Gongju Korean set meal after chestnut picking: Bapkkot Hana Pieotne

To welcome fall, I went on a fun chestnut-picking trip to Gongju! After picking a huge bag of chestnuts by hand, I got so hungry that I did a frantic search for nearby restaurants. Gongju was actually my first time visiting, so I dug through the map pretty seriously.

That's how I found a hanjeongsik (Korean set meal) restaurant with the pretty name 'Bapkkot Hana Pieotne' in Gyeryong-myeon, and I punched it into the navigation and headed over! Turns out this place was the best of the best restaurants around! So here's my 100% paid-with-my-own-money review, full of admiration.

What kind of restaurant is Bapkkot Hana Pieotne, a two-time Blue Ribbon pick?

🏆 Blue Ribbon Survey selected two years in a row! A place with proven taste and care 🎀

The first thing I noticed was the Blue Ribbon mark proudly posted at the entrance! Turns out this place has been selected for the Blue Ribbon Survey for two consecutive years, 2025 and 2026. Just having that badge is basically a guarantee the food will be good! My expectations shot up before I even walked in.

This place uses no MSG at all and cooks with ingredients they grow themselves. Looking around the spacious grounds around the restaurant, I saw all kinds of fresh vegetables and greens planted with real care. Cooking with produce this fresh, straight from the field — how could it not taste good?

We originally tried to book the 12:30 slot, but it was already full, so we barely managed to grab a 2pm reservation. This place is seriously popular, so if you're planning a visit, I definitely recommend booking ahead!

What comes with the minari tteokgalbi set at Bapkkot Hana Pieotne

Juicy minari tteokgalbi and side dishes made with real care 🥗

Once seated, my friend and I ordered the signature 'minari tteokgalbi set' (grilled minced beef patties with water parsley). A little while later, the table was set, and it was so gorgeous and abundant that it felt like receiving a birthday spread — my jaw dropped!

The main dish, tteokgalbi, was juicy and full of flavor, needless to say, and the fragrance of minari made it even better. And every single side dish clearly had real effort put into it. The dressings on all the salads were especially delicious — truly living up to the Blue Ribbon reputation.

Let me list out roughly what kinds of dishes came on the table!

• Buckwheat-perilla dressing appetizer with an irresistible nutty flavor 🥣
• Savory doenjang jjigae (soybean paste stew) loaded with tofu 🍲
• Crisp, fresh lettuce salad 🥗
• Light and nutty dubu kimchi (tofu with kimchi) 🧀
• Savory ganjang-doenjang (thick soybean paste) that whets the appetite 🫕
• Chewy dried squash gungjung tteokbokki (royal court rice cake stir-fry) — a texture masterpiece 🎃
• Crispy, nutty vegetable fritters 🧺
• Refreshing, sweet-spicy lettuce geotjeori (fresh salad-kimchi) 🥬

There were so many dishes it was hard to list them all, and the flavors were on a completely different level from a typical hanjeongsik.

Dried squash gungjung tteokbokki and burdock japchae: how strong is the seasoning?

Creative, healthy recipes that made me gasp with admiration 👩‍🍳

None of the food at Bapkkot Hana Pieotne was heavily seasoned — everything was light and clean, so my stomach felt genuinely comfortable. Even after eating my fill, there was zero heaviness afterward, which I really loved!

I was especially impressed by the idea of using soaked squash to make a soy-sauce-based gungjung tteokbokki. The sweetness of the squash and the umami of the soy sauce seasoning danced together in my mouth. And how did they ever come up with the idea of slicing burdock root thin like noodles to make japchae (stir-fried glass noodles)? The texture was great and it was healthy too — I kept gasping in admiration the whole meal. My friend and I cleaned every single plate, completely satisfied.

The garden walking path where Bapkkot Hana Pieotne grows its ingredients

🌿 A healing walking path around the restaurant, plus visit tips 🚗

After finishing a very satisfying meal, full and content, I wandered onto the walking path around the outside of the restaurant. As I strolled along and looked around, nearly all the vegetables I'd just enjoyed at the table were actually planted right there growing!

Seeing with my own eyes how carefully every ingredient is sourced firsthand deepened my trust in this restaurant even more. This is a truly healing restaurant I really want to recommend to so many people. If you're planning a trip to Gongju, or looking for a delicious hanjeongsik after a chestnut-picking experience, make sure to stop by 'Bapkkot Hana Pieotne'!

Before you go: closing day, parking and reservations

• 🗓️ Closed: Closed every Monday as a regular closing day.
• 🅿️ Parking: The lot is very large, so it can easily accommodate group visitors.
• 📞 Reservations: On weekends or during peak hours, spots fill up fast, so booking ahead is essential.

I came home filled up in both body and mind, like I'd received a healthy gift from nature in one meal. If you're heading to Gongju, be sure to visit and experience a hanjeongsik that feels like a gorgeous birthday spread!