Ladle Round Taker · 10 stories

Ladle Stops in Gwangju

I write about restaurant meals I come across in Gwangju and Jeolla. · Writes about: Restaurants · Cafés

Bucheon bakery, rye cranberry loaves after a fasted run: Chamsae Bori

Chamsae Bori Sikppang (참새보리식빵), Bucheon main branch, is a barley loaf bakery near Bucheon Station Exit 2 in Bucheon, Gyeonggi, known for winning the grand prize on SBS's Master of Living. The writer ran there on an empty stomach with her sister and arrived just after opening, but still queued for 30 minutes. She bought the 3 healthy rye cranberry loaves still on the shelf plus a mascarpone milk cream. To pick the loaf you want at Chamsae Bori Sikppang, line up around 9am, though the leftover rye loaves alone were satisfying.

Written Apr 11, 2026Sponsored

PlaceBucheon, GyeonggiCafés

Yeokgok café after azalea hill, Dubai financier: Wonder Coffee Bar

Wonder Coffee Bar Yeokgok (분더커피바 역곡본점) is a café and dessert shop in Yeokgok, Bucheon, a 7-minute walk from Yeokgok Station Exit 2. After seeing the azaleas at Wonmisan Azalea Garden and having lunch with her sister, the writer stopped by Wonder Coffee Bar Yeokgok and ate at the outdoor seats: a Wonder Gato (half hojicha, half vanilla), a Wonder Coffee (Einspänner), a fruit sando and a Dubai financier, with menu prices from ₩3,000 to ₩9,000. The signature Wonder Gato and the Dubai financier at Wonder Coffee Bar Yeokgok are a combination worth trying.

Written Apr 19, 2026Sponsored

PlaceYeonsu, IncheonCafés

Songdo outlet café on a sportswear run: white ciabatta kaimak, Wunder

Wunder Coffee Bar Hyundai Premium Outlet Songdo Branch is a takeout café on the first basement floor of Hyundai Premium Outlet Songdo, known locally as Songhyeona, in Yeonsu, Incheon. On a sportswear shopping trip, the blogger ordered a decaf Wunder Gato (half hojicha, half vanilla) for 8,500 won, a decaf café latte for 6,500 won and kaimak with honey and white ciabatta for 9,500 won. The crisp, chewy white ciabatta paired with rich kaimak won over a former kaimak skeptic, making Wunder Coffee Bar a must-stop at the Songdo outlet.

Written Apr 28, 2026Sponsored

PlaceNamdong, IncheonRestaurants

Incheon soju bar by Yesulhoegwan Station: tangy kimchi chicken stew

Tongkeun Sottukkeong Dakbokkeumtang Guwol Branch (통큰솥뚜껑닭볶음탕 구월점) is a dakbokkeumtang (spicy braised chicken stew) restaurant on Guwol-dong Rodeo Street by Yesulhoegwan Station in Incheon, where the stew simmers on a cauldron lid set over a drum barrel. Two old friends shared 2 servings of aged kimchi chicken stew at 19,000 won per person with soju and somaek (soju mixed with beer), then finished with 2,500-won fried rice; the tangy aged kimchi and the sesame-oil fried rice stood out. Tongkeun Sottukkeong Dakbokkeumtang Guwol Branch is a good pick near Yesulhoegwan Station for dinner and drinks with a friend.

Written May 5, 2026Sponsored

PlaceSokcho, GangwonCafés

Sokcho egg tart bakery: thin crust, split with sister and niece, Doris

Doris Patisserie (도리스파티세리) is an egg tart, financier and madeleine bakery right next to Sokcho Central Market in Sokcho, Gangwon. On the last morning of a trip, the writer booked by text and picked up a box of Original and cream cheese egg tarts plus six financiers to share with her sister and niece, and ate the warm bonus egg tart straight away on the bed at her lodging. Doris Patisserie's egg tarts have a flaky, layered top crust and a thin base, and taste good even cooled with no eggy smell, making them a Sokcho dessert worth the booking.

Written May 15, 2026Sponsored

PlaceSokcho, GangwonRestaurants

Sokcho crab restaurant: sisters' last lunch & Russian crab, Sinhaeburi

Sinhaeburi Hoejip (신해불이횟집) is a snow crab and sashimi restaurant right in front of Daepo Port in Sokcho, Gangwon. On the last day of their Sokcho trip, the writer and her sister had the A set for two (150,000 won) at Sinhaeburi Hoejip: side dishes, mulhoe (cold raw fish soup), seasonal assorted sashimi, Russian snow crab, crab-shell fried rice and spicy fish stew, and they were very satisfied. For travelers without a car, Sinhaeburi Hoejip's pickup from anywhere in Sokcho makes it a dependable choice.

Written May 13, 2026Sponsored

PlaceNamdong, IncheonRestaurants

Ganseok-dong gopchang hot pot spot, family daytime drinks: Gukdam

Gukdam Sundaeguk Main Branch (국담순대국 본점) is a sundaeguk (pork and blood sausage soup) and gopchang (beef intestine) hot pot restaurant near Sang-Incheon Elementary School in Ganseok-dong, Namdong-gu, Incheon. For daytime drinks with her dad, sister and brother-in-law, the writer ordered sundaeguk at ₩10,000, a medium gopchang hot pot at ₩40,000 and two self-fry fried rice, and was struck by the fresh gopchang packed with marrow and the clear, rich sundaeguk broth. Gukdam Sundaeguk Main Branch is a Ganseok-dong restaurant well suited to drinking over gopchang hot pot finished with fried rice.

Written May 26, 2026Sponsored

PlaceYeonsu, IncheonCafés

Songdo work café: red velvet cream cheese cookie at Standard Square

Standard Square is a roastery café on Keonbensia-daero in Songdo, Yeonsu, Incheon, selling 12 kinds of cookies, scoop cakes and coffee beans. The writer stopped by Standard Square to work before a date and ordered a Nuts Einspänner (₩6,700) plus red velvet cream cheese, hazelnut dark chocolate and walnut dark chocolate cookies (₩4,700 each), and the red velvet cream cheese cookie became a new favorite. With moist cookies, roomy seating and Wi-Fi, Standard Square is a great Songdo café for lingering over dessert.

Written Jun 7, 2026Sponsored

PlaceNamdong, IncheonRestaurants

Guwol-dong seafood spot: shad sashimi set for shrimp skeptics, Veteran

Veteran General Fish Market Incheon Guwol Branch is a sashimi and seafood restaurant behind Rodeo Street in Guwol-dong, Namdong-gu, Incheon. The writer shared the ₩48,000 raw shrimp (with butter-grilled heads) and shad sashimi set with her older sister and brother-in-law, got hooked on dipping the raw shrimp in Buldak mayo sauce, and added self-serve kimchi jeon (pancake) and rice with salted pollock roe. Even people who don't usually enjoy raw shrimp will keep reaching for it at Veteran General Fish Market, thanks to the Buldak mayo pairing.

Written Oct 18, 2026Sponsored

PlaceDong-gu, GwangjuRestaurants

Solo drinking at Gwangju Geumnam-ro pub Jumak Inho: mushroom stir-fry

Jumak Inho is a Korean restaurant near Geumnam-ro-5-ga Station in Dong-gu, Gwangju, that turns from a gukbap (rice and soup) spot at lunch into a bar at night. On the last day of a solo trip, the writer sat at the dachi bar seat and had mushroom stir-fry, octopus tempura & potato dumplings, red gukbap, and dubu kimchi with Oneul Rice Soju. With small plates running ₩8,000–₩12,000, it's a solid pick for solo drinking or a second-round spot.

Written Sep 7, 2026Sponsored

You've reached the end · 10 stories