Pre-baby family lunch with mom and sister: Bueokgan Sangmu, Gwangju

A European restaurant with a Roman hotel concept — Bueokgan Sangmu Branch, my pick for a pasta date in Gwangju's Sangmu district.

I went with my mom and sister to Bueokgan Sangmu, my go-to pasta spot in Gwangju's Sangmu district.

Bueokgan Sangmu Branch hours and parking

Hours Daily 11:00 - 22:00 Break time 16:00 - 16:30 Last order 21:00

25 Seogwangju-ro, 1st floor, Seo-gu, Gwangju, South Korea

For parking, pass Jjamppong Jijon and turn right — there's a dedicated Bueokgan parking lot. You can also use the Mudeung Church parking lot just past the main branch.

Even before stepping inside, the vibe already felt like Europe — so pretty, it felt more like walking into a café.

Classic hotel interior inspired by the Titanic's ballroom

Bueokgan Sangmu, my favorite pasta spot in Sangmu, is designed around a vintage Italian classic hotel concept inspired by the Titanic's ballroom — such a great atmosphere, and honestly perfect for a date.

Everywhere I looked felt like Europe — like I was on a healing little trip. Finding a European-vibe pasta place in Sangmu again after so long, and I hadn't even ordered yet, but I was already excited for the food.

Green trees through the window — isn't this basically Italy? Haha. It's so pretty I'd recommend it as a date course.

Let's sit down and pick from the menu.

Three mains ordered with mom and sister

There were set menus, à la carte dishes, salads, sides, steaks, pizzas, and more. Out of all that, here's what we ordered at Bueokgan Sangmu, my favorite pasta spot in Sangmu district:

What we ordered Truffle mushroom cream gnocchi / ₩22,000 Arugula prosciutto pizza / ₩22,000 Kung pao chicken pilaf / ₩24,000

We ordered three delicious-looking mains. Pilaf, gnocchi, pizza — all different dishes, so the combo felt great too, haha.

Truffle mushroom cream gnocchi

A potato gnocchi (Italian dumpling) dish loaded with cheese, letting you taste the texture of various mushrooms along with the flavor of truffle.

The mushrooms were so plump, and the gnocchi kept its chewy texture, which made this truffle mushroom cream gnocchi even more delicious.

I already love gnocchi, but the gnocchi at Bueokgan Sangmu, my favorite spot in Sangmu, Gwangju, was really, really good. You could even taste the truffle aroma coming through as you ate.

Kung pao chicken pilaf

An Asian-style fried rice where salty, spicy kung pao sauce pairs perfectly with oven-roasted chicken. The name felt unfamiliar so I was curious what kind of dish it would be — this was the kung pao chicken pilaf.

The kung pao chicken pilaf gets more addictive the more you eat. Of the three dishes, this was the one mom enjoyed most — the addictive sauce soaked well into the rice, making it even more delicious. The chicken wasn't tough at all, it was soft and easy to eat, and not heavy, so we could enjoy it all the way to the end.

Arugula prosciutto pizza

A clean, light pizza topped with arugula and prosciutto. Since they make their own pizza dough in-house, I was even more excited for this arugula prosciutto pizza.

The arugula prosciutto pizza had a crispy-baked dough piled high with arugula, and you could really taste the salty richness of the prosciutto. The dough wasn't thick, just the right thickness, which I loved. Crispy on the outside, chewy on the inside, and made with fresh ingredients — this arugula prosciutto pizza was delicious all the way through.

Sweet potato fries

Sweet potato fries that basically anyone would love. Coated in rice flour for extra crispiness. Kids love them and adults enjoy them too — an absolute must-order.

What kind of gathering is this good for

This is where I had a delicious lunch with my mom and sister before giving birth, at Bueokgan Sangmu, my favorite pasta spot in Sangmu district with such a great atmosphere. It seemed like a restaurant moms in particular love, since there were plenty of mom-aged guests around, along with couples on dates and people on their office lunch break — a wide range of ages. With its distinctive European hotel atmosphere, Bueokgan Sangmu is a great place to enjoy a relaxed meal. If you want a cozy, comfortable spot for a date, family gathering, group dinner, or wedding-invitation meetup, you have to visit Bueokgan Sangmu, my go-to brunch spot in Sangmu district.