Sokcho bakery café for a family road trip: squid jjondeugi and potato

During this summer's family trip to Sokcho, I wanted to introduce my family to Gangwon-do's famous potato bread, so we stopped by Sokcho Bultan Gamja Bread Main Store — an "agungi" (traditional wood-fire kiln) themed café. My family's reaction was way better than expected, so it's now a Sokcho bakery café I'd definitely go back to. My dad, who has genuinely picky taste, said he wanted more because it never got old — that's how good it was.

Where is Sokcho Bultan Gamja Bread Main Store, and is there parking?

Sokcho Bultan Gamja Bread Main Store is at 1F, 34-20 Haksapyeong-gil, Sokcho-si, Gangwon. The store is large with two floors, and colorful graffiti and character illustrations cover the whole building, so it caught my eye from a distance.

Around the entrance there are character objects like muse toys and small sculptures — a bit hip and playful. There's parking space in front of the building, so we parked comfortably and went in!

Inside the Sokcho bakery café: two floors and seating

The inside of Sokcho Bultan Gamja Bread Main Store has a calm wood-toned vibe. The window side has a large floor-to-ceiling window letting in natural light, and the warm wood-colored interior and lighting blend well together.

It also feels a bit like a mini exhibition space.

The seat spacing is generous and there are group tables too, so it looks convenient for families!

Both the potatoes and the staff are "domestic," so I guess it's trustworthy (?) — just kidding, but it made me laugh so I took a photo. Apparently they also do nationwide courier delivery.

Menu and prices at Sokcho Bultan Gamja Bread

The drink menu is simple but has exactly what you need! Since we were already there, we also ordered an iced Americano.

There's also a tasting spot for potato bread at the counter. Buy 3 or more boxes and you get 10% off, and if you write a receipt review, they'll give you one more potato bread!

The restroom was also very clean and spacious. It felt well-maintained, so that was satisfying! Since it was near closing time, there was a steady stream of customers picking up potato bread or jjondeugi to go.

Burnt potato bread: Sokcho's own jet-black bake

Usually potato bread is light brown or beige, but Sokcho Bultan Gamja Bread is jet-black, just like the name says. Like 1980s briquette coal? The row of black potato breads is oddly cute.

It has a soft, chewy, mochi-like texture and is packed full of potato filling. The story goes that it's modeled after how the outside of a potato turns pitch-black when you actually roast it over an open flame! So this isn't just any Gangwon-do potato bread — it's Sokcho's own particular style.

There's a famous potato bread shop called Chuncheon Gamjabat (Potato Farm), and this tasted the most similar to that one.

Squid-flavored Sokcho jjondeugi: the snack that won my parents over

The menu item that was surprisingly the most delicious at Sokcho Bultan Gamja Bread turned out to be the squid-flavored Sokcho jjondeugi (chewy snack). As soon as we tried it, it disappeared — I kept passing pieces around telling everyone to try one, and before I knew it, all 12 were gone... ugh.

The reason I usually don't like jjondeugi is that it doesn't have much flavor, so I never got the appeal — but Sokcho jjondeugi has a strong squid flavor and umami while barely having any smell! So personally, I highly, highly recommend it as a highway road-trip snack.

The first bite is chewy! It's not just tough — keep chewing and it gradually gets softer and more tender. I'm currently wearing braces and still ate it just fine.

My parents also found it fun that squid-flavored jjondeugi isn't a common product at all. They ate it going "Oh, this exists too?" — and then it was gone before we knew it... Still, both my picky parents were super satisfied and kept asking if there was any more jjondeugi for the rest of the trip — they genuinely loved it that much!

Compared to the price of dried squid at a highway rest stop, it's a pretty good idea to buy a few before setting off on a trip, keep them in the car, and snack on one at a time.

Iced Americano to go with the potato bread

I thought this was just a place to buy potato bread and leave, but Sokcho Bultan Gamja Bread Main Store also sells café drinks. The coffee we drank had a refreshingly bright acidity. It's a nice light drink to have with bread during a trip. After the chewy potato bread, a sip of bright, acidic coffee was a pretty good combo. ☺️

How the three menu items compared

Potato bread ★★★★★ The black, cute briquette-like look is great for Instagram! The chewy texture combined with potato flavor works well. A taste basically anyone would like.

Squid-flavored jjondeugi ★★★★★ The MVP of Sokcho Bultan Gamja Bread! Gets tastier the more you chew, with amazing squid flavor and umami! Barely any smell, so I strongly recommend it for people traveling by bus without a car, or as a snack for a long road trip.

Coffee ★★★☆☆ Mild acidity, nice for a light drink alongside the potato bread.

Family trip verdict on Sokcho Bultan Gamja Bread

I really liked that Sokcho Bultan Gamja Bread Main Store had tasting samples of the potato bread and jjondeugi! When it comes to travel food, buying a whole box only to find it's not to your taste can be a letdown — so being able to try it before buying was great.

Also, the owner was very kind when we visited. When traveling, taste matters, but service matters quite a bit too — and being greeted so warmly left us in a good mood as we left. Being able to browse the products comfortably and try samples was satisfying!

Who should stop by this Sokcho bakery café

• Anyone in Sokcho looking for a distinctive travel snack
• Anyone facing a long drive from Sokcho back to Seoul or elsewhere
• Anyone who wants a snack that's light on smell
• Anyone curious about the uncommon squid-flavored jjondeugi
• Anyone looking for potato bread as a Sokcho travel gift
• Anyone near Sokcho IC looking for a quick takeaway stop

Personally, if I go back to Sokcho, I'll still buy potato bread, but I think I'll buy even more of the squid-flavored jjondeugi to snack on in the car. If you're planning the long drive from Sokcho to Seoul, I recommend the potato bread + squid-flavored jjondeugi + coffee combo!