Gwangju brunch with pastry soup: Bueokgan Suwan Branch

A Family Brunch in Suwan District

The place I’m introducing today is Bueokgan Suwan Branch (부엌간 수완점), a lovely brunch spot in Gwangju. Bueokgan is a very popular casual restaurant brand in Gwangju, and it is well loved for get-togethers and dates too. Since it was the weekend, I headed over with Shushu and my mom to eat, do some grocery shopping, and then head home.

You can park on the street directly in front, for reference. Even though we arrived in the early afternoon, there were lots of groups already eating.

• Open daily from 11:30 AM to 9 PM; break time is 3–5 PM
• Street parking is available directly in front
• A yes-kids zone with high chairs and children's tableware

A Lovely Space with Full-Window Views and Counter Seats

Bueokgan Suwan Branch has such a great atmosphere, haha. I especially love the green, cozy view through the floor-to-ceiling windows. There are counter seats too, so if you come as a pair, it would be nice to sit in front of the kitchen and enjoy a date.

You can order on the tablet at each table, and there are plenty of good-value set menus, so keep that in mind. Now, let’s get settled in!

What We Ordered in Couple Set A

We decided on Couple Set A at Bueokgan Suwan Branch (₩48,000: soup + pasta + rice + 2 drinks). There are lots of menu choices for the options, and we picked the pastry soup (+₩2,000), vongole, Kung Pao chicken pilaf (+₩4,000), and two orange juices, haha.

They Brought Children’s Tableware and Pickles First

Once we finished ordering, they first brought orange juice, children’s tableware, and pickles, haha. I really liked that the children’s tableware came as a tray! Shushu doesn’t eat Western food very well, so I had packed her something separately; she ate it neatly and drank her juice too, hahaha. I think the pickles suited her taste, because she liked them so much that we got a refill.

The Pastry Soup I Always Order

Next up was Bueokgan Suwan Branch’s pastry soup. A flaky pastry sits on top of hot kabocha squash soup, and it is seriously such a special treat ㅠㅠ

If you order soup, please please try this pastry soup!! Haha. The kabocha soup is wonderfully rich too, which makes it even better. I always order it whenever I come to Bueokgan ♥

Kung Pao Chicken Pilaf Topped with Aged Grilled Chicken Thigh

Then the rest of the dishes started arriving. Kung Pao chicken pilaf is one of Bueokgan’s popular dishes, so you cannot order it once they run out of ingredients!! Hahaha. I remember coming before and not getting to try it because it was sold out, hahaha.

I wanted it so badly, and yes, it was delicious. It has a bit of a paella-like feel, and above all, the aged grilled chicken thigh is insanely good ♥ It is a tiny bit spicy, but the inside of the meat is fine, so Shushu eats this one well too, haha.

Vongole Pasta Without Any Heaviness

The next dish was Bueokgan Suwan Branch’s vongole pasta. I was craving a clean oil-based pasta today, so I ordered it, and it was absolutely the best choice ㅠㅠ You know how, when the basics are good, everything is good? Haha.

The noodles were so chewy, and this was just a little spicy too, so it had none of the heaviness pasta can sometimes have. The clams were so delicious too, hahaha. This must be why Bueokgan has stayed a hot spot for so long, haha.

If you are looking for an atmospheric brunch place in Suwan District, Gwangju, give Bueokgan Suwan Branch a try. It is a truly great restaurant where I always leave satisfied, whatever I order, haha.