Hawaiian shrimp pizza and neon window seats in Namyangju: Pibing

Arriving at Pibing Paldang Branch at night feels like a short trip

Pibing Paldang Branch is a pizza and pasta restaurant on Paldang-ro in Wabu-eup, Namyangju, only 20-30 minutes by car from eastern Seoul. I drove out for the first time in a while, and I think it's a great pick when your own neighborhood starts to feel tired.

Arriving at night, the hip, cute building exterior greeted me first. There was a neon sign, exactly the kind I love, and it genuinely felt like I was on a trip somewhere.

Where to park at Pibing Paldang Branch

There's a dedicated lot on the right side of the building. It looked big enough for 10+ cars, so it should easily handle a few families arriving together.

Ordering at the first-floor kiosk, past the surfboard and surf props

You order at the kiosk on the 1st floor of Pibing Paldang Branch, while the main hall is upstairs on the 2nd floor. After parking, I entered through the exit on the left side of the building, and an exotic-looking interior opened up right away — the kind of mood you'd expect somewhere like Yangyang, not Paldang.

The owner must be a surfer — there was a surfboard on display, and honestly the pizza place had zero "Paldang" feel to it, just fresh and different. On the left there were also products for sale, things like the drink trays the restaurant uses, so if you like little props it's worth a look around. After ordering, I headed straight up to the 2nd floor.

Second-floor hall, window seats, kids' chairs and DJ gear

The mood on the 2nd floor of Pibing Paldang Branch felt even more like a resort. It's spacious, comfortable, and spotlessly clean, so you can settle in and eat with total ease. The TV in the back was even playing footage that matched the whole Pibing Paldang Branch theme.

I especially loved the window seats. Given that this is Paldang, you'd expect a river view — can you spot it in the scenery outside? If you're coming for a date and can grab this table first, I'd definitely recommend it.

There are also booster chairs for kids set up on the side.

The most impressive thing was this setup in the back... actual DJ equipment. I'm guessing the owner is a pretty free spirit and imagined some kind of 2nd-floor party vibe. The music selection was really good too, so it's a treat for the ears as well.

What to pick up at the self bar

They bring the food up to the 2nd floor for you, but everything else — utensils, sauces, pickles — you grab yourself at the self bar. All the way on the right there's organic barley tea, and since I'm a barley tea lover anyway, I drank it up happily haha. Anyway, this is a cute pizza place with nothing to complain about.

What the weekday 39,900-won pizza and pasta set includes

I ordered the Hawaiian shrimp pizza, spicy garlic basil pasta, and two drinks. On weekdays you can get a pizza + pasta combo of your choice for a 39,900-won set. It's a better deal than ordering separately, so if you're planning to have both anyway, it's worth considering.

This drink tray was something I wanted to take home. Wouldn't it be super handy for camping or trips if you had one? Haha. Not sure how much it costs, but it's sold on the 1st floor, like I mentioned earlier.

How the Hawaiian shrimp pizza tastes

I know a lot of people reading this absolutely hate pineapple pizza, but I love Hawaiian pizza, haha. When the juicy burst of pineapple meets the cheese and sauce at the end, I think it creates an incredible savoriness. The dough was great too, and they recommended dipping it in the pasta — I did that without thinking and ended up finishing the whole thing.

Spicy garlic basil pasta: well salted and on the bold side

This is the spicy garlic basil pasta. It's on the saltier side, so if you usually prefer mild seasoning, mention it when you order. I personally like food with strong seasoning, so I enjoyed it a lot — full of basil aroma, which I loved.

Enjoyed every last slice of pizza down to the very end...

Pibing Paldang Branch has a rooftop, too

It's not over till it's over... Pibing Paldang Branch also has a rooftop. Not sure if you can still eat up there once it turns to fall, but the wide-open view and the night mood were both impressive. If they had dessert like cake or coffee, you could easily linger up there, but it's not a café, so... haha.

Anyway, if you're planning a casual food date in Paldang, this place is worth a visit.