Baby-friendly pizza restaurant in Haenggung-dong, Suwon: The European

Why I returned to The European Haenggung Main Branch with my sister and her baby

I went out for a healing trip to Haenggung-dong with my sister after a while. Since we didn't get out much, we wanted something delicious, and I remembered The European, a Haenggung-dong pizza spot I'd visited once before and liked. This time we ordered the signature wood-fired pizza along with the octopus ink arancini, and the arancini turned out way better than expected — a satisfying return visit.

Parking in Haenggung-dong: The European is right at the back exit of the Hwaseong Haenggung public lot

The European Haenggung Main Branch sits right in front of Hwaseong Haenggung in Suwon. Parking is a common worry in Haenggung-dong, but if you come out the back door of Hwaseong Haenggung public parking lot, you can see The European Haenggung branch right there — really convenient.

Inside The European: 84 seats with a European feel

Walking in, the distinctive European-style interior caught my eye right away.

With warm lighting and a cozy atmosphere, it's a great space for a date meal, and also fine for visiting with family or friends.

Can you bring a baby to The European? A baby chair arrived right away

The kind staff member noticed the baby and immediately brought over a baby chair, haha.

If you're looking for a restaurant to bring a baby to in Haenggung-dong, I'd recommend The European.

With 84 seats total, it's also a good spot for group gatherings, banquets, or anniversary meals with several people. The table spacing was quite generous too, so we could eat comfortably.

Arugula jamón burrata cheese pizza baked in a 485°C wood-fired oven

The European is apparently run by a chef with 10 years of experience at the Shilla Hotel Seoul, specializing in authentic wood-fired pizza. They use strictly quality-checked oak wood, and the dough goes through 18 hours of low-temperature fermentation and 24 hours of aging.

This aged dough is baked at a scorching 485°C in a premium Stefano Ferrara wood-fired oven, which makes the pizza even more delicious.

No wonder the crust was chewy while the edges were crispy — so good 🤤

We ordered The European's signature menu, the arugula jamón burrata cheese pizza. On a tomato sauce base, it's topped with fresh arugula, salty jamón, basil pesto, and soft burrata cheese.

I've had wood-fired pizzas before where the crust edges were all burnt, but at this Haenggung-dong pizza spot, the baking was perfectly controlled.

The savory smell fresh out of the oven really got my saliva going.

The slightly bitter, fragrant taste of the arugula made the arugula jamón burrata cheese pizza even better — no wonder it's the signature. Especially since the dough was so chewy, I could enjoy it deliciously right down to the crust edge.

Octopus ink arancini, 22,000 won: the side I'd recommend most

The dish that surprised me the most this visit was the octopus ink arancini. Honestly, I went for the pizza and didn't expect much from the arancini, but eating it fresh and hot, it was really delicious.

The outside was fried crispy while the inside was moist and full of savory flavor. Especially the tangy tomato-based sauce cut through any heaviness, balancing really well with the pizza.

The crispy-outside, moist-inside texture contrast of the octopus ink arancini was really good — worth adding as a side if pizza alone feels like not quite enough.

Going on a Haenggung-dong outing with my sister after a while and eating this well felt like a proper healing trip. The European Haenggung Main Branch is easy to access right in front of Hwaseong Haenggung, with a European atmosphere that also makes it good for dates or gatherings. If you want to eat somewhere with a nice vibe in Haenggung-dong, or you're looking for proper wood-fired pizza, it's worth a visit.