Gwangju Sangmu brunch after 2pm with a baby: Set B carbonara, Bueokgan

Bueokgan Sangmu Branch: hours, parking and high chairs

Bueokgan Sangmu Branch (부엌간 상무점), a pasta spot in Gwangju's Sangmu area, is open daily from 11am to 10pm, and its break time is just 30 minutes, from 4:00 to 4:30pm. Last order is at 9pm, there is free parking in the lot behind the building, and they have high chairs, so it was a great place for brunch with a baby.

• Daily 11:00 - 22:00
• Break time 16:00 - 16:30
• Last order 21:00
• Free parking in the lot behind the building
• High chairs available!

Why we picked Bueokgan for a late lunch after 2pm

We had come out to go to the Santa Outlet in Sangmu, but the timing was awkward and we were hungry, so we decided to eat lunch first and then move on! As always.. it was a late lunch, past 2pm, and most of the good places in Sangmu were about to start their break time. But there's a Gwangju pasta place whose break is only 30 minutes, starting at 4.

A 4pm start is nice, but resting for only 30 minutes and then reopening? Love it. It's a European-style brunch place with a lovely atmosphere, in a quiet, peaceful spot just a little way out of Sangmu: Bueokgan Sangmu Branch.

Is it a good atmosphere for going with a baby?

Unlike the busy streets of Sangmu, the inside of Bueokgan Sangmu Branch is spacious, and the mood is just right for brunch. There were people with babies like us, and couples on dates too, so it suits whoever you come with. I should go again soon to treat my friend who's about to give birth, haha.

Bueokgan Sangmu Branch menu

The menu has salads, pasta, risotto, pilaf, pizza, steak and more, plus set menus to make choosing easier. There was also a long wine list, too long to fit in photos, so it looks good for a glass of wine too!

What we chose for Set B

We ordered Set B: carbonara for the pasta, arugula prosciutto pizza, garden salad, and for drinks a batch brew coffee (iced) and a single grapefruit drink. The salad and drinks came first, and while we were eating them everything else arrived right away!

How was the arugula prosciutto pizza?

First, the pizza: fresh arugula and prosciutto, thick cheese on a crisp crust. It felt like an Italian pizza that gets its flavor from simple ingredients?! As a cheese lover especially.. I absolutely loved the thin dough with thick cheese on top. It's like the textbook brunch pizza, haha.

You can take leftover pizza home, so I order it even when I'm full, and it was still good reheated in the microwave at home.

Bueokgan's carbonara: how is it different from the usual?

Next, the carbonara!! Honestly, carbonara is so common now, and with the image and taste that come to mind, I didn't expect much. But I broke the poached egg yolk, mixed it in well, and.. it was a bit different from what I'd imagined? Nutty and creamy, and not heavy at all!!

The bacon was cut thick and chunky, with a clear presence, and it was good bacon, not old or cheap stuff, so I left none of it. I even dipped the pizza crust in the last of the sauce and finished it all.... haha. This is pretty good...!!

If you like carbonara or cream pasta, definitely try it at Bueokgan too. It's not fully authentic, but it has a deliciousness different from the carbonara you find around.

Next time: the gnocchi, plus a funny-sad mishap

It's only slightly outside Sangmu, yet a brunch spot with a much more relaxed, comfortable mood..! It was good for brunch or a meal with a baby, and since I personally liked the pasta, I'd definitely order pasta again next time. I want to try everything one by one, like clearing dojangs, haha.

What I'm most curious about is the gnocchi!! I once ordered gnocchi somewhere and.. it seemed to use store-bought rather than handmade dough, so I've wanted to try it at a place that does gnocchi properly, and this place feels like it would be good?

There was even a funny-sad mishap where I made a mistake paying and had to go back the very next day.. but even so, the kindness and the good food make this a place I want to go again!