Tongyeong brunch restaurant for kids with potato gnocchi: Brown Hands

This time I went on a trip to Tongyeong with my kids. My daughter, Sobak, isn't great with seafood even though she genuinely likes it... 😭 So I decided to find a place where she could eat happily too. While searching for Tongyeong brunch spots near our lodging, I found a place with great atmosphere and an ocean view — let me introduce "Brown Hands Tongyeong."

Location and parking for Brown Hands Tongyeong

🎈Location On the 2nd floor of the Tongyeong International Music Hall 1 minute on foot from Stanford Hotel 3 minutes on foot from Kumho Marina Resort

🚗Parking Parking is available at Tongyeong International Music Hall.

Tongyeong sea view through the floor-to-ceiling windows, great seating for kids

The moment I walked in, the first thing that caught my eye was the Tongyeong sea view spreading out beyond the floor-to-ceiling windows! 😍

The seating is spread out generously and there's a variety of table types, so it's a great atmosphere for family meals as well as dates or hanging out with friends. The open layout means there's no cramped feeling at all — it's a comfortable space to relax and enjoy.

What we ordered from the Brown Hands Tongyeong menu

Living up to its reputation as a Tongyeong brunch spot, Brown Hands has a really diverse menu — brunch, pasta, wood-fired pizza, and risotto.

There's also a wide selection of wines to pair with the meal. 👍

• Wheel cheese carbonara
• Cream potato gnocchi
• Gorgonzola pizza
• Mushroom risotto

I really wanted to try the wheel cheese carbonara, since it's said to be Brown Hands Tongyeong's most famous dish!

It's an open kitchen, so we could watch the cooking process too.

Gorgonzola wood-fired pizza

🍕 Gorgonzola Fresh out of the wood-fired oven, the crust was absolutely crispy. Crunchy outside, chewy inside, and the distinctive rich flavor of gorgonzola cheese really came through. Dipped in sweet honey, the sweet-and-salty combo is just the best.

Cream potato gnocchi

🥔Potato gnocchi I ordered this because I really love gnocchi! The outside was chewy while the inside, packed with potato, was pure softness. Gnocchi soaked in plenty of cream sauce, plus the savory richness of cheese! The oddly addictive flavor of the savory sauce had me scraping up every last bit with my spoon without even realizing it. 🤣

Wheel cheese carbonara — no performance during peak season

🍝The dish I looked forward to most, the wheel cheese carbonara. Normally, staff bring out a giant cheese wheel and toss the pasta right at the table, but since it's peak season right now, we didn't get to see that performance in person. 😭 A little disappointing, but the taste itself was really satisfying! One bite and a deep, rich cheese flavor unlike regular pasta filled my mouth — and even though the thick, heavy-looking visual made me worry it might be greasy, it absolutely wasn't, which was a nice twist. If you usually like carbonara, you have to try Brown Hands Tongyeong's signature wheel cheese carbonara at least once.

Mushroom risotto

🍄Mushroom risotto The subtle aroma of mushrooms rose together with a burst of truffle scent. The creamy risotto and mushrooms paired really well together. The rice grains also weren't overcooked and had just the right texture, which I liked even more. With mushroom flavor, cheese, cream sauce, and truffle aroma all layered together, it felt like risotto from a fine-dining restaurant. If you like cream-based dishes, this is one I'd recommend.

Brown Hands Tongyeong with kids — final thoughts

Brown Hands Tongyeong, which we stopped by during our trip with the kids, had both delicious food and a satisfying atmosphere. Even among cream-based dishes, each one had its own distinct character and charm. What I liked most was being able to enjoy a relaxed brunch while looking out at the sea through the floor-to-ceiling windows.

If you're looking for Tongyeong brunch, I'd recommend Brown Hands, where you can enjoy pasta, pizza, and risotto all with an ocean view. It's a wonderful space to have a relaxed meal or a cup of tea while taking in the sea view through the windows.