Paju weekday date brunch café: crab rosé pasta & pizza at Brick Rouge

My husband finally had a free weekday for the first time in a while, so we decided to have a date, just the two of us. I wanted brunch somewhere with a nice atmosphere, and that's how we ended up at Brick Rouge (브릭루즈).

We often take the Jayu-ro to Simhaksan or Paju Lotte Outlets, and I'm only now finding out there's such a great brunch café in Paju! It's a big café and a bakery café with loads of breads, so my expectations were high.

Where is Brick Rouge in Paju, and is there parking?

Brick Rouge is a large café in a red-brick building on Jimok-ro in Paju, Gyeonggi, near Simhaksan and Paju Lotte Outlets. The red-brick building was grand even from the outside.

There are private parking lots in front and behind, so parking was easy on a weekday. On weekends it might get a bit crowded with visitors. We pass this road all the time and only just found this Paju brunch café, so we'll have to stop by more often.

A different space on every floor of Brick Rouge

Stepping inside, the high ceilings and open space made me gasp. The view down onto the first floor from upstairs was gorgeous. A huge chandelier, red brick, and a motorcycle displayed at the entrance made it feel like an exhibition hall.

On one side there was a long wooden table that looked great for group gatherings.

On the second floor, a bridge connects the different spaces, which gave it a fresh feel.

There were sunlit seats by the windows, and a corner decorated with rattan chairs and bookshelves caught my eye too. One spot felt like a classy lounge, another like a little study. Every space has its own mood, so this is a big Paju café you wouldn't get tired of visiting often.

From the indoor garden to the 3rd-floor semi-outdoor garden and rooftop terrace

Every time we changed floors, a new space opened up, which made exploring fun. The area full of big plants felt fresh, like walking into an indoor garden.

By the sunlit windows there were white curtains and sofas that looked perfect for resting. On one side there was also a photo zone decorated with flowers and lights.

The 3rd floor has a space styled like a semi-outdoor garden. It looked like a lovely place to rest on the sunny terrace and look out at the scenery. A floor-seating area good for kids and a cute character photo zone left an impression too.

The rooftop terrace has round tables and chairs, so it's a big Paju café that's great for enjoying fresh air in cooler weather.

What did we order from Brick Rouge's brunch menu?

We ordered the margherita pizza (₩24,000), the crab rosé pasta (₩23,000) and a lemonade. After looking around, we took a seat on the 2nd floor with a view of the fresh green plants, and since there were so many brunch options, it took us a while to decide.

The menu also listed various brunches and set combinations. If you're having a meal and drinks together, it's worth checking out the sets. As a proper Paju brunch café, the wide choice was a plus for me.

What breads are in Brick Rouge's bakery corner?

The bakery corner had cheese breads, macarons, strawberry desserts, tarts and more filling a long display case. After ordering, we took a look around the bakery corner.

From the long cheese-topped bread to colorful macarons and strawberry desserts, everything looked delicious. The chocolate tart and fruit tart caught my eye too.

If it's your first visit, you could pick using the Bakery Best 6 menu the café introduces in store.

With so many kinds in this Paju bakery café, I thought we'd have to come back and try the breads one by one.

Margherita pizza with flaky, pastry-like dough

Brick Rouge's margherita pizza (₩24,000) comes generously topped with arugula, jambon (cured ham), cherry tomatoes and cheese, and the dough was crisp in layers like pastry. Our food arrived shortly after.

With the big pizza and the crab rosé pasta on the table, it looked more generous than I expected.

The pizza especially, piled with arugula, jambon, cherry tomatoes and cheese, looked wonderful from the first glance.

My husband cut me a slice, and I could see the layers of the crisp dough.

Unlike ordinary pizza dough, it had flaky layers like pastry, so it was crisp and nutty at once. The fresh arugula and the salty jambon went together really well. At first I thought the price was a bit high, but after tasting it I nodded along. A fresh lemonade on the side made it even better.

Crab rosé pasta with a thick, non-spicy sauce

Brick Rouge's crab rosé pasta (₩23,000) has crab and shrimp in a thick rosé sauce that isn't spicy, so it's easy to eat. The crab rosé pasta we ordered with it was better than expected too. On top of the crab-and-shrimp pasta were fresh greens and cheese.

When I twirled the noodles up with my fork, the thick rosé sauce clung to them richly. The savory depth of the crab added great flavor, and since it wasn't spicy it was easy to eat. Pizza and pasta together was a great combo. Chatting with my husband and taking our time, we cleaned our plates even though it had looked like a lot.

Wrapping up our weekday date at Brick Rouge

Brick Rouge was a Paju brunch café where I loved both the distinctive spaces on each floor and the tasty brunch. It's a spacious, comfortable café and a bakery café with plenty of breads, so I'm already looking forward to the next visit.

Next time I'd like to bring the kids and try the bakery items too. If you're looking for a date spot near Simhaksan or Paju Lotte Outlets, I'd recommend it.