Haenggung-dong, Suwon trip lunch: Genoa salami pizza at The European

Today I want to tell you about The European Haenggung Main Branch, which I had for lunch on day two of my trip to Haenggung-dong! It's a wood-fired pizza restaurant run by a chef with 10 years of experience at the Shilla Hotel in Seoul, haha. Let's get right into the review 🤓

The European Haenggung Main Branch: location, hours and parking

The European Haenggung Main Branch is on the 1st floor of 21-1 Haenggung-ro, Paldal-gu, Suwon-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea, on the craft street near Suwon Hwaseong Fortress. It's open 11:30-21:30, and you can park at nearby public lots (Hwaseong Haenggung Roadside Public Parking, Hanwoomul Private Parking).

• Hours: 11:30-21:30
• Parking: nearby lots including Hwaseong Haenggung Roadside Public Parking and Hanwoomul Private Parking
• Chef with 10 years of experience at the Shilla Hotel
• Group reservations by phone (84 seats total)

Outside the restaurant: red brick and a tiled roof

The European Haenggung Main Branch, a famous pizza spot in Haenggung-dong, sits right on the Hwaseong Fortress craft street, so it's a great place to drop into while sightseeing, haha. The exterior with its red brick and elegant tiled roof is striking, and its charming vibe had me excited even before going in.

At the entrance there was a sign noting it's an officially certified Stefano Ferrara wood-fired oven installation from the Neapolitan Pizza Association. Knowing I could try authentic Neapolitan pizza made me even more excited, haha. Apparently even the mayor of Suwon Special Self-Governing City has visited!

Inside: 84 seats, red curtains and wood tones

Inside, the red curtains paired with dark wood-toned tables gave off an upscale yet cozy mood 🤎 The full seating is 84, quite a generous size, and mostly 4-person tables, so it seemed great to visit with friends too. Group reservations are also available by phone, so it could work well as a meeting spot.

From the plates to the teacups to the cutlery, everything gave off a luxurious feel, don't you think?! You could really tell they'd put careful thought into the tableware, haha.

What we chose from The European's menu

Everything genuinely looked delicious, so it was hard to choose... I wanted to try it all, but today I decided on the Genoa salami pizza! Salami with basil pesto sounded like a classic, not-too-intense flavor, so I picked it.

The main menu lineup was no joke either, haha. From squid ink tortellini to truffle cream gnocchi to sirloin steak risotto, it's quite varied. Among those, we went with the beef ragu pasta. It was one of those days where, even surrounded by flashy dishes, a classic pasta was what I craved.

Ordering with the Catch Order tablet

Ordering is simple — just use the Catch Order tablet attached to each table!

How does the Genoa salami pizza taste?

The long-awaited Genoa salami pizza 🍕 The crust edge had puffed up nice and thick, with leopard-print-like char marks scattered across the surface — you can tell right away this is Neapolitan wood-fired pizza class.

Take a bite and you first notice the crust — slightly crisp outside, chewy inside — topped with thinly sliced Genoa salami wrapping it in salty, savory flavor... (bliss). As the salami's fat starts to seep out and it could get a bit greasy, the basil steps in with a fresh, nutty note to keep things balanced. It's classic, but you can clearly taste that every single ingredient was top quality!

The poached egg on the beef ragu pasta

The beef ragu pasta looked insane in person too, ㅠㅠ. A poached egg sat on top of a ragu sauce packed with ground beef and vegetables.

Break the poached egg with your fork and the yolk seeps into the ragu sauce, making it even creamier — that's the highlight!! The ragu itself had deep, rich savoriness like the beef, carrots, and tomato had simmered for a long time, and it kept the hearty texture of ground meat. It wasn't overpowering, and thanks to the natural flavor of the ingredients, it was filling and comforting.

The pickles: julienned radish and carrot

The pickles here can't be skipped either! They're julienned radish and carrot, so the texture felt much livelier than regular cucumber pickles. The mild sweet-and-sour flavor made them perfect for cleansing the palate between bites of pizza and pasta.

Final verdict: who should come to The European?

The European Haenggung Main Branch, a famous pizza spot in Haenggung-dong. The upscale atmosphere makes it a great pick for a special date or a family gathering. With dishes that let the natural flavor of the ingredients shine, it left me feeling comfortable and satisfied ✨