Gwangju pho restaurant with free refills: Wolmidang

Wolmidang near Chonnam National University’s back gate

I heard there was a great pho place near Chonnam National University, so I went to check it out! It’s Wolmidang Gwangju Chonnam National University Branch, right near the university in Gwangju!

What are the location and interior like?

Wolmidang was near the university’s back gate, although it was even closer to Buk-gu Office! I don’t think it would take even five minutes on foot. The interior looked quite large. At first, I was looking only at the map and thinking, “Where is it?” But as soon as I turned the corner, there it was. I really liked how clean it looked from the outside!

Once inside, it was quite spacious, with plenty of seats. I think I visited around noon? It was already full of people! Diners of all ages, from older guests to young students, were eating there.

I liked that there were kiosks at the tables throughout the restaurant! So convenient. It said noodles, bean sprouts, pickled onions, and more were available as unlimited free refills, and as someone who loves bean sprouts, I was so happy!!

Ordering classic pho and mala-tang pho

The menu was seriously so varied. I thought pho would just mean basic brisket pho, but there were so many choices! Spicy pho, beef brisket pho, bún chả, and even mala-tang pho. I was absolutely starving that day and really wanted to order three or four dishes, but I held myself back so hard ㅠㅠㅠ After all that restraint, I ordered classic pho and mala-tang pho!

Ta-da! What do you think? Doesn’t it look delicious?

Rich broth and clean mala flavor

Honestly, this place was really, truly delicious...! I started with the classic pho, and the broth was so rich that both my boyfriend and I went, “Wow!” The mala-tang pho had just the right amount of mala flavor and tasted clean, which I loved.

Normally, when the two of us each order a dish, we’re like, “Wow, I’m so full...” But this was so good that we refilled the noodles and bean sprouts and ate more, haha.

What I honestly liked

• It was a fantastic pho spot! Pho can taste pretty similar from place to place, so it is hard to find somewhere memorably good. But here, the first bite naturally made me say, “This is really delicious!” I think we’ll come back next time to try other kinds of pho, haha.
• The restaurant was clean, which I liked! It is great for dining alone, and the space is quietly pretty too :) It would also be so nice for couples! It is a great spot for a date near Chonnam National University. If I were a student there, I think I would come here often for solo lunches... Chonnam students, I’m so jealous...

Recommended for

• People who love pho
• Anyone looking for good food near Chonnam National University
• Chonnam National University students
• Anyone looking for a good lunch near Buk-gu Office