Poke lunch near Jungang Station, Busan: PARENTS Coffee & Salad

There’s a great poke spot to visit when a heavy lunch feels like too much, or when you’re craving a clean, healthy meal amid a busy day. It’s PARENTS Coffee & Salad Jungang-dong Branch (페어런츠 커피&샐러드 중앙동점), which has become quite the word-of-mouth favorite near Jungang Station on Subway Line 1. I went at lunchtime with my husband and child, and we made a very satisfying clean sweep of smoked duck pasta salad, fresh raw salmon poke, and even a chicken breast burrito for my child—so let me share the experience.

Location and parking near Jungang Station

It sits in the heart of the commercial area near Jungang Station on Busan Subway Line 1, so it was wonderfully accessible for nearby office workers walking over for lunch. The restaurant does not have its own dedicated parking, so we conveniently parked at the roadside public parking lot in front of the former Jungbu Police Station, then took a short walk.

Because it’s a public parking lot, the parking cost is low and it’s close by, making this an easy route even when visiting by car. Since it is in an office area, office workers tend to pour in at lunchtime, so I recommend arriving a little early if you plan to eat during the lunch rush.

A spacious, comfortable interior for solo dining too

The first thing I noticed upon stepping inside was how much larger and more comfortable the space was than I had expected. It was peak time, so the restaurant was mostly full of nearby office workers, but the tables were well spaced and there were plenty of bar seats. I also saw lots of office workers happily eating alone.

I was also impressed by the dedicated waiting seats on one side, thoughtfully set up for takeaway and packaged orders. The whole place was clean and bright, just right for a relaxed meal.

What we ordered, from poke to burritos

Looking at the menu, I fell into the happiest dilemma: there were so many options, from poke and salads to pasta salads, burritos, and sandwiches. Every single one looked delicious, so choosing was genuinely difficult!

I especially went back and forth until the very end between the yukhoe buckwheat noodle salad and the smoked duck pasta salad. In the end, my family chose a varied spread to suit our tastes:

• Smoked duck pasta salad: changed to sesame soy sauce pasta and chose sriracha mayo dressing
• Premium raw salmon poke salad: chose wasabi soy sauce dressing
• Chicken breast burrito: added as a menu item for my child

Raw salmon poke with wasabi soy sauce and smoked duck pasta salad

Our dishes arrived one by one, and the colorful presentation and generous portions instantly made my mouth water. First, the smoked duck pasta salad I chose had chewy sesame soy sauce pasta noodles topped generously with rich smoked duck, making it fully satisfying as a meal. Once I mixed in the sweet, spicy sriracha mayo dressing, it completely livened up what could have been a plain salad, and I enjoyed every last forkful without getting tired of it.

The premium raw salmon poke salad my husband had was a real stroke of genius with the wasabi soy sauce dressing! He kept marveling at how wonderfully the sharp, savory sauce paired with the rich flavor of the bright, fresh raw salmon.

The raw salmon poke also included miyeok (seaweed) with a subtle ocean aroma, adding variety to the texture. A little tip: if you dislike sea vegetables or miyeok, ask for it to be left out when ordering.

The chicken breast burrito we ordered for my child was also generously filled and mild. My child held it tightly and ate it up so neatly without leaving a bit, which made me so happy. For reference, we chose mustard for the chicken breast burrito sauce and asked for a smaller amount because it was for my child! Compared with the usual salad places I’ve tried, the freshness of the ingredients and balance of the sauces really stood out in this excellent meal.

A light but filling family lunch

Easy parking at the roadside public lot in front of the former Jungbu Police Station, a roomy and comfortable interior where eating alone never feels awkward, raw salmon poke with appealingly sharp wasabi soy sauce dressing, and smoked duck pasta salad with that perfect sweet-salty, spicy kick! This was a place where our whole family could fill up happily on a light yet nutritious spread.

If you’re an office worker looking for a healthy, delicious lunch near Jungang Station, I wholeheartedly recommend stopping by PARENTS Coffee & Salad Jungang-dong Branch at least once.