Sea-view brunch in Millak, Busan: Set B and pistachio gnocchi, Marento

I visited Marento, a restaurant in Millak, Suyeong-gu, Busan, near Gwangalli. It's a lovely Gwangalli brunch café by day and turns into a moody Millak bar at night. Here's my honest review of the signature pistachio cream gnocchi and the generous Set B.

Marento hours and parking info

Marento is at 17-9 Gwanganhaebyeon-ro 344beon-gil, Suyeong-gu, Busan (Unit 101, 1st floor). It's open 11:00-24:00 Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday, and 11:00-21:00 on Sunday. It's closed every Tuesday.

• Address: 17-9 Gwanganhaebyeon-ro 344beon-gil, Suyeong-gu, Busan, South Korea (Unit 101, 1st floor)
• Hours: Mon, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat 11:00-24:00 / Sun 11:00-21:00
• Closed: every Tuesday
• Parking: available (paid); ₩1,000 discount at the public lot at the waterside park in front

Getting to Marento: parking and pets

There's a public waterside park parking lot right in front of Marento, and they cover ₩1,000 of parking per table, so driving is no problem. The outdoor tables are also pet-friendly, so it's good news if you're looking for a dog-friendly restaurant.

Inside Marento: can you see the sea?

The interior is white and wood, with big windows looking out onto Gwangalli's sea. It's bright yet cozy, the very picture of a sentimental brunch café, and the tables are spaced widely, so it was great for chatting comfortably over a meal.

The view is wide open through the big windows, and it really feels like a Gwangalli restaurant. It was rainy and a bit gloomy that day, which had its own charm, but it'd feel different on a sunny day, right?!

The fun part is that Marento transforms at night. In the evening it becomes a moody Millak bar that's just right for a glass of wine. With both a day and night side, it gives you a different vibe whenever you visit.

Marento menu and prices

The menu runs from Italian dishes like pasta, risotto, gnocchi and pizza to brunch items like salads and open sandwiches. It's put together so you can enjoy anything from a full meal to light snacks depending on when you visit, and the drinks are solid too: basic coffees, ades, teas, plus wine and highballs for the night mood.

What caught my eye were the set menus, which give you a generous spread at a more reasonable price than ordering à la carte. I wanted to try a bit of everything, so I chose Set B and added the pistachio cream gnocchi I was so curious about.

Marento Set B: what comes with it?

• Set B (Mare Brunch + pumpkin soup + 2 coffees) ₩34,500
• Pistachio cream gnocchi ₩25,000

For Set B's main you can choose Mare Brunch, Eggs Benedict or fruit French toast, and we went with Mare Brunch~

The coffee that comes with the set arrived first. Iced for me, hot for mom! It's not too strong, just nicely nutty, so it doesn't overpower the food and keeps your palate clean.

By the way, if you join the Naver receipt review event, Marento gives you a free Americano or a mini tortilla gorgonzola pizza!

A brunch spread so prettily laid out 💛

While I was taking photos, mom jumped up and started shooting too, haha. She was so happy she could see the sea 🤭 It goes perfectly with the wood table, pure vibes.

Mare Brunch: what's in it and how it tastes

The heart of Set B, Mare Brunch, is salad greens, scrambled eggs, sausage and bacon, and toasted bread. It comes out full and neat enough to catch your eye at once: fresh greens, soft scrambled eggs, juicy sausage and bacon, golden toast, a textbook brunch. Everything tasted fresh, not heavy-handed, just clean and easy to enjoy.

Pumpkin soup

The pumpkin soup in Set B isn't artificially sweet; it has a natural, deep sweetness from the pumpkin itself that spreads creamily. It's a great appetizer to get your appetite going before the main meal.

Dipping the bread that came with it into the smooth soup was such a good combo~

How is Marento's pistachio cream gnocchi?

Marento's pistachio cream gnocchi (₩25,000) has pistachio in a thick, rich cream sauce for a deep nutty flavor. The pistachio isn't overpowering like a dessert, so if you like cream gnocchi, it's an easy crowd-pleaser. The gnocchi were chewy and a bit fried-tasting outside, soft inside.

I really love gnocchi and have eaten at a lot of gnocchi spots, but I'd never had pistachio-based gnocchi, so I had to try it. The look passed right away, and on the first bite the pistachio's signature nuttiness filling my mouth with the smooth cream was fresh and appealing. Piled with plenty of cream sauce, the plainness of the potato and the richness of the sauce balance out wonderfully.

If you love gnocchi and pistachio like me, I think it's worth trying.

Marento overall: who is it for?

Marento is a Gwangalli restaurant that gave me a satisfying time with its clean, stylish interior, generous set menus and original pistachio cream gnocchi. Just being able to try gnocchi with a distinctive sauce you don't see often makes it worth a visit.

By day it's a relaxed Gwangalli brunch café full of sunlight, and by evening a hideout where you sip wine under cozy lighting, so it works for date courses and get-togethers with friends alike. If you're looking for a place in Busan with both atmosphere and flavor, I strongly recommend dropping by.