Hongdae pasta spot: basil pesto shrimp and bacon risotto at Pasta Go

After finishing a meeting in Hongdae, I wanted something light to eat. A fellow blogger recommended Pasta Go Hongdae Branch as a casual, budget-friendly spot in Hongdae, so I went to check it out.

Pasta Go Hongdae Branch location and opening hours

🏡 Address: 12 Wausan-ro 33-gil, Mapo-gu, Seoul, South Korea

Hongik Univ. Station is served by three lines — Line 2, the Airport Railroad and the Gyeongui-Jungang Line. The restaurant sits 338m from Exit 7, tucked inside an alley building, which gives the spot a relaxed feel.

⏰ Hours: daily 10:00–20:20, last order 19:40

Interior and how to order

Inside there are about 8 tables. You walk in toward a semi-open kitchen and order right away, then pick up your food at the same spot — for first-timers, I'd recommend reading the menu board behind the kiosk before ordering rather than just the kiosk itself.

There's a pretty large menu, so it's easier to pick a sauce type first — cream, tomato or oil — and then choose your dish. The solo set menu comes at a discount. It's a combo of pasta, a side dish and a drink, and the price goes up depending on which pasta and side you choose, but the set still comes out cheaper — a solid recommendation for a budget-friendly spot in Hongdae.

After ordering, they hand you a pager. Food pickup is self-service! You grab whatever forks, knives, water and pickles you need from the self-serve corner. Young vibe, sensible system — a proper budget-friendly spot in Hongdae.

The solo set menu and the à la carte dish

For the solo set I ordered basil shrimp pasta, a mini pizza and a Sprite. Pasta can be chosen mild, slightly spicy or very spicy — I went with slightly spicy, which gave it a reddish tint. I also picked the oil basil pesto over the cream option... the basil aroma was great!

The spiciness was a bit different from Korean chili flakes, and honestly it wasn't quite to my taste — I felt a little disappointed. Next time I'll order it mild. That said, younger students these days grow up exposed to all kinds of global food, so this flavor might suit their palate better, and it's probably a big draw for them as a budget-friendly Hongdae spot. It did seem like there were a lot of high school and college-age customers, plus a steady stream of delivery orders — I guess this flavor matches the current trend.

Garlic cream bacon risotto

For the à la carte dish I ordered the garlic cream bacon risotto in its basic version — so smooth! Being a garlic cream sauce it was a touch on the bold side? Overall I found it quite salty for my taste, so I balanced it out with the dinner roll that came with both the pasta and the risotto. The risotto's cream sauce was extra smooth and very easy to eat — I'm already planning to order a cream pasta or risotto again next time!!

Side dishes in the solo set menu

For the solo set side dish, there are three kinds of mini pizza, two kinds of fries, cream churros and more. Ordering can sometimes take a while — haha. Between choosing whether the pasta or risotto is spicy or not, plus picking from the various sides, preferences change depending on the mood and appetite of the day, so of course it takes time~~

Pasta Go Hongdae Branch's mini pizza

Out of three flavors — sweet potato, pepperoni and gorgonzola — I picked the pepperoni pizza!! When I ordered, they mentioned it's about the size of a palm, and it really was mini mini. That made it feel light to eat, probably also because of the thin crust~ Still, it wasn't too salty for my taste and went down easily, though the crispiness made it feel more like a snack than an actual pizza. Next time I should try something everyone already knows and loves — the fries~~

They're kindly running an event where writing a Naver receipt photo review gets you free cream churros. They looked crispy and sweet, so I'm definitely joining in~ next time!!

Overall impression

Experiencing the current trendy flavors at Pasta Go Hongdae Branch, a budget-friendly spot in Hongdae, felt like a real treat. Trying something new keeps you from falling behind, and being among all the students made me realize how different things are now from the days of grabbing tteokbokki (spicy rice cakes) after class. The cream sauce suited my taste well, and I've already picked out what to try next — fries and more. If you're in the mood for a meal with a young, trendy feel, Pasta Go Hongdae Branch, a pasta restaurant in Hongdae, is the place.