Rice paddy view brunch in Gimpo: burger and ricotta salad at Nillai

A Ganghwa brunch spot: Nillai (NILAI), a café in Gimpo

Nillai, a Gimpo paddy-view café on a drive back from Yeongjongdo

Nillai is a paddy-view brunch café in Wolgot-myeon, Gimpo, on the way to Ganghwa. We stopped by on a drive after a trip to Yeongjongdo in Incheon, and had a relaxed time with the paddy fields right outside.

It already has a reputation as a good brunch place on the way to Ganghwa, so I'd been curious about it for a while.

This time I came for brunch, and both the atmosphere and the food were better than I expected.

Across from Nillai, white flowers were in full bloom. They look a bit like buckwheat flowers, but I don't know what they are.

Nillai location, hours and parking

• Address: 2857-15 Gimpo-daero, Wolgot-myeon, Gimpo, Gyeonggi, South Korea
• Hours: daily 10:00–20:00
• Parking: available

What are Nillai's exterior and interior like?

Nillai is known for its wide lawn yard, stylish exterior, high ceilings and floor-to-ceiling windows. The first things I noticed on arrival were the big lawn and the stylish building.

A huge burger-shaped sign made it easy to spot from far away, and the large parking area made it convenient to come by car.

Inside, the high ceiling and big windows gave a really open feeling.

Butterfly decorations seemed to float from the ceiling, and fresh flowers and plants were everywhere, making it a great place for photos. The green paddy view through the windows was especially impressive.

At this time of year the green paddies stretch out so refreshingly that it felt like a little trip. I could see why so many people come to Nillai as a Gimpo paddy-view café.

Nillai brunch menu: how were the handmade burger and ricotta salad?

This time I ordered the Nillai Original handmade burger (₩17,900) 🍔 and the ricotta cheese salad (₩12,900) 🥗.

Nillai Original handmade burger, ₩17,900

The Nillai Original burger came packed with a thick patty, fresh vegetables and cheese. Sauce dripping down between the glossy buns really whetted my appetite.

You can really tell the quality of a handmade burger. It's seriously good.

With the first bite, the juicy patty and the crunchy vegetables went together beautifully.

The fries served with the burger were crispy too, the kind you keep reaching for.

Ricotta cheese salad, ₩12,900

The ricotta cheese salad was more generous than I expected, enough for a brunch on its own.

It was loaded with fresh vegetables, grapes and soft ricotta, and the lightly drizzled dressing let the ingredients' own flavors come through.

Eaten together with the burger, it cut the richness and the two went well together.

The view from Nillai's window seats

From the window seats you can see a small canal and a fountain along with the paddies. Eating there and looking out, with the little canal, the fountain and cute tube decorations, it felt like a café at a resort.

On a nice day, I think the outdoor seats would be good for a cup of coffee too.

How long is the wait for food on a weekday?

On the weekday we visited, only one person was working the counter, so the food took a little while to come out.

Maybe because they were working alone on a weekday, the order took a while, but that gave me plenty of time to look around the café, so in a way I liked it.

Why I recommend Nillai for brunch before or after a Ganghwa trip

Nillai sits in a handy spot before or after a trip to Ganghwa Island, so I'd recommend it to anyone hunting for a Ganghwa brunch place, and if you want to spend time taking in a relaxed view, I think it would be a satisfying Ganghwa-area café too.

Above all, the open view is so healing that I thought it would be worth coming just for a cup of coffee.

If you're looking for a place to enjoy both brunch and café time, give Nillai, the Gimpo paddy-view café, a visit.

One-line review 📒 A cozy brunch café in Gimpo where you can enjoy a handmade burger and salad looking out over green paddies. Recommended as a weekend date spot.