Dog-friendly Gimpo café with a grass yard and truffle pasta: Nillai

What kind of café is Nillai in Wolgot-myeon, Gimpo?

Nillai is a large café just outside Seoul in Gimpo where a barista roasts fresh beans daily for great coffee, while a chef who used to work in the 63 Building kitchens cooks up a range of brunch dishes — all while you relax in nature with your dog.

There's a natural grass yard right in front of the café, which made it perfect to visit with my dog — a rice-field-view café in Gimpo that's also a go-to spot for Ganghwa brunch.

It's designed with harmony with nature in mind, so you get to take in wide views of mountains and rice fields blending together — a nice way to soothe a tired body and mind at this dog-friendly Gimpo café.

Dogs welcome at Nillai, on the grass yard and indoors

As long as you keep good pet etiquette, Nillai is a pet-friendly rice-field-view café in Gimpo — a favorite for Ganghwa brunch. Let's all use it with manners!

The interior is kept clean and pleasant, and the spacious seating layout lets you sit back and take your time — thoughtful touches at this rice-field-view Gimpo café, another spot beloved for Ganghwa brunch.

The green mountains and golden Gimpo rice fields surrounding the café were incredibly charming.

Natural light poured in for a warm atmosphere, and being able to bring my dog indoors was a real plus!

Nillai's wood-deck terrace and outdoor photo spots

On the wood-deck terrace you take off your shoes and sit comfortably, resting while looking out at the mountains and rice fields.

This was truly the best rice-field-view café in Gimpo to bring my dog to, a genuine Ganghwa brunch favorite.

There are photo zones set up throughout the grounds where you can grab your best shots — another reason this rice-field-view Gimpo café is a Ganghwa brunch favorite. In summer, cooling off in the pool while looking out at clear skies and green rice paddies would chase the heat right away.

What we ordered at Nillai: truffle cream pasta, 17,900 won

At Nillai we ordered truffle cream pasta, the apple ham cheese arugula croissant, and an iced Americano. The barista roasts fresh beans daily, and the result was a well-balanced Americano that would please just about anyone.

Alongside coffee to pair with a variety of bakery items, there are also ades, teas and other drinks to choose from depending on your taste — it seemed like a great place to bring your parents on the way to Ganghwa.

A mouthful of truffle aroma blended with the deep flavor of assorted mushrooms made for a refined, wholesome-tasting dish — Nillai's signature truffle cream pasta at ₩17,900, this Gimpo brunch favorite. The generous topping of crispy fried potato strips was a nice kick.

The truffle cream pasta was seriously hearty, with rich, heavy truffle cream loaded up with bacon and mushrooms. The portion is generous enough that two people could share it just fine.

With brunch, pasta, burgers and salads all on the menu, the range is wide and the quality is excellent enough to count as a proper meal — great for a drive-date, or as a weekend spot with friends. There were a lot of families too, and it looked like a good place to eat with kids.

From the very first bite the truffle aroma rises up strongly, but it's not overdone — just the right amount to add depth, which made this truffle cream pasta really satisfying.

How the apple ham cheese arugula croissant tastes

This special sandwich is packed generously with fresh arugula, sliced ham, cheese, and thinly sliced, crisp-sweet apple, all between a croissant that's baked crispy and nutty.

The moment you bite in, the croissant's crunch, the apple's sweet tartness, and the ham's saltiness come together beautifully in your mouth — genuinely delicious, it made me go 'wow'!

The apple arugula ham cheese sandwich paired really well with the Americano, which had a clean, nutty flavor with no bitterness. Ordering the truffle cream pasta and the apple sandwich for two people seemed like the perfect combo.

How to get to Nillai from Ganghwa Bridge

Nillai in Gimpo is located in Wolgot-myeon. From Ganghwa Bridge, take Gimpodae-ro, pass the S-OIL gas station, and at Ponaegogae bus stop turn right — it's in front of Samil Manse Memorial Park, next to Tongjin rest area. It's a great drive-through stop on the way back from Ganghwa.