Tin Tray Diner · 8 stories
Writes about restaurants and cafes scattered across Gyeonggi, one plate or cup at a time. · Writes about: Restaurants · Cafés
Jojo AK Plaza Suwon is a teppanyaki yakisoba and okonomiyaki restaurant in the B1 food hall of AK Plaza at Suwon Station. The writer ordered the ₩18,000 yakisoba set with 5 mentaiko (pollock roe) gyoza, their first mentaiko gyoza ever, and found that spooning the mentaiko mayo sauce over the yakisoba noodles was the standout combination. Jojo AK Plaza Suwon is a good pick for a hearty solo teppanyaki meal near Suwon Station.
Tteum Café by Oneplay Suwon Station is a specialty coffee and croffle café on the first floor of the Praunt officetel on Sehwa-ro in Suwon, Gyeonggi. The order was an iced Milano blend Americano, a café latte and a chocolate ice cream croffle. The generous croffle, the camping-style knife and a corner for smelling the coffee beans stood out most. Americanos cost 5,500 to 5,800 won and croffles 9,900 to 12,900 won. For coffee and croffle together near Suwon Station, Tteum Café is a good choice.
Orange Bagel is a large three-floor bagel brunch café on Omokcheon-ro in Gwonseon-gu, Suwon. This visit covers Orange Bagel's signature drinks (Orangecano ₩7,000, Orange Latte ₩7,500 and Orange Bianco ₩8,500), the space on each floor, and three bagels: bacon egg mayo, Laugen butter and potato. If you like mild, slightly salty bagels, start with the Laugen butter bagel at Orange Bagel.
Caffeine Focus is a bakery café in Haenggung-dong, Suwon, with views of the Hwaseong Fortress wall, on Changnyongdae-ro 80beon-gil. The writer checked the few parking spots in front of Caffeine Focus and the Yeonmudae public parking lot (900 won per 30 minutes), then ordered a coconut matcha cloud, a red grapefruit ade and a vanilla bean Basque cheesecake. Each floor has its own character: a bakery on the 1st floor, a gallery on the 2nd and a terrace on the 3rd. Verdict: Caffeine Focus delivers both the fortress view and great-tasting drinks, a very satisfying stop.
Bobae Banjeom Bongdam Branch is a jjamppong (spicy seafood noodle soup) specialist in the Jangdeung 2-gil food alley in Bongdam-eup, Hwaseong, Gyeonggi. Lunch at Bobae Banjeom was ordered by tablet — jjajangmyeon (black bean noodles), jjamppong and mini tangsuyuk (sweet and sour pork) — and the restaurant lays out high chairs, aprons and a free coffee machine for after the meal, which made eating with a child easy. A satisfying stop if you want smoky jjamppong with family conveniences.
Choburi Kimchi Jjigae Gojan Main Branch is a kimchi jjigae (kimchi stew) and golden gardenia stone-pot rice restaurant in Gojan-dong, Ansan, Gyeonggi. Because the building has no parking for non-tenants, the writer left the car at Daerim Plaza Public Parking Lot and walked over, then ate a thick jjageuli-style kimchi jjigae with stone-pot rice and the self-service bar before taking home a 2+1 meal kit for the after-meal price of 18,000 won. With baby chairs on hand, Choburi Kimchi Jjigae works well for a family meal.
Flowerpot Cafe Gojan Branch is a bakery café on the Gwangdeok2-ro main road in Danwon-gu, Ansan, Gyeonggi. The cafe has no lot of its own, so drivers use the Daerim Plaza public parking lot nearby; this visit meant an Americano at 4,500 won, orange marmalade at 8,000 won and salt bread at 2,900 won, crisp outside and soft inside alongside nutty coffee. With outlets at every seat, a baby chair and a self-packing station, Flowerpot Cafe Gojan Branch suits both solo visits and trips with a child.
Myeonsikdang Mangpo Station is a ramen and pork cutlet restaurant on the first floor of Golden Square, right in front of Exit 3 of Mangpo Station on the Suin-Bundang Line in Suwon. The writer ordered tonkotsu ramen, a half-and-half pork cutlet with cheddar cheese melting down the side, a kimchi mini butadon (pork rice bowl) and fried shrimp, and it was filling even for an adult appetite, with two hours of free parking and high chairs on hand. Myeonsikdang Mangpo Station is a safe bet whether you are eating alone or bringing children along.
