Hapjeong risotto restaurant in Seoul: short rib basil risotto at Riike

Today I'm introducing a pasta spot near Hapjeong Station — Riike!

It's close to Hapjeong Station and has such a great atmosphere that I'd recommend it for dates or blind dates. The food was delicious... and the vibe was so good I'm definitely coming back!!!!!

Where is Riike, and what are its hours?

• Riike / 65 Poeun-ro 2ga-gil, B-dong 1F 102, Mapo-gu, Seoul, South Korea
• Hours 11:30–22:00 (break time 15:00–17:00)
• Closed every Monday
• Reservations, group-friendly, WiFi, separate men's/women's restrooms

The inside is cozy but well laid out — since it's such a popular pasta spot near Hapjeong, the tables were completely full.

The interior atmosphere is really nice, so it's a good fit for a date, blind date, or a group hangout near Hapjeong :) You can also book through Naver Reservations, FYI ♥

QR code ordering and the menu at Riike

At Riike, you order easily via a QR code on each table. You can even check menu photos on your phone, which made ordering really convenient!

I thought about just screenshotting the whole app menu, but I took a photo of the printed menu board too so it's easier to see at a glance :) There were two of us, and we ordered the bread spread, short rib basil risotto, and gamtae (seaweed) vongole pasta.

Best starter: Riike's bread spread, 7,000 won

Bread Spread (₩7,000) — the best starter dish.

This came with rye bread, truffle, and ricotta cheese. Doesn't it just look delicious?

I lightly spread it on the rye bread at first to try it, and it was so good...!! Full of truffle aroma... absolutely delicious... After that I piled it on generously every time. Highly recommend the bread spread as a starter!!

Right after, the table filled up with the gamtae vongole pasta and short rib basil risotto.

Isn't this a mouth-watering visual!!! And even before eating, the smell got me... it smells that good.... 🤍

Gamtae vongole pasta, 17,000 won: how did it taste?

Gamtae Vongole Pasta (₩17,000) — I heard this was the best menu item at this Hapjeong pasta spot, so I ordered it!

Gamtae (seaweed) + vongole (clams) is a can't-miss combo, and there were plenty of clams too.

There was also a generous amount of gamtae, which made it even more satisfying!!

The gamtae vongole pasta uses a gamtae pesto that gives it a savory, umami depth with a slight kick of spice, so you can enjoy it to the last bite without it feeling heavy!

There was also plenty of seafood inside, and eating it all together was so good...!!! It made total sense why Riike is famous as a pasta spot near Hapjeong.

Short rib basil risotto, 19,000 won: the dish of the day

Short Rib Basil Risotto (₩19,000) — we both love basil, so we ordered this, and the visual was so satisfying..!! (great call ordering this)

Just look at this risotto piled high with short rib... the visual is unreal ㅠㅠ!!

If you like basil, you absolutely have to order this. It uses basil pesto, so it's packed with basil aroma!! This risotto was seriously delicious! I think it might be the best risotto I've ever had!!!

It's already amazing on its own, but eating it together with the short rib on top made it even better!!! My sister and I were genuinely marveling over every last spoonful... of this short rib basil risotto.

Why Riike works for a date or first meeting near Hapjeong Station

Not just the pasta but the risotto too was delicious, so I highly recommend Riike to anyone looking for a good restaurant near Hapjeong Station! The atmosphere is great too, so I'd suggest Riike to anyone looking for a date spot, blind date spot, or group meeting place near Hapjeong Station!