Seomyeon pizza lunch date, crisp-chewy dough and cream pasta: Pickles

Whenever a lunch plan comes up in Seomyeon, there's one worry, right? "Where can we go today without it being a miss?" A place with good atmosphere and food you actually like is harder to find than you'd think. Pickles, which I visited this time, was the first place in a while where I thought, "I have to come back here."

The pizza at Pickles especially impressed me the whole way through, because everything from the dough to the toppings was so well balanced! It was already busy at lunchtime, so word has clearly gotten around. So for anyone hunting for a good Seomyeon restaurant, here's my honest Pickles review.

Pickles location, hours and parking in Seomyeon

Pickles is open every day from 11am to 9pm, tucked into the Jeonpo alley area full of cozy cafés and shops. But there's no parking, so if you come by car you'll need to use a nearby public or paid parking lot.

Pickles sits in a spot with that Jeonpo alley feel. The exterior gives off a strong American vibe, and the look of the interior through the windows got me excited before I even walked in.

One downside is, of course, the lack of parking! I parked nearby and walked, and strolling through the Jeonpo alley was actually pretty nice.

Is there a wait at lunchtime?

Yes, Pickles gets quite a lot of customers at lunch, so there's a wait. When I visited, the tables inside were almost full, with lots of couples and groups of friends. If you're looking for a lunch spot in Seomyeon, I'd recommend arriving with some time to spare.

Pickles menu, prices and what we ordered

True to a pizza place, the Pickles menu is just pizza and pasta, with pasta in the ₩10,000 range and pizza in the ₩20,000 range. You can get a set, or just pizza or just pasta. This time I ordered the set.

• Half-and-half pizza (taco + jambon-beurre)
• Bacon cream spaghetti

The combination was honestly great: one was a hearty, flavorful pizza and the other a rich, thick cream pasta, so the pairing was perfect. The dishes also looked so stylish that taking photos was fun. I can see why it's such a popular date spot in Jeonpo.

Pickles half-and-half pizza: what's so special about the dough?

The dough of the Pickles half-and-half pizza is slightly crisp on the outside and chewy inside, and it doesn't go limp even with toppings piled on. Let's be honest, if the dough is bad, your whole satisfaction with a pizza drops, right? But the pizza at Pickles was different right from the dough.

The half-and-half I ordered was taco and jambon-beurre (ham and butter), two totally different personalities, which made eating it fun.

How does the taco pizza taste?

The Pickles taco pizza comes with slightly spicy meat, corn and jalapeños, so it has a Mexican feel. Thanks to the sauce and topping combo, I could finish it without it ever feeling greasy, and the soft, runny-egg-style topping added a nice tenderness.

How does the jambon-beurre pizza taste?

The Pickles jambon-beurre pizza had a completely different mood from the taco. It's topped with arugula and jambon (French-style ham) with butter cubes as the highlight, and the nutty richness hit the second I took a bite. The salty ham and the butter went really well together. That was the moment I understood why people mention Pickles when they talk about the best pizza in Jeonpo!

Personally, "it's good starting from the dough" is the phrase that fits this place best. It's not just flashy toppings; the basics are solid, and it was a Busan pizza place that left me really satisfied for the first time in a while.

Is the Pickles bacon cream spaghetti too heavy?

The Pickles bacon cream spaghetti was thick and rich but not too heavy, which I liked. Cream pasta can sometimes be nothing but greasy if it's done badly, but the cream pasta at Pickles wasn't like that.

The bacon flavor came through strongly and the cream sauce soaked into the noodles well, so I enjoyed it to the last bite.

There was plenty of cheese on top, which added flavor, and the vegetables mixed in kept some texture. Eating it with the pizza made the combination even better. If you love pasta, I think you'd be happy visiting while looking for a pasta spot in Jeonpo too!

Is Pickles a good lunch date spot in Seomyeon?

Pickles has good food, good atmosphere and good vibes, so it suits a lunch date in Seomyeon well.

Seeing how crowded it was at lunchtime, it clearly felt like a lunch place that word had already spread about, and with its stylish interior I thought it would suit anyone looking for a date spot in Seomyeon.

The space also fits the mood of the Jeonpo alley, so it's nice for a brunch-style visit, and it looked fine for a get-together with friends or a casual first meeting (sogeting, a blind date). If you like pizza, I hope you'll go at least once!

I plan to go back next time to try other pizzas. If you're looking for good pizza in Busan, I recommend Pickles. Places like this might be what real Busan eats are all about.