Family dinner at an Italian restaurant in Seongnam: Andover

Over the weekend, I went to Baekhyeon-dong Café Street with my family for lunch. This time, we visited Andover, an Italian restaurant in Pangyo that I’d had my eye on.

I was even more curious because I’d heard it was a family-run restaurant. Once we arrived, the space itself felt comfortable and the service was warm, so I had a good first impression right away. Above all, with everything from pasta to creamy dishes, it was great for sharing as a family, and we were very happy with it as a weekend meal out.

Andover hours and parking

The address is 1F, 10-7 Pangyo-yeok-ro 10beon-gil, Bundang-gu, Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea, in Pangyo’s Baekhyeon-dong Café Street. It is open Tuesday through Sunday from 11:30 to 22:00. Weekday break time is 15:30 to 17:00, with no break on weekends. Parking is available in front of the restaurant and on nearby streets, and the Baekhyeon-dong Café Street Public Parking Lot is free for one hour.

What were the exterior and interior like?

When we arrived at Andover, its neat exterior caught my eye first.

With black and white as its main colors, it looked polished without being overly flashy. There was also a separate outdoor terrace seating area in front.

Perhaps because it was the weekend, guests were enjoying leisurely meals on the terrace too, and the overall mood was relaxed. Inside, the space was more spacious than I expected.

The ceiling was quite high, and large floor-to-ceiling windows let sunlight stream in naturally, so it felt less enclosed.

Wood tables paired with black chairs gave the room a warm yet calm feel.

Several black-and-white photographs hung on the walls, which made it feel a little like stepping into a small European restaurant.

There was a range of seating, from small tables ideal for two to spaces where a family could sit together. We saw everyone from couples to families, so the clientele seemed varied too.

It would be nice for a date, but it also had an easygoing atmosphere for a meal with parents or a weekend family dinner. Knowing that it is family-run made the tidy details throughout the space feel even warmer.

The menu, from pasta to steak

The menu had a good variety, including pasta, risotto, and steak. I heard that Andover prepares its dishes and sauces from recipes made by the family together.

I was also impressed that, rather than following trends, they value flavors people can enjoy for a long time.

Three dishes we shared as a family

That day, we tried the fresh basil cold pasta, flounder steak, and mushroom cream risotto. With pasta and risotto plus a fish steak, none of the dishes overlapped, so they were great to share.

Fresh basil cold pasta

A large burrata cheese, red tomatoes, and basil sauce came together on one plate, and the colors were lovely from the start. Once it was actually on the table, each ingredient stood out more than it had in the photos, making it look even more appetizing.

At first, I loosened a little basil sauce into the noodles at a time, then cut into the burrata and mixed everything together. The basil had its distinct aroma, but rather than coming on too strongly, it blended naturally with the soft cheese.

Especially when you cut the burrata, the soft center flowed out and naturally coated the noodles. Adding the tomatoes made it even fresher, so it never felt heavy through the last bite.

A little lemon made everything even cleaner and brighter, so my family kept reaching for it. We talked about how it would remind us of summer, which made it a dish that stayed in my memory.

Flounder steak

When you hear “steak,” meat is usually the first thing that comes to mind, so we were curious about this flounder version. The pan came generously filled with flounder, clams, and assorted vegetables, and it looked hearty too. The fish flaked apart softly, so we served it in easy-to-eat pieces with the sauce. Its mild fish flavor was joined by a sauce made with clams and vegetables, so it was far from plain.

Eating clams, mushrooms, and vegetables along the way gave the dish different textures and made it fun to eat. We also kept reaching for the baguette. Dipping it lightly into the sauce left in the pan was a nice way to enjoy every last bit. As we shared pieces of flounder, we spent quite a while talking about how good fish steak could be.

Mushroom cream risotto

The last dish was the mushroom cream risotto. Compared with the first two, it brought a softer, nuttier note to the meal. Roasted mushrooms and arugula topped the cream-based risotto, making it look substantial as well. One bite brought together the smooth texture of the cream and the distinct flavor of the mushrooms in a rich, savory way.

Having arugula and mushrooms with it here and there added textural variation instead of eating only cream throughout. While the fresh basil cold pasta was on the refreshing side, the mushroom cream risotto was cozy and soft, so they were good to alternate. Adding the flounder steak in between meant the three dishes never felt repetitive to the end.

It was fun that each of us had a slightly different favorite. One person liked the cold pasta, another liked the flounder, and as we shared plates, mealtime flew by. The staff’s service was comfortable overall too, making it a nice place to talk over a meal with family.

Andover turned out to be a nice place for a slow meal with family. Being in Baekhyeon-dong Café Street, the surrounding atmosphere felt leisurely, and I think it would be even nicer to use the outdoor terrace on a pleasant day. Inside, the large windows and high ceiling kept it airy, while the wood tables and black-and-white photos created a calm setting that was comfortable for conversation.

It seems well suited to visiting as a pair for a date, dining with parents, or looking for a weekend family meal spot. We tried three dishes this time—the fresh basil cold pasta, flounder steak, and mushroom cream risotto. Since each one had a different character, they worked very well for several people to order and share a little of everything.

If I’m looking for Italian food in Baekhyeon-dong Café Street again, I’d like to stop by once more and try other dishes too. It feels like the kind of place I’ll think of when I want to enjoy delicious food and a relaxed time talking slowly with my family :)