Quiet hall date in Myeongdong: quattro formaggi pizza, Seventy Four

Planning a Myeongdong date always gets stuck at the same point. There's plenty to see and plenty to eat, but a spot where two people can actually sit and talk quietly is surprisingly rare. That day, my boyfriend and I were walking through Myeongdong, got a little tired of the crowds, and turned down an alley near Myeongdong Cathedral. That's when we spotted a yellow sign — Seventy Four.

Seventy Four (74) Myeongdong Cathedral Main Branch: the basics

• Location: 1st floor, Familia Chapel, Myeongdong Cathedral, Myeongdong 2(i)-ga, Jung-gu, Seoul
• Hours: Daily 11:00–22:00
• Parking: Myeongdong Cathedral Familia Chapel parking lot (₩6,000/hour)
• Waiting: No wait on weekday afternoons; reservations recommended for window/terrace seats
• One-line review: a Western restaurant where you can sit down and shake off some of Myeongdong's noise

Finding the entrance along the wooded path beside Myeongdong Cathedral

Seventy Four sits on the first floor of the Familia Chapel at Myeongdong Cathedral. From the main street it's a small, easy-to-miss entrance, but once you follow the yellow sign in, the atmosphere changes completely.

Walking a few steps along a stone path lined with cypress trees on both sides, the noise of Myeongdong you left behind slowly fades away. I never expected to find a path like this in the middle of a Myeongdong date, so I took several photos right from the entrance.

White-toned hall or domed terrace — why we chose the hall

Seventy Four basically has two seating options: an open terrace covered by a dome roof, and a high-ceilinged indoor hall.

The terrace is popular on nice days, but we booked the hall. The space mixed white walls with wood, so it felt calm, and the high ceiling meant it never felt cramped even with tables close together.

The terrace opens up to a sweeping city view but gets hot on summer afternoons, while the hall trades the view for a comfortable temperature and quiet. For a Myeongdong date meant for sitting face to face and talking, I found the hall more comfortable.

Quattro formaggi pizza: the moment four cheeses stretch

We decided on quattro formaggi pizza and Amatriciana. Ordering one pizza and one pasta rarely goes wrong at restaurants near Myeongdong Station.

The quattro formaggi pizza was ₩27,000. The wood-fired dough puffed up along the edges by about two finger-widths, with black char marks scattered across it.

Four kinds of cheese were layered on top, so lifting a slice pulled the cheese into a stretch of over a hand-span. It was salty and savory — I think if they'd given us honey it would've gone sweet-and-salty and tasted even better, haha.

Amatriciana: pasta with bright tomato acidity

The Amatriciana was ₩18,000, a classic pasta of tomato sauce with bacon.

The noodles were on the thick side, coming up heavy when twirled around a fork.

The first bite brought a clear tomato tang, and the more you chewed, the more the bacon's salty fat followed after it.

Alternating bites with the cheese-heavy pizza cut the richness, so as a combination for a restaurant near Myeongdong Station, it worked well together.

Open kitchen and side dishes — a few more pickles, please

The back of the hall at Seventy Four is an open kitchen, so you can watch the chefs moving around in front of the wood-fired oven. It was fun to watch how the food came together, so the waiting time never felt boring.

Pickles and radish pickles come in small dishes on the side, and they disappear quickly while eating the greasy pizza. With the Amatriciana on top of that, I found myself wishing for a refill or a slightly bigger portion.

Who a Myeongdong date at Seventy Four suits

Seventy Four suits couples looking for a place to talk quietly. It's especially good for anyone who finds crowded restaurants stressful on a Myeongdong date itinerary, or who wants atmosphere among the many restaurants near Myeongdong Station. On the other hand, if you're on a tight schedule and eating quickly before moving on, the wooded entrance path and spacious hall might feel a little too leisurely. Seventy Four's strengths come through when you have time to linger.

I've been to plenty of restaurants near Myeongdong Station, but this hall is the one that kept coming back to mind as the place to end a Myeongdong date.

Frequently asked questions

Is there parking at Seventy Four?

You can use the Myeongdong Cathedral Familia Chapel parking lot, which costs ₩6,000 per hour.

Do I need a reservation?

We got seated with no wait on a weekday afternoon, but if you want a window or terrace seat, I'd recommend booking through Naver Reservations.

What are the opening hours?

Open daily from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Is it fine to bring a child?

The hall seats have generous spacing, so it's fine to bring a young child along.

At the end of the wooded path beside Myeongdong Cathedral, Seventy Four is a Western restaurant with a high-ceilinged hall and a domed terrace. It was a good place to fill a quiet Myeongdong date with quattro formaggi pizza and Amatriciana.