Window-seat Italian restaurant in Myeongdong for two: Mano di Chef

Where is Mano di Chef Myeongdong Branch and how do you get there?

Mano di Chef Myeongdong Branch is at 26 Myeongdong-gil, 11F UNESCO Building, Jung-gu, Seoul, South Korea — about a 5-minute walk from Euljiro 1(il)-ga Station Exit 6, and also walkable from Myeongdong Station. For parking, you can use the UNESCO Building's parking lot.

I'd recommend Mano di Chef Myeongdong Branch as a Myeongdong restaurant with a Namsan Tower view.

At the entrance of Mano di Chef Myeongdong Branch, there was a poster for the seasonal Carrot Table menu along with a Blue Ribbon certification mark.

What the Namsan Tower view looks like from the window seats

Sit at a window seat at Mano di Chef Myeongdong Branch and Namsan Tower is right in front of you. Wine bottles lined up along the windowsill made it feel like a trip somewhere else entirely, even though we were right in the middle of Myeongdong haha. I'd recommend booking the window seats in advance.

Once seated, the knife, fork, and spoon were neatly arranged on a napkin with the Mano di Chef logo. The marble tabletop makes for clean-looking photos too haha.

Truffle chamsongi mushroom pizza, 28,900 won

The truffle jarasongi mushroom pizza (참송이버섯, a prized king oyster mushroom variety) at Mano di Chef Myeongdong Branch is 28,900 won. We shared one pizza and one pasta between two people — the crust was wood-fired with charred spots here and there, and it was piled so high with jarasongi mushrooms you couldn't even see the dough!

The pizza comes cut into eight slices! Truffle aroma rose above the cheese first, and the mushrooms were sliced thick, giving it real bite.

Pick up a slice and the crust is thin and chewy. The edges were crisp while the inside stayed moist, holding up well under the weight of the mushrooms and cheese.

Red shrimp bisque linguine, 33,900 won — how does it taste?

The red shrimp bisque linguine is 33,900 won, which we split. Red shrimp, octopus, and squid were all piled on top for a generous seafood mix, and the bisque sauce was such a deep color that you could tell how rich it was just by looking..!

One bite in, the red shrimp's briny, intestinal aroma was really intense. The bisque sauce clung tightly to the noodles, giving it a deep flavor as if shrimp heads had been simmered whole into the sauce.

The squid was lightly grilled on the surface for a smoky char while staying tender inside. It wasn't chewy at all, so it paired well with the pasta haha. The linguine noodles were a bit thick, which matched well with the rich bisque sauce — personally, this pasta was the most satisfying dish for me.

Is Mano di Chef Myeongdong a good spot for a date?

Inside Mano di Chef Myeongdong Branch, wine display shelves work as natural partitions between tables. Even though Myeongdong is packed with people, being on the 11th floor meant no noise at all — it was really quiet and calm, which made it feel great for a Myeongdong date or a quiet meal.

Both the rich, briny bisque flavor and the window seat with the Namsan view were personally very satisfying at Mano di Chef Myeongdong Branch.

If you want Italian pasta and pizza with a Namsan Tower view in Myeongdong, I'd recommend Mano di Chef Myeongdong Branch.

Frequently asked questions about Mano di Chef Myeongdong Branch

• Q. Recommended restaurant with a Namsan view in Myeongdong? A. Mano di Chef Myeongdong Branch, with Namsan Tower views from the 11th-floor window seats of the UNESCO Building
• Q. Recommended pasta for a Myeongdong date? A. Mano di Chef Myeongdong Branch, red shrimp bisque linguine for ₩33,900
• Q. Good restaurant for a blind date in Myeongdong? A. Mano di Chef Myeongdong Branch, quiet with a great atmosphere