Bucheon bakery, 10:30 weekend queue and milk cream: Chamsae Bori

Chamsae Bori Sikppang (참새보리식빵), the Bucheon main branch, is famous for its opening-time lines, and I'd wanted to go for ages. I finally went early on a weekend and brought loaves home! It's bread made in a healthy way, so people of all ages can eat it without worry. It reportedly won the Grand Prize on SBS's "Master of Living" (생활의 달인) and was named the nation's No. 1 loaf in Korea, so my expectations were high, and there's a reason it's famous! The bread has no ingredients that are bad for you and is made with 100% domestic barley, so I really recommend it!

Where is Chamsae Bori Sikppang's Bucheon main branch?

Chamsae Bori Bucheon main branch is at 183-1 Gyeongin-ro, Sosa-gu, Bucheon, Gyeonggi, on the 1st floor, at the Simgok overpass intersection near Bucheon Station. It's open 10:00–21:00, closed Mondays and Thursdays, and it closes early once all the bread sells out.

It's on the corner of the Simgok overpass intersection, so you'll spot it right away.

How long is the weekend morning wait at Chamsae Bori Sikppang?

On a weekend morning there's a long line in front of Chamsae Bori's Bucheon main branch like this, so expect to wait. The line shrinks pretty quickly, though.

The shop won the Grand Prize on "Master of Living" and was named Korea's No. 1 loaf, and it's said to have been praised by three master bakers, so the taste is naturally guaranteed.

They're handmade loaves from domestic barley, said to be healthy and tasty at once.

How many types of barley loaf does Chamsae Bori Sikppang sell?

The Bucheon main branch has 3 loaves: Daesang Chalbori (대상찰보리), the most basic one; Grain Chalbori (곡물찰보리), made with 18 grains; and Rye Chalbori (호밀찰보리), made with rye and cranberries for gut health. It opens at 10, and when I arrived at 10:30 and waited, one of the 3 was already sold out!

The 1st, 2nd and 3rd place rankings are posted too, so you can pick the loaf you want.

If you arrive late, the shelves can be completely empty like this, so keep that in mind! They say arriving at 10 gets you the most bread.

Chamsae Bori Sikppang review events and free financiers

The Bucheon main branch runs several review events: leave a receipt review or a blog review and you get a financier (휘낭시에, a small French almond cake) or bread, respectively. Leave a review and take home even more tasty bread!

The financiers given for a receipt review were set out separately like this.

They're said to be made with 100% milk cream for a deep flavor, and they're sold too, so if you're curious, buying some with your loaf seems like a good idea.

How are Chamsae Bori Sikppang's barley loaves made?

The Bucheon main branch says it uses only premium New Zealand butter made from 100% milk cream and no margarine, and ferments dough made with eco-friendly barley for 72 hours to make an easy-on-the-stomach bread you can eat as a meal. Above all, it felt like they're making a healthier bread.

The Grand Prize certificate from "War of Bread" (빵의 전쟁) is displayed too, so the owner seems truly serious about bread.

How should you store Chamsae Bori Sikppang bread?

How to enjoy the bread best is written on the shop wall too. Fresh out of the oven is of course the tastiest, but if you'll keep it a while, freeze it and thaw at room temperature before eating.

How do the barley loaves and milk cream taste?

At the Bucheon main branch I packed up 3 loaves and also took home the milk cream, which is good for dipping the bread in. There was a small tasting corner in the shop, and the milk cream was rich and sweet and went so well with the bread, it was really delicious!

At home I sliced a loaf myself, and even the bread on its own was wonderfully soft and nutty. It tastes much more nutty than sweet, so it definitely felt healthier than other loaves sold around, and it's so easy on the stomach!! It looked just right for a healthy breakfast or the kids' snack! A family would probably finish it in a day.

If you want good bread in Bucheon, I recommend Chamsae Bori's Bucheon main branch!