Ilgwang Beach brunch café with a kid-friendly terrace: Mandali To Go

I visited Ilgwang Beach for the first time on a family trip to Gijang, and it turned out to be more relaxed and prettier than I expected, so we ended up spending a long time there. After all that playing, of course we had to find somewhere good to eat!

While looking for good places to eat near Ilgwang Beach, I found Mandali To Go, where you can enjoy both café vibes and a proper brunch. It's right at the entrance to the beach, so it was easy and convenient to get to.

What kind of place is Mandali To Go Ilgwang Branch?

Mandali To Go Ilgwang Branch is a local favorite brunch café known for salads, sandwiches and pasta made with fresh ingredients. There's plenty of parking, and with high chairs and group seating on offer, lots of families come through — it's also a lovely spot for a date thanks to the pretty interior.

Closed every Monday / Hours 08:00-19:00, last order 18:00 / Room table reservations available / High chairs available / Nearby public parking supported when the lot in front is full / Discount on bread taken to go after your meal

What is the outdoor terrace like?

The interior at Mandali To Go had that photo-ready feel travelers love these days — the design was so pretty. Warm sunshine, a gentle autumn breeze on the terrace — and we claimed it for our family!

How long is the weekend wait at Mandali To Go?

Mandali To Go in Gijang is such a local favorite brunch café that waiting during meal times is basically a given. I arrived around 11:30 on a weekend and waited about 30 minutes. If you have a larger group, apparently you can book a room table in advance through Naver.

Bakery bread and the 10% takeaway discount

The bread on display at this Gijang brunch café was mostly meal-style loaves, with lots of healthy options that let the ingredients shine. These days I feel like gentle-on-the-stomach bread is the best, so there were so many kinds I wanted to try.

Taking bread to go after your meal gets you 10% off, so we bought cookies and focaccia and enjoyed them during the rest of our trip. The focaccia was so plain-yet-chewy delicious that I wished I'd bought more. The kids ate all the cookies before I could try any, but they clearly loved them 😆

The first-floor space, where there was never a dull moment while waiting — we browsed the ingredients and various props on display.

Mandali To Go clearly takes packaging seriously too — the cookie gift boxes were stylish, and even the wrapping area felt like part of the interior design.

The interior at Mandali To Go had a European feel, warm and lively with wood and flowers used throughout — and isn't it a nice touch that they sell single stems of flowers, so you can gift one for a special moment?

How was the brunch at Mandali To Go?

Since this was a family meal out with the kids, I wanted a place with brunch vibes that still tasted great — and Mandali To Go delivered on both looks and quality, making it easy for the kids to eat too!

Citrus white ragu pasta

The citrus white ragu pasta, fragrant with lemon, tasted both familiar and completely new at once — such an unusual flavor! The creamy sauce loaded with meat was rich and delicious whether piled onto baguette or eaten on its own.

Chipotle chicken breast panini and watermelon smoothie

The chipotle chicken breast panini was so packed with ingredients it easily worked as a full meal — fresh vegetables, grilled eggplant and chicken breast made a great combo. The homemade watermelon smoothie, in its pretty color, along with all the colorful vegetables, made both the eyes and the mouth happy.

I think the bread deserves a lot of credit for why everything at Mandali To Go tastes so good — with bread this high quality, every combination just worked and tasted great.

Lunch boxes and the review event

Mandali To Go also sells lunch boxes, and it seems like it'd be lovely to grab a pretty box and spend time at Ilgwang Beach on a date. If you write a review on Naver, they give you a potted plant — my kid got a carrot pot and was thrilled. If you're looking for somewhere with warm, vintage vibes near Ilgwang Beach for a delicious brunch with the kids, stop by Mandali To Go.