Lunch Bell Listener · 34 stories

Between Lunch Bells

I write about restaurant meals and small dining stops around Seoul. · Writes about: Restaurants · Hair & beauty salons · Shopping · Cafés · Bars · Things to do

PlaceJongno, SeoulRestaurants

Jongno 3-ga Korean BBQ before a wedding shoot, flower neck pork: Cham

Cham Dwaejitgan Jongno Main Branch (참돼짓간 종로본점) is a Korean BBQ restaurant on the 1st floor of Piccadilly Plus CGV, near Exit 2-1 of Jongno 3-ga Station in Seoul, where the owner grills the meat for you. A couple in Jongno to pick up suits for their wedding photo shoot waited from 30 minutes before opening, then ordered 2 servings of Boseong Nokdon kkot-moksal (prime pork neck), gyeran-jjim (steamed egg), Jirisan bibim naengmyeon (spicy cold noodles) and fried rice. With roomy seating, potato wraps and strong side dishes, Cham Dwaejitgan Jongno Main Branch is worth it for a date or a group dinner.

Written Apr 20, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJungnang, SeoulRestaurants

Muk-dong Korean set meal: lotus root salad and hwangtae, Sanchaega

Sanchaega Hanjeongsik Meokgol Main Branch is a Korean set meal (hanjeongsik) restaurant in Muk-dong, Jungnang, Seoul, near Exit 5 of Meokgol Station. The writer booked for opening time with their parents and ordered the gondre cauldron-rice special set for 3, which came with grilled hwangtae (dried pollack), spicy stir-fried pork, grilled deodeok, grilled flounder, lotus root salad and sungnyung (scorched-rice tea) to finish. Mild, healthy and generous, Sanchaega Meokgol is a satisfying choice for a meal out with parents in Jungnang.

Written Nov 14, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSeongnam, GyeonggiRestaurants

Pizza-topped nurungji chicken in Yatap for a diet date: Jangjakkun

Jangjakkun Yatap Direct Branch is a wood-fired nurungji (rice crust) chicken restaurant in the Yatap food alley in Bundang, Seongnam. On a dinner date with her dieting husband, the writer shared the Combi Nurungji Chicken, a chicken-meets-pizza dish topped with tomato sauce, cheese, corn and black olives over glutinous-rice stuffing and a crispy rice-crust bottom. Jangjakkun is a good Yatap chicken spot for a beer on a night when you want something other than fried chicken.

Written Nov 13, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSeongnam, GyeonggiShopping

Pangyo-area tableware shop for a couple's first dishes: Jubilee House

Jubilee House is a tableware select shop in Godeung-dong, Sujeong-gu, Seongnam, near Pangyo, selling plates, bowls, cups, cutlery and small accessories from several brands. With no dishes at all before moving into a new home, the blogger and her partner visited Jubilee House on a weekend date and bought a Johnson Brothers pasta plate, 3 mugs and a couple's spoon rest. Jubilee House is a good Pangyo-area dish shop for seeing newlywed tableware, housewarming gifts and wedding favors in person before buying.

Written Apr 11, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangnam, SeoulCafés

Sinnonhyeon rooftop café, injeolmi crumble: Something About Coffee

Something About Coffee is a large three-floor café with a rooftop, a 3-minute walk from Exit 6 of Sinnonhyeon Station in Gangnam, Seoul. On a weekend around lunchtime, the writer sat in the sun on the Something About Coffee rooftop with her husband over a matcha cream choco latte, a hot americano, an injeolmi crumble (roasted soybean rice cake crumble) and an Oreo matcha cheesecake. She never drinks chocolate lattes, yet the matcha cream choco latte surprised her. Something About Coffee is a good pick near Sinnonhyeon Station when you want an open rooftop, a change of mood and dessert.

Written Nov 11, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSongpa, SeoulHair & beauty salons

Wedding shoot syrup nails, Munjeong nail salon: Beauty Studio The One

Beauty Studio The One (뷰티스튜디오 더원) is a newly opened, one-person, reservation-only nail salon on the 3rd floor of Songpa Beopjo Town Prugio City, near Munjeong Station Exit 3 in Songpa, Seoul. Before her wedding photo shoot, a writer worried about her short nail beds got over an hour of meticulous nail care at Beauty Studio The One and finished with sheer syrup nails that made her hands look longer. For brides-to-be worried about short nails, Beauty Studio The One is a Munjeong Station nail salon where you get focused one-on-one design recommendations.

Written Apr 23, 2026Sponsored
PlaceNowon, SeoulRestaurants

Nowon tuna shop: seaweed wraps and rice bowl, Kim Yonghui Tuna

Kim Yonghui Tuna (김용희참치) is a tuna sashimi restaurant in Gongneung-dong, Nowon, Seoul, near Taereung Station Exit 4, offering takeout, delivery and dine-in. For a weekend drink at home with family, the writer took home tuna sashimi for 2 from the 'special simple anju' (drinking snack) menu, wrapped it in seaweed, and turned the tuna scrap salad (girippasi hoemuchim) that came with the order into a sashimi rice bowl. At around ₩20,000 or more per person, the portion was generous enough to have some left over even after the rice bowl, which makes Kim Yonghui Tuna a solid choice for a tuna sashimi night at home.

Written May 2, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangnam, SeoulRestaurants

Gangnam pizza date: corn bacon & Mad Max halves at Pug Pizza House

Pug Pizza House Gangnam is an American-style pizza restaurant with bagel dough on Bongeunsa-ro 6-gil, near Exit 6 of Sinnonhyeon Station in Seoul. On a date with her pizza-loving husband, the writer ordered a Whole Corn Double Bacon and Mad Max American half-and-half pizza with an added cheese crust, plus a salad and butter garlic potato set. The chewy bagel dough is Pug Pizza House Gangnam's biggest draw, good enough that even people who leave their pizza crusts end up eating every bite.

Written Nov 10, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangnam, SeoulRestaurants

Couple's diet poke to go, Gangnam Station: shrimp + duck, Ola Poke

Ola Poke Gangnam (올라포케 강남점) is a poke shop in a basement arcade, a 3-minute walk from Exit 4 of Gangnam Station in Seoul. After starting a diet with her husband, the writer picked up garlic shrimp poke and smoked duck poke after work on a weekday evening to share at home, and liked the adjustable salad, oat brown rice and soba ratio, the generous portions and the savory house-made sauces. For anyone starting a diet who wants both flavor and a full stomach, Ola Poke Gangnam is a solid choice.

Written Nov 8, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSongpa, SeoulRestaurants

Garak Market fish shop, thick-cut yellowtail for two: Yeongjae Susan

Yeongjae Susan is a seafood and sashimi shop at Garak Mall in Garak Market, Songpa, Seoul (Panmae-dong building, 1F, Unit C-10). After a good experience buying live shrimp at Yeongjae Susan, the writer returned in early winter for a small order of extra-large yellowtail sashimi to go: it came packed with a large ice pack in a cooler bag, cut into thick slices, and was plenty for two. Yeongjae Susan is a good Garak Market stop when you want yellowtail sashimi at home.

Written Nov 6, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJungnang, SeoulBars

Junghwa Station izakaya for a wedding invite meetup: Gappo Ganbariya

Gappo Ganbariya Cooking Bar Junghwa Branch is a Japanese izakaya near Exit 1 of Junghwa Station in Jungnang, Seoul. The writer met a friend at Gappo Ganbariya to hand over a wedding invitation and, in the private back room, shared the Sashimi Moriawase Kan (sashimi platter for 2), motsunabe (offal hot pot) and honey pineapple; the motsunabe, with springy offal and a rich broth, was as satisfying as a main dish. Gappo Ganbariya is a Junghwa-dong bar worth returning to for quiet conversation over sashimi and hot nabe.

Written May 19, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSeongnam, GyeonggiRestaurants

Spicy rib stew date lunch after AK Plaza in Seohyeon: Gimcheongja

Gimcheongja Maeun Galbijjim Seohyeon Station Branch is a Korean restaurant specializing in spicy braised ribs (maeun galbijjim) near Exit 4 of Seohyeon Station in Bundang, Seongnam. A couple taking a lunch break from shopping at AK Plaza ordered the spicy pork rib stew set for 2 at mild heat, adding gimmari (fried seaweed rolls), cheese balls and a natural cheese add-on; the mild level still had a subtle kick, and the husband, who is picky about cheese, praised the natural cheese. With steamed egg and rice included in every set, Gimcheongja Maeun Galbijjim is a filling, easy pick for a date lunch near Seohyeon Station.

Written Nov 4, 2026Sponsored