Sokcho bakery café: frozen potato bread when chilled sells out, Bultan

On the last day of my Sokcho trip with a friend, we heard Sokcho potato bread (gamja-ppang) is famous, so we made a reservation and visited Sokcho Bultan Gamja Bread Main Store (속초불탄감자빵 본점).

Sokcho Bultan Gamja Bread Main Store: location and opening hours

• Address: 34-20 Haksapyeong-gil, Sokcho-si, Gangwon, South Korea (1st floor)
• Hours: 09:00–18:00 (closed Thursdays)
• Parking: dedicated parking lot
• Payment: local currency accepted

Hours and closing days can change, so please check before you go.

A quirky mural building just outside central Sokcho

Sokcho Bultan Gamja Bread is on Haksapyeong-gil, a little outside central Sokcho. The moment we parked, I was startled: colorful character murals wrap the entire building. It looks less like a bakery and more like an artwork, and it really stands out.

There's a dedicated parking lot, so parking was easy, and it's close to Sono Delpino Resort, so I hear it's a good stop after checkout.

A spacious, cozy café space with big windows

Step inside and the high ceiling, wood-paneled walls and green plants here and there give it a totally different mood from the outside.

Big windows open onto a wide view, and there are plenty of plush sofa seats, so it was a nice place to rest at the tail end of the trip.

One wall is full of cute character dolls and framed photos, which was fun to look at. Character figures are displayed in little compartments, so I think kids would love it.

Bultan Gamja Bread menu and gift boxes

True to the shop's name ("Bultan" means burnt), the signature item is the potato bread shaped and colored like it's been charred black. The menu lists potato bread, jjondeugi (chewy dried squid snack), coffee and tea.

There are also gift boxes with potato bread and jjondeugi, which makes it a good place to pick up souvenirs.

Chilled potato bread sold out? Buying it frozen instead

When we went, the chilled potato bread was sold out, so we bought the frozen version. A sign at the stand even read "Sold out!! Frozen products available," so you can tell how popular it is. The chilled display case was practically empty, which really drove it home.

What does Bultan potato bread taste like?

The potato bread was soft and moist, just like a potato. The outside looks scorched black, but when you bite in, the inside splits open fluffily and a gentle, nutty potato flavor spreads. It isn't sweet and tastes mellow, so it's perfect with a cup of tea.

How to store frozen potato bread and how it's packaged

Each potato bread comes individually wrapped in a yellow box, which makes it easy to hand out as gifts. Packing potato bread and jjondeugi together would make a nice gift for parents or coworkers.

It's handmade bread and spoils easily at room temperature, so keep out only what you'll eat right away and store the rest in the fridge or freezer.

Squid jjondeugi with an extra-chewy bite

The squid jjondeugi I brought home from Bultan comes 12 to a bag. They're also sold individually, so tasting one before you buy a bag seems like a good idea.

It tastes different from the jjondeugi you find elsewhere: the chew is lively, and a subtle savory depth (the Korean word is gamchillat) rises the longer you chew. So even after several pieces I didn't get sick of it, and my hand kept reaching for one more.

The bag has a cute squid drawing too, so I took it out at the beach and snapped a photo.

Honest review of Sokcho Bultan Gamja Bread

A quirky building, a cozy café mood, soft potato bread and chewy jjondeugi: it made a lovely ending to the last day of our trip.

The chilled products can sell out early, so I recommend reserving ahead like I did. If you're looking for a Sokcho bakery café, stop by Bultan Gamja Bread.