Namyangju fall foliage BBQ course: cheese vs plain, 2002 Witch's

With the fall breeze picking up, everyone's out chasing the foliage, right? So I want to introduce a Namyangju BBQ restaurant where you can eat right beside a mountain stream, after seeing the fall colors at Mului Jeongwon (Garden of Water) and Dumulmeori.

We got in after an hour-long wait, but it wasn't a waste of time at all — it's the kind of real Namyangju must-visit spot I'd love to come back to with my parents!

Where is 2002 Witch's Arpeggio, and what are the hours?

• ⛳️ Location: 142 Sure-ro 661beon-gil, Wabu-eup, Namyangju-si
• ⏰ Hours: Daily 11:00–21:00 (break time 15:30–17:00)
• ✨ Notes: Group-friendly, parking in front, dog-friendly

Arpeggio, well known as a Namyangju BBQ spot, is perfectly located for stopping by after seeing the fall foliage at Mului Jeongwon and Dumulmeori — follow the Myojeoksa Valley upstream and you'll find it right beside the water. It's also easy to reach without a car; from the subway, just take village bus 60 from Deokso Station.

With the valley right next door, it's an outdoor-seating spot where you can eat while listening to and watching the cool stream water.

How long is the Sunday evening wait, and where do you wait?

We arrived at Arpeggio at 5:30pm on a Sunday and there was a 40-minute wait. It was worth every minute — this is a place I'd want to bring my parents to.

At the entrance there's a Catch Table reservation system, and the waiting areas are said to include the 2nd floor of Arpeggio, the valley, and a café — there were rocking chairs, so we didn't get bored watching the stream. There were so many outdoor tables, and yet they were all full — that's how popular this Namyangju spot is.

The signature tomato-jang pork belly and the full menu

The signature dish at Arpeggio, well known as a Namyangju date spot, is the tomato-jang pork belly. They say it cuts the greasiness and boosts the flavor.

Here's the menu board at Arpeggio, this outdoor-seating spot by the valley in Namyangju — it has tomato-jang pork belly, cheese tomato-jang pork belly, crispy-outside-chewy-inside potato pancake, myeongnan (pollock roe) nurungji (crispy rice) fried rice, and a tteokgalbi kids set. You can feel their pride in focusing on their signature dish. Writing a review gets you a free cauldron myeongnan fried rice — a ₩5,000 item given as a review perk, which raised my expectations quite a bit for such a generous gesture.

Whether it's for décor or actual use, they had the tomatoes on display, and they looked super fresh, which gave me confidence — and I got excited imagining how good the tomato pork belly aging in that jar was going to taste.

Why 2002 Witch's Arpeggio works as a fall foliage course stop

With Mului Jeongwon, Dumulmeori, and Myojeoksa Temple nearby, it's a great stop after foliage-viewing in Namyangju — there's indoor group seating good for eating with family, as well as outdoor tables where you can eat while looking at the valley.

Lettuce, radish wraps, a tomato-based side dish, and japchae (glass noodle stir-fry) came out as the basic side dishes.

Cheese or plain tomato-jang pork belly: which tasted better?

• Tomato-jang pork belly (1 serving), cheese tomato-jang pork belly (1 serving)
• Crispy-outside-chewy-inside potato pancake
• Myeongnan nurungji fried rice

Since it's tomato-jang and not gochujang (red chili paste), it had a slightly sweeter taste than the usual spicy version.

It wasn't overly sweet — the subtle sweetness completely masked any gamey smell from the meat.

So much cheese went in that it stretched out in long strings — such a visual! Adding the cheese deepened the savory flavor, and personally, while I liked the cheese version's looks better, the regular version actually tasted better.

The crispy-outside, chewy-inside potato pancake

True to its name, the potato pancake had a super crispy outside, and the texture was great. It kept pulling me back for more when eaten with the perilla leaf sauce. It was also good eaten together with the tomato-jang sauce.

Cauldron nurungji fried rice loaded with myeongnan

I thought they'd fry the rice on the grill plate, but they actually made it separately in a cauldron. The myeongnan-loaded fried rice had nurungji mixed in too, so the texture was great, and the savory flavor kept my spoon going even after I was full, haha.

The 20% drink coupon for Deosup café next door after dinner

After eating at Arpeggio, be sure to grab the receipt — showing it gets you a 20% discount coupon for drinks at the dog-friendly café right next door, Deosup (더숲). With the valley right there, a great Namyangju restaurant, and a café to boot, it's a solid Namyangju date course recommendation. It'd also be lovely to bring your parents here on a fall foliage trip.