Brunch restaurant in Gwangju Suwan: window-seat jamón salad, Bueokgan

Bueokgan Suwan Branch: hours, parking and basic info

Bueokgan Suwan Branch (부엌간 수완점) is a brunch restaurant in the Suwan district, at 37 Suwan-ro 106beon-gil, Gwangsan-gu, Gwangju, 1st floor. It is open every day of the year, 11:30–21:00, with a break time from 15:00 to 17:00.

• Last order: 14:30 for lunch, 20:20 for dinner
• Groups welcome
• Separate men's and women's restrooms
• High chairs available
• Coat hangers available
• Entrance and seating are both wheelchair accessible
• No pets allowed
• Parking: free in the alleys around the restaurant (no parking at the nearby studio apartment buildings 🚫)

A Suwan brunch date after our health checkup

My husband and I had health checkups today, so we came to the Suwan district in Gwangju. We had a checkup last year, so this time it was a simple one, and since we finished in the morning, we turned it into a date!

It turns out there's a lush, green, European-garden-style brunch restaurant in Suwan that's perfect for dates.

What is the atmosphere like at Bueokgan Suwan Branch?

Bueokgan Suwan Branch has an Italian forest theme, and as someone who loves an Instagram-worthy vibe, I really liked the atmosphere. The window side is full-glass, and since we arrived right at the 11:30 opening, the sun was streaming in and the view was great. So we took a window seat to enjoy brunch with the view!

The inside is mostly white, combined with calming beige and wood-tone furniture, lighting and lots of green plants, so it felt comfortable and relaxed. The kitchen is a European-style semi-open kitchen, so you can see the cooking from your table and watch the whole process of food being plated and served, which I loved.

Terrace seating and the crowd at opening time

There are seats on the outdoor terrace too, and I wanted to sit there if we came in the evening. They also had a baby chair and hangers for coats. We arrived at the 11:30 opening, and quite a few other brunch guests had come too. There's a Tabling (waitlist) device at the entrance as well.

Bueokgan Suwan Branch menu and what's in the Couple Set

The menu is mostly Western dishes, from salads to pasta, pizza and soup, and they also sell wines that pair well, including red, white and sparkling. They also have set menus that are good value, split by price into Couple Set A and B and Family Set A and B, which made choosing easy.

Since we were on a date, we ordered Couple Set B 😂 The Couple Set includes one salad, one pasta or rice dish, one pizza and two drinks, and it was a generous, good-value way to eat.

We ordered the garden salad, shrimp anchovy oil pasta, pepperoni pizza, one iced coffee and one grapefruit juice! You can swap menu items for what you want by paying a bit extra!

How each dish in Couple Set B tasted

Garden salad topped with jamón

The garden salad had prosciutto (hamong) and cheese mixed with tomatoes and fresh greens, and it was a great appetite starter.

Shrimp and anchovy oil pasta

First off, the shrimp in the shrimp anchovy oil pasta were super fresh, plump and meaty!! I love shrimp, so I really liked that.

The savory depth of the anchovy came through nicely, the noodles were chewy, and it was moderately oily, smooth and delicious.

Freshly baked pepperoni pizza

Pepperoni pizza is one of the pizzas my husband and I like best and eat all the time. It came out freshly baked and piping hot with a bottle of hot sauce, so it was so good, and I loved the combo of generous mozzarella and salty pepperoni!

Grapefruit juice

The drink kept the natural bitter taste of grapefruit, and it seemed to have no additives, which I liked.

Who is Bueokgan Suwan Branch good for?

Bueokgan Suwan Branch looked great for dates, but also for get-togethers with friends, wedding invitation meetups, parents' or couples' anniversaries, and family meals out. I heard all Bueokgan locations are directly operated, and maybe that's why the Suwan branch's distinctive atmosphere comes through so well. Between the mood, the view and the food, I could see why it's a Suwan favorite with a high revisit rate.

Thinking about the ages of the people there while we ate, plenty of parents came, and families, friends and couples all visited, a nice even mix of age groups rather than skewed to one. Next time I'm in Suwan, I'd love another brunch date here with my husband.