Gimcheon Korean restaurant for grilled pork and rice: Sonamu Sikdang
In short
Sonamu Sikdang Gimcheon Main Branch (소나무식당 김천본점) is a Korean restaurant in Apo-eup, Gimcheon, serving briquette-grilled pork from 100% domestic female pigs. On a weekday evening, a 2-person order of seasoned grilled pork came with grilled deodeok (a mountain root) and chive pancake, and the deep bowl of Suhyangmi rice and the homemade doenjang (soybean paste) stew were as memorable as the smoky meat. Sonamu Sikdang is a place worth returning to whenever you want a proper rice meal in Apo, Gimcheon.
Good to know
- Address
- 8-21 Hanji 1-gil, Apo-eup, Gimcheon-si, Gyeongbuk, South Korea
- Parking
- Free public parking lot across from the restaurant
- Opening hours
- Wed–Mon 11:00–20:00 (last order 19:55)
- Break time
- 15:00–17:00
- Closed
- Every Tuesday
- What we ordered
- Seasoned grilled female pork for 2, grilled deodeok, chive pancake, bowl of rice
- Meat
- 100% domestic female pork, grilled over briquettes
- Rice
- Cooked with Suhyangmi rice; doenjang stew comes with each rice order
as written by the visitor on Oct 1, 2026
Why Sonamu Sikdang for a proper dinner in Gimcheon
Sonamu Sikdang Gimcheon Main Branch (소나무식당 김천본점) is a Korean restaurant in Apo-eup, Gimcheon, that serves briquette-grilled pork from 100% domestic female pigs. I was passing through Gimcheon and had eaten a rather meager lunch, so I really wanted a proper dinner. Rather than just meat, I was craving Korean food with warm rice and side dishes, so I went looking for a local favorite in Gimcheon and ended up at Sonamu Sikdang.
I also liked that I could have briquette-grilled pork made from 100% domestic female pigs.
It was a weekday evening, so I expected it to be relaxed, but there were more diners than I thought. They looked like locals out for dinner rather than people who had stumbled in from a tourist spot, which made a good first impression.
Location and parking at Sonamu Sikdang
The address is 8-21 Hanji 1-gil, Apo-eup, Gimcheon-si, Gyeongbuk. There is a huge pine tree in front of the restaurant, which suits the name perfectly (sonamu means pine tree).
When I'm travelling by car, I check parking before I even think about the food. There is a free public parking lot across from the restaurant, so parking was no trouble at all.
If you want a local favorite in Gimcheon with easy parking, keep this in mind.
Seasoned or soy-based grilled pork: which to choose
We ordered seasoned grilled pork for two, plus grilled deodeok (bellflower-root-like mountain root) and chive pancake.
I couldn't decide between the seasoned and the soy-based versions, so I asked a staff member. They said most people pick the seasoned one, so we did too. In the end, it was a good choice.
The meat came grilled over briquettes with a subtle smoky flavor, and the seasoning wasn't aggressively spicy but the kind that goes well with rice.
Best of all, the meat wasn't tough, so wrapped in lettuce I just kept reaching for more.
The side dishes weren't a flashy spread with lots of varieties either; they felt like neat home cooking that you pick at one by one. If you like this kind of table setting, I could see why people search for a local favorite in Gimcheon and end up here.
The Suhyangmi rice and doenjang stew surprised me more than the meat
Personally, the bowl of rice was as memorable as the meat. It's cooked with Suhyangmi rice, and the moment I lifted the lid the grains were glossy.
The size was something else, too. The bowl was so deep that I wondered, "Is this really a normal bowl of rice?" On a day when you want a hearty meal, it's a welcome amount.
With that nutty aroma of freshly cooked rice, a piece of grilled bulgogi on top was exactly the dinner I had wanted. When you order rice, doenjang jjigae (fermented soybean paste stew) comes along with it.
It wasn't a light, bland broth; it had the deep, nutty flavor of homemade doenjang.
A bite of meat, a spoonful of rice, then the stew, and I really felt like I'd had a proper meal.
How were the side dishes, grilled deodeok and chive pancake?
Grilled deodeok is one of those dishes that takes a lot of effort, so I rarely make it at home.
Cleaning it, seasoning it and grilling it is a hassle, so whenever I come to a Korean restaurant like this, it always catches my eye.
The deodeok at Sonamu Sikdang was evenly seasoned while keeping its characteristic aroma and texture, so it was nice to eat between bites of meat.
We ordered the chive pancake too. It had a fresh chive aroma, and dipped lightly in the sauce it tasted different from the grilled meat, so the combination worked well.
If you come with a group, rather than ordering just one main, adding one or two side dishes like these makes for a generous meal.
We were looking for a local favorite in Gimcheon where we could have meat, rice and pancake together, and this lineup suited us well.
How much food is it for two? Overall verdict
Honestly, I went to Sonamu Sikdang Gimcheon Main Branch just thinking I'd have a filling dinner.
But after eating, I liked how everything came together as one table: smoky grilled bulgogi, glossy rice, nutty doenjang stew, deodeok and chive pancake.
One drawback: if you keep adding dishes, it becomes quite a lot of food for two, so if you don't normally eat much, start with the main and add more afterwards.
After the meal I also had a cup of maesil-cha (green plum tea), which was a refreshing way to finish after the meat. Next time I pass through Apo in Gimcheon craving a proper rice meal, I'd happily come back.
In particular, if you're after a local favorite in Gimcheon with briquette-grilled bulgogi and warm rice, save the menu and location for reference.
Sonamu Sikdang Gimcheon Main Branch: basic info
- Address: 8-21 Hanji 1-gil, Apo-eup, Gimcheon-si, Gyeongbuk
- Parking: Free public parking lot across the street
- Opening hours: Wed–Mon 11:00–20:00
- Break time: 15:00–17:00
- Last order: 19:55
- Closed: Every Tuesday
Where it is
8-21 Hanji 1-gil, Apo-eup, Gimcheon-si, Gyeongbuk, South Korea경상북도 김천시 아포읍 한지1길 8-21 소나무식당
