Eggplant meat sauce lagasna weekend set at Bueokgan Suwan, Gwangju

I wanted a nice change of pace and some good food on the weekend, so I headed to Bueokgan, a brunch spot in the Suwan district.

This is a place I keep coming back to myself, and I know a lot of other people do too. It's packed with delicious brunch options beyond pasta — pizza, steak, and more.

What's the atmosphere like at Bueokgan Suwan Branch?

Every time I come to this Suwan brunch spot, I feel the same calm, unhurried mood — I really love it. The classic European restaurant exterior, done with a big awning and reddish brick, is especially charming.

Once you step inside, there's a huge picture window installed so you can clearly see the lush trees of the park next door from within. The greenery beyond the glass gave me a comfortable, refreshing feeling, like enjoying brunch in nature even while indoors.

Vitra and Artek furniture along with Louis Poulsen lighting are arranged harmoniously, creating a sophisticated feel without being over the top. Seeing it in person, I could understand why the space has been cited as an Artek reference — the completeness of the design really is that good.

What we ordered and the set composition

Once we sat down, we ordered carbonara, lasagna, and pastry soup. Just a note — ordering as a set gives you a slightly more reasonable price.

Pastry soup

The pastry soup came out first, freshly baked from the oven and still steaming. It's a dish where you crack the golden pastry dough covering the bowl with a spoon and eat it together with the soft, warm pumpkin soup underneath.

The pastry crumb was crisp yet nutty, pairing wonderfully with the soft texture once it soaked up the soup. I personally love Bueokgan's pumpkin soup — it's sweet and smooth, so my kid ate it up happily too.

I've ordered the pumpkin soup every time I've visited Bueokgan, and it was just as delicious this time. This was my first time trying the pastry soup version, and it was perfect for warming up before the main dishes.

Carbonara — should you add the poached egg?

At this Suwan brunch spot, you can choose whether to add a poached egg to the carbonara. I obviously said yes — if you like a thick, savory flavor, you absolutely have to add the poached egg.

The thick, rich cream sauce coated the noodles evenly. It wasn't too heavy, and the flavor was deep — better than I expected.

The noodles were cooked just right, still slightly firm with a great bite, and my kid ate them well too. The bacon and button mushrooms scattered throughout paired beautifully with the soft cream sauce.

What does the lasagna taste like?

The lasagna came out with meat sauce and cheese layered between the square lasagna sheets, baked golden in the oven. Cheese covered the top, stretching softly with each cut.

Thin slices of eggplant and plenty of meat sauce were packed between the lasagna sheets. The meat sauce was generous with minced meat, giving a great texture with every bite. The tomato's brightness and the meat's deep savoriness came together, and since the seasoning wasn't too strong, it had a refined, upscale flavor.

Who should you go with?

This Suwan brunch spot is a place where you can enjoy carefully made Western dishes in a comfortable, atmospheric space overall. It's great to visit with kids, but it's also well-suited for a blind date, a date night, or a gathering — I'd highly recommend it.

Store information

• Bueokgan Suwan Branch
• 37 Suwan-ro 106beon-gil, 1F, Gwangsan-gu, Gwangju, South Korea
• Hours 11:30-21:00 (break time 15:00-17:00)