a place in Dunsan-dong with really appealing fresh pasta and wood-fired pizza! From the atmosphere to the food's visuals to the deep flavors, "Plate Dunsan" turned out to be the perfect find for a one-day Daejeon trip, so I wanted to introduce it to you all ✨

Where is Plate Dunsan Branch? Hours and parking

Plate Dunsan Branch sits between City Hall and Government Complex subway stations, so it's an easily reachable Western restaurant in Daejeon. It's open daily from 11:00 to 21:30, and there's underground parking available in the building (Rodeo Building).

It's also near Galleria Timeworld, so it's perfect for combining with shopping or planning a date route! Most importantly — Plate is a pasta restaurant that uses fresh noodles kneaded and made in-house, prepared fresh every day for better texture and flavor.

Inside Plate Dunsan Branch: mood and table setting

The moment we walked in, the window seat caught my eye — a full view of green tree-lined streets through the floor-to-ceiling glass!

The overall interior was muted, elegant, and modern, with wine bottles used as accent decor, and it was so pretty. The lighting was soft too, great for Instagram-worthy photos, and the calm mood made it feel like an ideal Daejeon date spot to bring someone special.

The menu: choose fresh or dried noodles yourself

Sitting down and looking over the menu, I noticed Plate Dunsan has its own special system!

Did you know that when ordering pasta, you can pick your own noodle type between fresh (spaghetti, spinach spaghetti, squid ink, tagliatelle, pappardelle, or piche) and dried (linguine, penne, fusilli, farfalle, conchiglie, or rigatoni)? After reading reviews about how the chef's handmade fresh noodles have a distinct texture, my expectations shot way up.

We wanted to enjoy both pizza and pasta, so we ordered the fire-grilled chopsteak pizza and the signature spicy rosé chicken pasta!

The 4,000 won starter set: bread, soup and salad

For an extra ₩4,000, you get a set of bread, soup, and salad! Before the main dishes arrived, we were served a warm, mild pre-meal soup, a fresh salad topped with tangy dressing, and savory pre-meal bread served with sweet cream.

Dipping the bread into the warm soup felt like it melted away all the exhaustion from my presentation, body and mind alike!

How was the fire-grilled chopsteak pizza?

Finally, the main event arrived: the fire-grilled chopsteak pizza! A squid ink dough topped generously with golden-baked cheese, smoky chopsteak, and a soft sauce.

The moment I took a hearty bite, the chewiness of the dough, the juiciness of the chopsteak, and the savoriness of the cheese all burst together in harmony — truly a signature-pizza kind of flavor worthy of a top Daejeon pasta restaurant!

Spicy rosé chicken pasta with linguine noodles

Next up came the spicy rosé chicken pasta! A big, thoroughly smoked whole roasted chicken leg sat right on top of the pasta, overwhelming from the visuals alone.

We love linguine, so we chose that noodle, and the thick, sweet-and-spicy rosé sauce soaked right into it — the texture lingering in my mouth was pure art. The spiciness paired with the pizza's savoriness like best friends, and we scraped the plate clean without ever getting tired of it 😋

Verdict: is Plate Dunsan Branch good for a Daejeon date?

1. Taste and quality

Because it's handmade fresh pasta, the noodles' chewiness and the sauce's absorption were clearly different from ordinary pasta. The combination of the sweet-spicy, thick rosé sauce pasta topped with a big fire-grilled whole chicken leg and the smoky chopsteak pizza was hands down one of the best I've had among Daejeon pasta restaurants.

2. Atmosphere and date appeal

The green tree-lined view through the floor-to-ceiling windows, the soft lighting, and the neatly arranged orange-and-gray interior all felt incredibly cozy. It was the perfect Daejeon date restaurant to enjoy a delicious meal in a relaxed mood after stopping by Sungsimdang.

3. Service and would we return?

The staff's friendly service, the tidy pre-meal set, and the distinctive charm of choosing your own pasta noodle according to your taste all stood out. Next time I visit Daejeon, I definitely want to come back and try a different fresh noodle combination — a 200% satisfying Western restaurant in Daejeon!