Abalone linguine near Songdo Central Park: Cenacolo Artfore Italian

Cenacolo Artfore is well-known as a pasta restaurant near Songdo Central Park. With a luxurious yet cozy atmosphere and a wide range of Italian dishes, I'd also recommend it as a Songdo date spot.

Where is Cenacolo Artfore, and what are the hours?

• 📍 Location | 211, 2F, Artfore Building C, 257 Incheontawer-daero, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon, South Korea
• ⏰ Hours | Daily 11:00–22:00 (break time 15:00–17:00)
• 🅿️ Parking | Basement parking in the building

Cenacolo Artfore is located near Songdo Central Park. There's a spacious park right in front of the restaurant, and together with Artfore's atmospheric charm it made for a nice spot for a light walk before or after the meal. Thanks to that, I got to enjoy a leisurely time along with a great meal — a good spot for a Songdo date course 😊

Artfore building exterior and basement parking

The exterior of Cenacolo Artfore had a stylish, sophisticated feel. The warm lighting spilling out from inside, combined with the wine bottles displayed at the entrance, naturally caught my eye even from a distance.

The Artfore complex where Cenacolo is located is made up of connected brick buildings that form something like a little village, giving it an exotic feel, almost like a small street abroad. Just strolling through the Artfore shops along with Central Park before or after the meal felt so nice, I thought it'd be perfect for a blind date or a date spot.

On top of that, there was a Blue Ribbon award mark for three consecutive years posted at the entrance of Cenacolo Artfore. Since it's a spot that's been consistently loved as a Songdo Central Park restaurant, I was even more excited about what food would come out before I even stepped inside.

As for parking, there's basement parking inside the building, so it was convenient to visit by car. The parking space was fairly spacious too, so it felt easy to use when coming to enjoy a Songdo Central Park date.

Inside Cenacolo Artfore: group seating and an open kitchen

The interior of Cenacolo Artfore is mostly made up of wood-toned tables, giving off a casual yet warm mood. The tables were spaced comfortably apart too, so it was nice for chatting with company while enjoying the meal.

Paintings and small decorative items placed here and there added a nice touch to the warm space, giving it Cenacolo's own particular charm.

Toward the back of the restaurant there was group seating made by connecting several tables, which seemed good for occasions like wedding invitation gatherings or family get-togethers with several people.

Meanwhile, Cenacolo Artfore runs an open kitchen up front. Thanks to that, I could watch the cooking process directly, which made the place feel more lively, and the kitchen was kept clean too, which gave me more confidence in the place 😊

What's on the menu, and how QR ordering works

I looked through the Cenacolo Artfore menu, and it had a wide range of Italian dishes, from appetizers to salads, pastas, risottos, and gnocchi. The menu is pretty broad, so it looked like you could pick and choose several dishes to suit your taste.

At the bottom of the menu there were descriptions for each dish, so it was easier to choose even on a first visit. There's also a wide range of wines available, so pairing one with the meal seems like a good idea too.

As for ordering, it was done conveniently through the QR code set up at each table. The QR ordering page also came with photos of each dish, which made it even easier to choose. After some deliberating, I ended up ordering the vongole pasta, lasagna, and sweet shrimp risotto that day 😋

Pre-meal bread dipped in balsamic

On the neatly set table, the pre-meal bread was served first. It came out warm, slightly crispy on the outside with a chewy inside, and had a mild flavor, so dipping it in balsamic vinegar made it even more delicious.

It wasn't a flashy flavor, but it had a clean, mild charm that was perfect for whetting the appetite before the main dishes arrived.

After a bit of waiting while eating the bread, the dishes I ordered started coming out one by one. Each dish was plated neatly and elegantly, so it was a sight to admire from the moment it arrived 🥹

Vongole linguine topped with abalone

First, Cenacolo's vongole pasta came topped with well-cleaned clams along with abalone, which made it look even more appetizing.

The linguine noodles were coated in the oil sauce, so I could really taste the clams' distinctive umami. The noodles were cooked to just the right degree of doneness too, so the springy texture held up well, and it didn't get soggy even over time, so I could enjoy it deliciously until the very end.

In particular, the large chunk of abalone on top of the pasta was cooked just right, still keeping its bouncy texture, which made it even more delicious. The chewy texture and umami of the abalone added even more richness to the vongole pasta.

Lasagna with crisp baked edges

Meanwhile, the lasagna came out beautifully plated, so I found myself taking photos right away. Cenacolo's lasagna is a bit special in that the edges are baked crispy, giving it a different feel from typical lasagna.

That crispy part was really the highlight of Cenacolo's lasagna. The soft, moist texture of the eggplant inside the lasagna contrasted really nicely with the crispy texture of the baked lasagna sheets.

On top of that, unlike the lasagna I usually eat, the deep-flavored ragù sauce and smooth béchamel came together harmoniously, so I could enjoy a rich flavor without it being overpowering.

Sweet shrimp risotto with black barley

Lastly, the sweet shrimp risotto was topped with pretty flowers and a large chunk of sweet shrimp tartare in the center, making it look even more appetizing. The large grains scattered throughout the risotto turned out to be black barley.

This dish is one I personally wanted to recommend without fail — the popping texture of the black barley went really well with the rich flavor of the bisque sauce. In particular, the sweet shrimp's distinctive sweetness and umami blended naturally into the risotto, giving it an even deeper, richer flavor.

On top of that, adding the large chunk of sweet shrimp tartare brought out the sweetness and umami even more. It was a dish I enjoyed so much I scraped up every last bite, so if you visit Cenacolo, I'd definitely recommend trying the sweet shrimp risotto 😆

Final verdict on Cenacolo Artfore

Cenacolo Artfore is well-known as a pasta restaurant near Songdo Central Park. From the vongole pasta to the lasagna and the sweet shrimp risotto, both the taste and the plating were satisfying across the board, and in particular the sweet shrimp risotto, with its rich umami, was a dish I'd want to order again on a future visit. Artfore's distinctively exotic atmosphere was great too, and it's a nice place to stroll around along with Central Park, so I'd recommend it to anyone looking for a Songdo date course 😊