Jeonpo brunch restaurant with open-kitchen bar seats: Pickles, Busan

When people think of Jeonpo-dong's Jeonpo Café Street in Busan, they usually picture delicious, hip cafés — but brunch spots deserve just as much attention. So instead of Ijaemo Pizza, I stopped by Pickles, a Jeonpo brunch favorite.

Where Pickles is, opening hours and how long the wait is

Pickles is 2–3 minutes from Seomyeon Station Exit 6, on the ground floor of the Upper East Bakery building. It sits right below the Upper East Bakery, with Pickles occupying the first floor, so it was very easy to find.

They're open daily from 11am to 9pm, last order at 8pm. With no break time, it seems like a good spot to visit even if you're avoiding the lunch rush.

Reservations are possible through Catch Table. I arrived right before noon and luckily got seated immediately, but there was still a wait at lunchtime even though it was a weekday.

Inside Pickles: the room and the open-kitchen bar seats

The exterior has a neon sign that gives off a proper "Pizza!" vibe and feels cozy, while the inside is neatly decorated with well-placed lighting and simple props, making for a nice atmosphere.

Seating ranges from tables for two up to tables for three or four. It's on the smaller side, so it seems well suited for small gatherings or dates.

The white wood wall interior combined with the lighting arrangement gives off a genuine European-meets-American feel.

Up front there were slightly elevated sofa-style tables that work well whether you're eating alone or with company — I sat there, and since the kitchen was open-plan and visible, it was never boring.

The counter area was also kept extremely clean, which made it clear they care about hygiene, and I noticed they spike the bills on a little pointed holder, kind of like you'd see abroad.

Pickles menu: ordering the pizza and pasta set

Pickles' menu is made up of set menus, pastas, and pizzas. I was curious about the lasagna too, but since I don't often get to eat puttanesca, I picked that! And for the half-and-half pizza, I chose jambon-beurre and beef cheeseburger. I was also curious about the popular taco pizza, but that one's for next time!

They also have romaine salad and chicken steak, so if you come with a group you could order a variety of sides too — and the chicken steak's price was really reasonable.

What does the puttanesca pasta at Pickles taste like?

Pickles' puttanesca pasta is the classic of classics — whole olives, pistachio, tomato, and anchovy cheese. The dishes took a little time to come out, and the pasta arrived first.

It was served piping hot — when I tossed the pasta, steam kept rising off it! If your pasta comes out this hot, blow on it and let it cool first.

The anchovy flavor wasn't overpowering, which made it just right for me. If you like oil-based pasta, you should definitely order this.

The noodles were also a bit on the wider side, so the oil and anchovy sauce soaked in nicely, making it even tastier.

The jambon-beurre and beef cheeseburger half-and-half pizza

The half-and-half pizza I ordered came out right after. The jambon side was topped with pistachio, pepper, butter, and arugula, while the beef cheeseburger side was topped with beef, cheese, raw onion, and romaine — a pizza that was heavy but not greasy, and honestly tasted like a burger.

Jambon-beurre first! Maybe because I usually love jambon ham, but the chewy dough paired beautifully with the arugula, jambon, and butter. The dough was chewy and moist, and the crust edge had this delicious pastry-like quality.

When they served the pizza, they mentioned that sprinkling salt on it makes it even better, so I sprinkled some on — and wow. The salty dough and the salt worked really well together.

Next up, the beef cheeseburger pizza! Despite looking fresh and green on top, it had that heavy, mixed flavor of beef bulgogi steak. If you love meat, you absolutely have to order this one. Splitting it half-and-half with the jambon-beurre meant I never got tired of either.

I usually love drizzling hot sauce on things, but this pizza wasn't greasy at all, and between the toppings and the dough's texture and bready flavor, it was actually better without hot sauce.

The beef pizza had more of that cheese-pull stretchiness, so folding it in half was the way to eat it properly! There were utensils provided, but I got so absorbed I ate with my hands. Especially the dough — it was even nuttier and crispier than the jambon-beurre, maybe from the oil rendered off the beef and cheese, giving it an even tastier edge. I finished it down to the crust.

Since it's called Pickles, you can't skip the pickles! They were cut into stick shapes, moderately brined, with a tangy flavor that paired well as a side.

Why you should dip the pizza crust ends in the pasta sauce

I felt like I was about to burst, but the crust ends I never eat at home — dipped in puttanesca sauce, how could that not be delicious? Definitely order the pasta alongside and dip the bread. So good — highly recommend!

It's so good you have to dip the crust ends in the sauce. Move over, cheese crust.

This was the tastiest meal I had on my Busan trip, one I want to come back and pay for myself later. Next time I visit Busan, I'm definitely stopping by again to try the pizzas I haven't had yet!