Lunch First Sipper · 31 stories

Lunch Before Coffee

I write about cafes and restaurants I visit around Seoul. · Writes about: Restaurants · Cafés · Shopping · Hair & beauty salons

PlaceSeocho, SeoulRestaurants

Gyodae Chinese restaurant open till midnight, Peking duck & guobaorou

Mirimyangjang Seocho (미림양장 서초점) is a Peking duck restaurant near Gyodae Station in Seocho, Seoul, with an exotic, Hong Kong-like atmosphere. The writer wrapped Peking duck in thin pancakes, added an order of guobaorou (Chinese crispy sweet-and-sour pork), and enjoyed the crisp skin, tender meat and a guobaorou sauce that isn't overly sweet. Open from 11 AM to midnight with no break time, Mirimyangjang Seocho is an easy pick for lunch, team dinners or a date.

Written Apr 22, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSuwon, GyeonggiRestaurants

Haenggung-dong Italian restaurant, sirloin steak risotto: The European

The European Haenggung Main Branch is a wood-fired pizza and Western restaurant on a side street in Haenggung-dong, Suwon, known for its red brick exterior and vintage European interior hung with chandeliers. After a walk around Suwon Hwaseong Fortress, the blogger ordered a margherita wood-fired pizza, the signature salsiccia ravioli and sirloin steak with button mushroom risotto, and was happy with all three. For an atmospheric Western-style date in Haenggung-dong, The European Haenggung Main Branch is worth recommending.

Written Apr 22, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSuwon, GyeonggiRestaurants

Suwon rooftop brunch date for two at 36,000 won: Kueodeukkutteu

Kueodeukkutteu is a brunch dining restaurant in a red-brick building near Haengridan-gil in Haenggung-dong, Suwon, with window bar seats and an outdoor rooftop terrace. On a date, two people paid 36,000 won for honeycomb seasonal fruit French toast, sweet potato fries, and a grapefruit ade and a lemon ade, and the writer's hidden pick was the sweet potato fries topped with butter ice cream and Parmesan. Kueodeukkutteu is a good choice for a Haenggung-dong date brunch when you want atmosphere, flavor and value together.

Written Apr 24, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSeocho, SeoulRestaurants

Seocho Station dakhanmari with potato, sujebi add-ons: Seocho Jeonggye

Seocho Jeonggye (서초정계) is a Korean restaurant specializing in dakhanmari (whole chicken stew), in the courthouse alley near Exit 8 of Seocho Station in Seoul, and it says it makes its broth fresh in a cauldron every morning. A whole dakhanmari costs ₩30,000, and with potato and sujebi (hand-torn dough flakes) add-ons plus a bowl of rice, the meal came to ₩39,000, with clear yet rich broth, moist chicken and well-ripened kimchi and kkakdugi. For a clean, mild Korean lunch near Seocho Station, dakhanmari with add-ons at Seocho Jeonggye is a sure bet.

Written Apr 28, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJung-gu, IncheonRestaurants

Family buffet in Yeongjong, kids under 36 months free: Pyeonpyeonjip

Pyeonpyeonjip Yeongjong Sky City branch is an all-you-can-eat hinoki steam pot and shabu-shabu restaurant on the 3rd floor of TMT Tower in Yeongjong Sky City, Jung-gu, Incheon. On a family gathering at Pyeonpyeonjip, the writer had the hinoki steam pot, dumplings and shabu-shabu in two broths, spicy and mild, plus tteokbokki (spicy rice cakes), fries and toast from the self-bar; weekday lunch is ₩17,900. With a kids' playroom and free entry for children under 36 months, Pyeonpyeonjip suits family gatherings with little ones.

Written Apr 28, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJung-gu, IncheonRestaurants

Eulwangni burger spot with a pine-forest fireplace terrace: Masian 300

Masian 300 (마시안300) is an American diner-style handmade burger restaurant near Masian Beach on Yeongjong Island, Incheon, along the Eulwangni driving route. On Masian 300's outdoor terrace among the pine trees, with a fireplace, the writer had the Hawaiian BBQ Burger, the Truffle Mushroom Burger and Kentucky Fries, and the Truffle Mushroom Burger was the most memorable. For campsite-style handmade burgers on Yeongjong, Masian 300's pine-forest terrace is a great fit.

Written Apr 26, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangnam, SeoulRestaurants

Sinsa katsu restaurant, folk-art walls & pulled pork: Ikki Roll Katsu

Ikki Roll Katsu Garosu-gil Main Branch is a Japanese-style roll katsu and tonkatsu restaurant in the basement of the Seongmi Building on Garosu-gil, near Sinsa Station in Gangnam, Seoul. At lunch, Couple Set B (₩47,400) brought sweet potato cheese katsu, kimchi cheese roll katsu, salad-topped salmon jjolmyeon (chewy spicy noodles) and a grapefruit ade, and everything from the broccoli soup to the sweet potato cheese katsu on a bed of pulled pork was satisfying. For sweet potato mousse, cheese and pork in a single bite, Couple Set B at Ikki Roll Katsu Garosu-gil Main Branch is a well-rounded choice.

Written May 2, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSeocho, SeoulRestaurants

Seocho chicken pub: garlic soy chicken, free beer for reviews, Kkanbu

Kkanbu Chicken Nambu Terminal Branch is a patio-style chicken pub on the first floor of Blue Pin Tower near Nambu Terminal Station in Seocho, Seoul. On the way to plans near Nambu Terminal, the blogger stopped in for garlic soy chicken with Coke Zero, which had a salty-sweet soy garlic glaze, a crisp crust and juicy meat; chicken runs in the low-to-mid 20,000 won range. With patio seating, draft beer taps and one free iced draft beer for writing a review at the time of the visit, Kkanbu Chicken Nambu Terminal Branch is a good spot for chicken and beer at Nambu Terminal.

Written May 11, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSeocho, SeoulRestaurants

Gyodae Korean BBQ on briquettes with tangerine salad: Yuk Tongryeong

Yuk Tongryeong Gyodae Direct Store (육통령 교대직영점) is a Korean BBQ restaurant near Gyodae Station in Seocho, Seoul, that grills premium 15-day omija-aged black pork yukgyeopsal (six-layer pork belly) on a briquette grill. The meal at Yuk Tongryeong started with a tangerine salad, a wrapping-greens salad and three pickled side dishes, moved on to thick six-layer pork belly dipped in pink salt, and finished with mul naengmyeon (cold noodles in broth). With its six-layer pork and mul naengmyeon course, Yuk Tongryeong Gyodae Direct Store is worth recommending for a Gyodae team dinner or a date.

Written May 12, 2026Sponsored
PlaceYuseong, DaejeonRestaurants

Yuseong seafood kalguksu with cabbage-sweetened broth: Choi Jiseong's

Choi Jiseong's Seafood Kalguksu (최지성의 해물칼국수) is a seafood kalguksu (knife-cut noodle soup) restaurant on Munhwawon-ro in Yuseong, Daejeon, about a 10-minute drive from Yuseong Hot Springs. The seafood kalguksu (12,500 won) arrived with clams, squid, shrimp, abalone and mussels filling the pot; the writer snipped cabbage into the pot with scissors for a sweeter broth and added a tasting-size pajeon (scallion pancake, 9,000 won). For generous seafood at a fair price in Yuseong, Daejeon, Choi Jiseong's Seafood Kalguksu is well worth recommending.

Written Jun 5, 2026Sponsored
PlaceYuseong, DaejeonRestaurants

Yuseong Hot Springs Korean BBQ, pork belly before a soak: Jeonju House

Jeonju House (전주하우스) is a Korean restaurant specializing in cauldron-lid fresh pork belly near Yuseong Hot Springs in Bongmyeong-dong, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon. Before heading to the hot springs, the writer waited briefly, then grilled thick fresh pork belly with kimchi and garlic on the hot cauldron lid (16,000 won per serving) and ate it in lettuce wraps with black rice cooked in a cauldron. With a self-serve side dish bar and outdoor seating, Jeonju House is a cauldron-lid pork belly spot by Yuseong Hot Springs that the writer wholeheartedly recommends.

Written Jun 5, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSeocho, SeoulRestaurants

Gyodae udon restaurant: house-made noodles and ham cheese katsu, Kosi

Kosi Gyodae Branch is a Japanese restaurant near Gyodae Station in Seocho, Seoul, serving udon and tonkatsu side by side. The writer ordered a tori-ten (chicken tempura) bukkake udon set with added tonkatsu, a cheese tonkatsu and shrimp tempura, all on one tray with self-serve toppings. The springy house-made noodles, said to be aged 48 hours, and the stretchy cheese katsu stood out. Kosi Gyodae Branch is the right pick near Gyodae Station when you want proper udon and tonkatsu in one meal.

Written Jun 7, 2026Sponsored