Open-kitchen sundae-guk and free coffee in Suwan District: Sinjuokmi

Today I'm writing up my visit to Sinjuokmi Suwan District branch, located in Suwan District, Gwangju.

This place has long had a reputation as a sundae-guk hotspot, so I finally came to try it myself!

Where is Sinjuokmi Suwan District branch and what are its hours?

Sinjuokmi Suwan District branch is located at 1584 Jangdeok-dong, Gwangsan-gu, Gwangju. It's open 07:00 - 03:00.

Sinjuokmi Suwan branch turned out to have a Blue Ribbon listing!

What is the dining room at Sinjuokmi like?

The interior of Sinjuokmi Suwan District branch felt clean and modern. The dark-toned walls, soft lighting, and phrases hanging here and there gave it a stylish, calm feel despite being a traditional gukbap (rice soup) restaurant! The seating was also generous, making it a good layout for solo diners and groups alike.

As soon as you walk in, you can see the meat being boiled right in the open kitchen, which felt hygienic and trustworthy. Apparently they boil fresh pork at set times every day — 12pm, 2pm, 4pm, and 6pm.

Banchan and the self-serve bar at Sinjuokmi

Once seated at Sinjuokmi Suwan District branch, you get basic side dishes: radish salad, diced radish kimchi, onion, and soybean paste. Each table also has its own condiment container so you can add minced onion or chili paste to taste. The containers were spotless too — you can tell they really care about cleanliness.

On one side of the restaurant there's a separate self-serve bar where you can help yourself to more chives, kimchi, onion, garlic, and diced radish kimchi, so there's no need to worry about running out of side dishes. I liked that there was such a good variety of vegetables.

The self-serve bar also had small plates for portioning food, sundae dipping sauce, tongs, and even kids' utensils. Such a clean self-serve setup ✨

Fresh sundae-guk, sanghwang nurungji pork gukbap and handmade assorted sundae

We ordered the fresh sundae-guk for 10,000 won, the mushroom sanghwang nurungji pork gukbap, and a half plate of handmade assorted sundae for 11,000 won!

The main dish, fresh sundae-guk! It looked amazing — a milky, rich broth piled high with chives. One spoonful and the broth had no gamey smell at all, just deep, rich flavor, and the bowl was generously loaded with sundae and head meat, making for a filling meal.

Next we ordered the sanghwang mushroom nurungji pork gukbap. With sanghwang mushroom added, it felt more like a health tonic than a regular gukbap! The unusual flavor was intriguing, and it was perfect for when you need to recharge or take care of your body.

The gukbap alone would have been enough, but since we were already there, we added the assorted sundae too. It came with liver, lung, sundae, and cheongyang-pepper sundae, so we could sample a bit of everything. Dipping it in vinegar-chili sauce versus salt gave each piece a different character. Being freshly boiled, the texture was chewy yet soft.

And finally, finishing off with coffee ~ they even have hot chocolate here, and ice if you want it cold, so pick whatever suits you! haha

Takeout prices and the review event

Here's the takeout pricing at Sinjuokmi Suwan District branch! Takeout is available too, so you can enjoy the same flavor at home — good to know. They were also running an event where leaving a Naver receipt review gets you a free purple sweet potato bread snack or a canned drink!

Is Sinjuokmi Suwan District branch worth a visit?

As a sundae-guk restaurant that operates 24 hours, Sinjuokmi Suwan District branch is a place where you can enjoy a rich, deep broth no matter when you visit! I was especially satisfied because the whole restaurant was clean and well-managed. There's also a discount menu for middle and high schoolers, making it a great option for a quick, simple meal — keep it in mind!