Weeknight date dinner in Sangmu, Gwangju: basil calzone at Camel Orzo

Camel Orzo, an Italian spot in Sangmu, Gwangju — recommended for dates, brunch, or pre-wedding gatherings 🍝

This place has been steadily loved in Sangmu for its exotic vibe and carefully made Italian food 🥰 Since it's a restaurant with parking in Sangmu, it's also popular for dates, pre-wedding gatherings, and anniversaries — so I went to check out Camel Orzo!

I visited on a weekday evening for a couple's date, and this is my honest review of the basil calzone and Hanwoo steak paella 🩷

Where Camel Orzo is, opening hours and parking

📍 261 Uncheon-ro, Urban Peak Sangmu 1F, Unit 102, Seo-gu, Gwangju 🕐 Daily 11:00–23:00 (break time 15:30–17:00 / last order 21:00) 🩷 Parking available 🩷

Even when the Switzen lot is full, there are plenty of alternatives, so you can visit without any parking stress 😊

Inside Camel Orzo: high chairs and roomy four-person tables

The warm, upscale exterior, like a little alley restaurant transplanted from Europe, immediately caught my eye 🩷

The spacious table layout and classic wood-tone interior had real atmosphere.

There's also a baby chair, so I'd recommend this as a family-friendly restaurant in Sangmu.

The four-top tables in particular are made bigger than at other Western restaurants, so even with several dishes set out at once, it never felt cramped.

Staff came over to refill water glasses before we even asked, and set out tongs, scissors, and hygiene gloves for each dish — I felt well taken care of throughout the meal 😊

Ordering at Camel Orzo: kiosk orders with a printed menu too

You can order everything from the kiosk!

There's also a menu board, so I checked that first and then ordered at the kiosk haha

Swipe over to check the menu! There were two of us, and we ordered mushroom soup, basil calzone, and Hanwoo paella.

① Mushroom soup

This is the mushroom soup that came out as a starter.

It wasn't a bland texture like it had been blended smooth in a mixer — you could feel the texture of chopped mushrooms, and the soup itself is a thick, rich cream.

Instead of tasting like artificial seasoning, it has a deep, savory character from mushrooms slow-cooked and reduced over a long time 🩷

② Basil calzone with tomato caprese

The basil calzone was the tastiest dish!

The calzone is an authentic Neapolitan-style dough, aged low and slow before being baked in a high-heat wood-fired oven.

When you cut the half-moon-shaped calzone with scissors, savory basil sauce and gooey melted mozzarella stream out from inside the dough.

The dough itself is crispy on the outside and chewy and stretchy on the inside, like mochi!

Alongside the calzone comes a generous pile of Italian fresh mozzarella, juicy tomatoes, savory jambon, and fresh arugula.

They thoughtfully gave us extra basil sauce on the side, so we never ran out of sauce all the way through 😊

The best way to eat the basil calzone

Here's a tip! Put on the hygiene gloves and load the chewy dough with jambon, fresh mozzarella, tomato, and arugula, then wrap it up like a lettuce wrap and eat it in one bite 🥹

The savory warmth of the dough and the fragrance of basil hit first, then the tomato's tangy juice and the jambon's umami burst through right after. ✨✨

I dipped the dough in basil sauce too, and thanks to the tomato caprese, it was completely free of any greasiness — fresh and multi-dimensional in flavor 🩷

Proof that it was really delicious, exhibit 1 ..haha

③ Hanwoo steak and mushroom paella (only after 1pm!)

This is the paella, our main dish.

Made with pancetta, premium saffron, and a deeply simmered natural stock, the rice grains are coated in a bright yellow color and rich umami ✨

With every bite you get a faint hint of pancetta's smoky meatiness, along with saffron's fragrance and a subtle herbal note.

The aged Hanwoo (Korean beef) steak on top as the main topping is so tender you can cut it with a spoon, no knife needed — and the moment you bite into it, rich Hanwoo juices burst out 😋

Peas mixed through the rice add a pop of texture and a pleasant sweetness :) (For anyone who dislikes peas, there's an option to remove them when ordering via tablet!)

King oyster and button mushrooms stir-fried in add a plump, springy texture.

Put a piece of mushroom and Hanwoo steak on top of the saffron rice and eat it in one bite... the meat's juiciness, the mushroom's texture, and the rice's flavor come together in perfect harmony 🩷

What fell short at Camel Orzo

What was disappointing was that there was no crispy rice crust — the lifeblood of paella.. 🥲

But the pancetta bits scattered through were salty and crisp, which was a total win haha

We cleaned this one up completely 🤭

Who Camel Orzo in Sangmu is best for

Camel Orzo isn't just a pretty-looking place — it's a restaurant that carefully calculates the flavor and texture of every single ingredient 🥹

If you're looking for a reliable restaurant with easy parking in Sangmu, I highly recommend visiting once 🩷 Strongly recommend it as a date spot, pre-wedding gathering venue, or anniversary restaurant in Sangmu, Seo-gu, Gwangju.

Also keep in mind — you get 20% off drinks with takeout orders!