Gwangju pasta date with poached-egg carbonara at Bueokgan

Bueokgan Sangmu Branch is on the first floor at 25 Seogwangju-ro, Seo-gu, Gwangju. It is open daily from 11:00 to 22:00, with last orders at 21:00 and a break from 16:00 to 16:30. There is dedicated parking behind the building; there are no private rooms, but reservations and high chairs are available.

How does the wait at Bueokgan Sangmu Branch work?

I visited Bueokgan Sangmu Branch for pasta in Sangmu District! Although it is called the Sangmu Branch, it is actually over toward Maewol-dong?! For the waitlist, write your name by hand on the board in front of the restaurant. A staff member calls you when it is your turn 💡

We arrived at around 13:40 on Saturday, registered on-site, and got in about 40 minutes later. We were the final party on the waitlist that day, and people who arrived after us had to turn back because the waitlist was closed! Just a heads-up ❕ There is plenty of seating in the waiting area outside, or within a five-minute walk there are Uniqlo, Daiso, and Topten stores if you want to browse and pass the time ‼️

It is loved as a great pasta spot in Sangmu District, so the wait is always packed, but the weather had eased up a little. Sitting in the shade out front with a cool breeze felt so fresh and lovely ☁️ It kind of felt like we had just started dating; hehe 🤭♥️

An interior bursting with British charm

We finally got into Bueokgan, the popular Sangmu District pasta spot 🫶🏻 What do we do with all this British-style charm in the interior?

This little nook styling! Things are casually placed here and there, yet the accessories feel so tasteful 👍🏻

The sofa seating, which you could call Bueokgan Sangmu Branch's trademark? The black-and-wood combination, rounded checked sofa, and furniture alone make it feel completely filled out even without extra decor.

I reaaally wanted to sit here, but it was a very busy, fully booked day, so we were shown to window seats on the other side 🫶🏻

I wanted to show you the whole restaurant, but haha, there were people everywhere, so I took one shot before leaving. Please excuse the table after we had already swept through it 😂 With windows on both sides, it feels open, and the calm interior seems perfect for a gathering 💗

Such a neat basic table setting 👍🏻

Because we had waited so long, they gave us grapefruit juice and orange juice on the house! They were perfect for refreshing the palate 🫶🏻 The female staff member in the dining room was so, so kind, which made being there feel even nicer 🤍

From carbonara to jambon pizza

There was a wait, but our dishes arrived quickly after we ordered ⭐️

What a visual.. It looked so appetizing that I was happy before even taking a bite 💦

Carbonara with a poached egg

The carbonara (with a poached egg) was my fiancé-to-be's pick, since he loves thick, creamy pasta. Would it pass the rich-and-creamy test.. First of all, the poached egg was a huge yes ㅜㅡㅜ ♥️

Once we mixed the poached egg into the cream, the sauce became wonderfully thick and flavorful—exactly my taste ❕🫶🏻 There was plenty of plump bacon and mushrooms too, and it is a secret that we finished the pasta and even ate all the sauce 😚 I totally agree that this is a great Sangmu District pasta spot.. 👍🏻

Kung Pao chicken pilaf

The abalone cream risotto was sooo delicious last time, so this visit I tried the chicken pilaf!

The plump oven-roasted chicken leg pulled apart so tenderly that it was easy to scoop up in big bites ⭐️ There are lots of peppers, but it is not very spicy ~!

Fema Nong jambon pizza

Apparently “Fema Nong” is the Jeju dialect word for green onion! This pizza comes with scallion spread, jambon ham, and honey 💗

It had been a while since I last had pizza, so I was excited excited 🤭 There was plenty of jambon and lots of scallion spread—I would believe it if someone said this was a pizza place! It is not the kind of pizza piled high with tons of cheese, but the scallion spread does more than enough to make it creamy, so it never felt lacking at all, you know? 😀

Just because Bueokgan Sangmu Branch is known as a Sangmu District pasta spot, surely no one only orders pasta, right? The pizza is genuinely delicious too, so I hope you try it 👍🏻🤍

Even when you are full, there is always room for pizza.. 🤭

The leftover pizza came packed up like this ⭐️

A truly great restaurant that catches two rabbits—looks and flavor. The staff are kind, so the whole place lifts your mood too. With a menu that works well for bridal shower-style invitation gatherings or family get-togethers, I highly recommend it to anyone looking for brunch in Sangmu District ⭐️