Brunch with Mom on Chuncheon's Jungangno: salmon ricotta at Layout

Layout Chuncheon basic info

Layout is at 140 Jungangno, A-dong 1st floor, Chuncheon, Gangwon, South Korea. Hours are Mon–Thu 11:00–22:00, Fri–Sat 11:00–23:00 and Sun 11:00–21:30, with a break time on weekdays from 15:00 to 17:00 (days and hours may change).

• Parking: a large private lot behind the restaurant
• Reservations and group visits available

What are Layout's exterior and plant-filled interior like?

Layout has a stylish exterior with big windows that let the sunshine pour in, and an interior full of plants. The first thing that caught my eye when I arrived was that exterior! I'd always noticed it driving past and thought, "that place looks pretty and unique," and I finally got the chance to come with my mom!

The sunlight streaming through the big windows was so lovely, and the exterior alone already had that cozy, good-vibes feel 🤍 Inside, the fresh green plants all around really grabbed my attention.

Greenery sits all over the place, so wherever you take a photo, it turns out naturally aesthetic 🌿 The space itself is so pretty that I ended up snapping tons of photos before the food even came out. And if you walk through the hall toward the back, there's a space with a totally different mood.

The back hall with movies on a projector

If the front of Layout is all fresh plant vibes, the back hall felt a little more modern and refined. A movie was playing on the wall from a projector, giving it a soft yet stylish mood 🎬 It's the same restaurant but the atmosphere changes completely, so just looking around was fun.

With this kind of atmosphere, I think it would be a great place for a blind date, and perfect for a year-end gathering or a special occasion. In the evening especially, it seemed like a lovely spot to enjoy tasty pasta with a glass of wine or whiskey 🍷

What we ordered at Layout

For brunch at Layout, my mom and I ordered one sandwich, two pastas and two coffees.

• Salmon ricotta open sandwich
• Pecorino carbonara
• Guanciale amatriciana
• Iced café latte
• Iced Americano

Iced café latte and iced Americano ☕

Layout's iced latte is on the strong side, and the iced Americano had a clean taste. We had both with our meal: a sip of nutty latte and a clean Americano, both easy to drink with a nutty, clean flavor that nobody would dislike. My mom's latte in particular was really rich, which sets it apart from other places, don't you think?!

Eating leisurely in a pretty space and finishing with coffee felt like a proper brunch date 🤍

Salmon ricotta open sandwich 🥪

Layout's salmon ricotta open sandwich is ricotta cheese and salmon on bread, a light brunch option. It looked appetizing from the first glance! Creamy, mellow ricotta with fresh salmon is a combo that never fails.

The mild, soft ricotta brings out the flavor of the salmon, and eaten with the bread, the nuttiness and chewy texture came together nicely. It lets you taste the ingredients themselves and is easy to enjoy lightly, so I'd recommend it for brunch.

Pecorino carbonara 🍝

Layout's pecorino carbonara is a thick, rich pasta made with pecorino cheese and guanciale (cured pork cheek). It really gave off Italian vibes! The deep, salty flavor typical of pecorino is its charm.

The thick, nutty sauce coated the noodles well, and with the salty savoriness of the guanciale added, the flavor got deeper with every bite. I liked that it let me enjoy the deep taste of the cheese itself, which is different from an ordinary cream pasta.

Guanciale amatriciana 🍅

Layout's guanciale amatriciana is a pasta with guanciale in a tomato-based sauce, and it paired well with the carbonara. This was our second order! The tomato-based sauce is fresh yet rich.

The salty, nutty flavor of the guanciale blends with the tomato sauce for extra depth, and with the cheese on top the balance was great. The tangy tomato cuts the richness, so it's a good match with the carbonara! I was glad we ordered two pastas.

What occasions suit Layout?

If you're looking for a brunch and pasta spot with great atmosphere in Chuncheon, I recommend Layout! From the fresh plant décor to the modern back hall, each space has its own charm so it's fun to look around, and the food was so pretty too that it satisfied me twice, once for the eyes and once for the taste 🤍

It suits blind dates and dates, and also year-end gatherings! Next time I want to visit in the evening, have a glass of wine with the pretty dishes and try other menu items 🍷