Hongdae gomtang restaurant with mild pork tail jjim lunch: Anok

I've been on the hunt for good Korean food in Hongdae lately, and I finally made it to Anok — heard the vibe was great and the food clean and well-made :)

• 📍 Anok · 13-4 Hongikro, Mapo-gu, Seoul, South Korea
• ⏰ Hours 11:00–22:00 (last order 21:00)
• ※ Please double-check hours on Naver Place before you visit.

Hongdae has all kinds of amazing restaurants, but honestly, when you're going with your parents or just want something clean and proper, it's hard to know where to go. Anok turned out to be a place that serves a whole range of Korean dishes, from Pyongyang naengmyeon (cold buckwheat noodle soup) to gomtang (beef bone broth soup). What really struck me, though, was the quiet, old-world hanok atmosphere right in the middle of busy Hongdae.

A beautifully atmospheric hanok restaurant in the middle of Hongdae

The moment I stepped inside Anok, I could tell it felt different from your typical Hongdae restaurant. The whole space felt clean and composed, easy to relax in, and there were plenty of pretty spots for photos too.

These days taste isn't everything — the atmosphere matters just as much when picking a place to eat, right? Warm sunlight pours into the hanok, and it's the kind of space where you can chat leisurely over a meal, which made me think it'd work well for a date or a family meal out too.

Trying the Pyongyang naengmyeon at Anok

One dish you can't skip at Anok is the Pyongyang naengmyeon. Naengmyeon broth is famously divisive depending on the style, but Anok's version leans clean and mild overall. Eating the cool broth together with the noodles and toppings left my mouth feeling refreshed!

I have a pretty mild-taste palate, so the naengmyeon was a little challenging for me, but if you generally prefer clean, subtle flavors over strong, heavily seasoned food, this will suit you especially well. The broth's flavor grows on you the more you eat, and the combination of meat and noodles together worked nicely.

Warm and filling: the gomtang

Gomtang is another one of Anok's signature dishes. With the weather turning a bit chilly, having warm broth really warmed me up inside — so good!! If you're someone who loves a hot soup, the gomtang is a great pick.

The broth had a clear, clean style, so it wasn't heavy at all, and eating it with the meat made for a satisfying full meal. If you're craving warm broth as the weather cools down, I'd recommend the gomtang!

Pork tail jjim even a spice wimp could handle

The third dish was the pork tail jjim, and even though it looked bright red, it wasn't overly spicy — just pleasantly spicy and delicious. Even I, a total spice wimp, was able to eat it comfortably without it being too much!!

If you want a clean lunch in Hongdae

Personally, what I liked most about Anok was how well the food matched the atmosphere of the space. It's the kind of place to duck into when you want to step away from Hongdae's lively energy for a bit and have a proper meal in a calmer setting :)

For lunchtime in Hongdae especially, if you want something filling but not too heavy, Korean food really is the way to go. From the cool, clean naengmyeon to the warm, hearty gomtang, there's enough variety that it's easy to pick something even if you're dining with someone whose tastes differ from yours.

If you're looking for a nice-atmosphere lunch spot in Hongdae, or you love Pyongyang naengmyeon and gomtang, give Anok a try :) It's great for a Hongdae date or a meal with friends, and just as good for the day you want to take your parents for a clean, proper Korean meal!!^^