Danyang market bakery couple's trip: two salt bread sets packed to go

With the cooler fall weather setting in, my husband and I took a trip to Danyang for some fresh air. I've always been a bread lover, so we stopped by a bakery known as a Danyang Gugyeong Market must-visit for its salt bread. Here's our story from visiting Black Garlic Salt Bread, a shop that ages its own black garlic in-house before baking it into their bread.

Where is Black Garlic Salt Bread in Danyang, and where do you park?

Black Garlic Salt Bread is located inside the alley of Danyang Gugyeong Market. It sits between Samtaegimul and Ttangs Budae Jjigae, with Yeomyeong Pharmacy right across the street, so it was easy to find.

If you're driving, there are public parking lots around the market you can use. Both Dojeon-ri Public Parking Lot and Sangsangui-geori Public Parking Lot were just a 3-minute walk away, which made things convenient. No separate parking ticket was needed, so anyone could park with ease. We left the car at the public lot and took our time wandering around the market first.

The only bakery in the Gugyeong Market alley, with its own black garlic aging room

Walking further into the market alley, we spotted the sign for the salt bread bakery known as a Danyang Gugyeong Market must-visit. Being the only bakery in the market, it definitely caught the eye of passersby.

The display counter at the front of the shop had golden-baked breads lined up. Being able to see the actual size and shape of the products with our own eyes made it much easier to choose.

There was a dedicated space on one side of the shop for aging the black garlic. We got to see it in progress — up to day 9 of aging — made with native Danyang six-clove garlic.

Black garlic salt bread is a special menu item you can only find in Danyang. They make it with black garlic prepared in-house from Danyang six-clove garlic, French gourmet butter, and Taean sun-dried salt, kneading it fresh every morning and selling it the same day it's made. It said no preservatives, dyes, or chemical additives were used at all, so my husband and I dug in with high expectations.

Black Garlic Salt Bread menu: single prices and set prices

Looking at the menu board on the wall, they had a good mix of single items and sets. For single items: original salt bread is ₩3,000, garlic salt bread is ₩3,800, streusel salt bread is ₩3,800, and black garlic salt bread is ₩4,200. That's how the single-item pricing was set.

They also sell set menus that let you try all four flavors together.

• Set 1: 4 original salt bread, ₩11,000
• Set 2: 2 original + 1 garlic + 1 black garlic, ₩13,000
• Set 3: 1 each of original, streusel, garlic, black garlic, ₩14,000
• Set 4: 2 garlic + 2 black garlic, ₩14,800

They also sell Maeil Dairies Sangha Farm ice cream. If you'd like to pair freshly baked salt bread with something cold, that combo might be worth trying too.

After some deliberation, my husband and I decided to order one of each — Set 2 and Set 4. We planned to eat Set 2 as a snack at our stay and give Set 4 as a gift to friends. There was no need for a reservation — we just paid on the spot with a staff member. The line wasn't long, so we didn't have to wait long to get our order. Since they packed the bread fresh from the day's batch right away, picking it up was quick and easy.

How the boxes are packed, and how to store and reheat the salt bread

The packaging was a sturdy paper box with a handle, which made it very easy to carry around. It had a salt bread illustration on it, making for a cute package. The cute design also seemed like it would be nice to hand to friends after the trip.

The outside of the box had friendly instructions on how to enjoy the bread. For bread eaten the same day, it said to let it cool completely before sealing it, and it's still tasty if eaten plain the next day. For longer storage, seal it and keep it in the freezer. Frozen bread should be thawed at room temperature for 30 minutes, then reheated in an oven for 5 minutes or an air fryer at 180°C for 9 minutes. They also take orders through Naver Talk Talk for nationwide delivery, so you can enjoy it at home too. With our hands full of gifts, we headed back to our stay.

Opening Set 2 at the stay: original, garlic and black garlic compared

Our order was Set 2 — 2 original salt bread + 1 garlic salt bread + 1 black garlic salt bread.

As soon as we got to our stay, we opened the box and pulled out Set 2 first. Inside were 2 original, 1 garlic, and 1 black garlic salt bread. The garlic and black garlic breads, which had sauce on them, were packed in their own paper cases so they wouldn't mix with the others.

We warmed up the plain original first in the microwave and tore it along the grain. There was a big hollow butter core in the center, and it pulled apart softly by hand. One bite gave off a rich savory blend of salty and buttery flavor, and my husband and I both marveled at it as we ate. The butter flavor was so rich that it never got old — we kept reaching for more.

In the photo, the garlic salt bread is on the left and the black garlic salt bread is on the right. You can tell which is which just from the color, right?

When we cut the black garlic salt bread with scissors, the special black garlic sauce had soaked in well all the way to the inside. There was none of that harsh, sharp garlic taste — just sweet and savory flavors that everyone, young and old, could comfortably enjoy. The garlic salt bread also had a sweet sauce on the surface, making for a great flavor combo.

Is Black Garlic Salt Bread better as a trip snack or a gift?

Pulling out a piece each in the car as we traveled, my husband and I found it made a perfect refreshing snack. If you're traveling to Danyang and looking for a distinctive treat or a bakery gift to bring back, I'd recommend stopping by this bakery in Danyang Gugyeong Market and picking whichever flavors suit your taste.