Jongno bar for arugula jambon pizza: Sudowonui Bimil Jeojanggo

I caught up with a friend I hadn’t seen in ages in Jonggak. My friend had come back to Korea after a long time, so we had delicious mungtigi (Korean-style raw beef slices) at a great spot near Jonggak Station, then wondered where to go for a second round. We headed to a nearby bar, and wow—the concept was so distinctive and fully realized, and the beer was even better than I expected.

How to get to Sudowonui Bimil Jeojanggo from Jonggak Station

Come out of Exit 4 at Jonggak Station and head into the alley behind Bosingak Pavilion. Pass the first alley, enter the next one, and you’ll find the entrance downstairs right at the start of the alley.

Low lighting and private rooms in a monastery-themed space

The concept was as clear as the name suggests, and the place really committed to it. The lighting was low throughout, candles were lit on the tables, and every corner was decorated with a strong monastery feel. There are private rooms for groups too, so I even saw nearby office workers coming in for company dinners?

There are bar seats too, and the whole interior is clean and pretty, so it feels like a great place for a second round of drinks!

A menu and prices that stay true to the concept

Main dishes, pizza, and pasta

• Monk’s Sacred Barbecue Platter: ₩59,800
• 24-hour low-temperature-aged pork neck and chicken liver spicy pork: ₩36,000
• 24-hour Monk’s whole-grilled roast chicken, 24-hour low-temperature-aged (chicken 400g): ₩23,900
• Sea’s Blessing seafood tteokbokki (spicy rice cakes): ₩18,900
• Cheese Bomb handmade pizza: ₩25,900
• Monk’s Fragrant bulgogi pizza: ₩26,900
• Gorgonzola pizza: ₩25,900
• Quiet Margherita pizza: price not legible
• Salvation cream gnocchi: ₩18,900
• Soul carbonara pasta: ₩18,900
• Firewood rosé pasta: ₩18,900
• Martyr’s tomato pasta: ₩18,900

Sides and desserts

• Monastery’s Secret potatoes: ₩11,900
• Monastery Golden fried chicken: ₩16,900
• Soul’s Prayer arugula chicken salad (chicken 400g): ₩21,900
• Time of Aging Camembert cheese: ₩15,900
• Monk’s Snack potato croquettes: ₩9,800
• Baptism by Fire dried pollack: ₩18,900

Drinks and alcohol

• Monastery Golden Shine Ade: ₩7,900
• Monastery red grapefruit ade: ₩7,900
• Monastery’s Black Temptation cola (355ml): ₩3,000
• Pure Soul Chamisul: ₩6,000
• Refreshing Soul Cheoeumcheoreom: ₩6,000
• Sacred Fresh Saero: ₩6,900
• Monastery Spring Water draft beer (Cass 500cc): ₩6,000
• Monastery Golden Ale draft beer: ₩7,000
• Monastery’s Time four-beer sampler set: ₩18,000
• House-made sauces by a former Hilton Hotel chef (garlic sauce, cheese sauce, and more): ₩1,000 each

Reading the menu was honestly so fascinating and fun, haha. I’d never seen a menu like this before hahaha. It was soooo committed to the concept that it added +1 fun before we had even chosen our food hahaha.

IPA, ube beer, and arugula jambon pizza

After much deliberation, we first chose a beer each! My friend went for the trendy ube beer, while I chose an IPA.

Honestly, it was so conceptual that I didn’t have huge expectations, you know? But it was a real craft-beer gem. The beer was delicious! Hahaha.

The ube beer tasted like a fascinating drink of its own, too?

Then the arugula jambon pizza arrived. It seemed to be baked in-house, and it was delicious.

And can you see that mountain of arugula..? This was my first arugula pizza that was this generous with the greens hahahahaha. I don’t think they’d give you this much even in Italy.

The crust was tasty, the ingredients were fresh, and the pizza was delicious too. It was perfect with beer!

For a second-round beer stop or gathering in Jonggak

Sudowonui Bimil Jeojanggo felt like a great place to come for craft beer in Gwancheol-dong, Jongno, and it would also work nicely for a company dinner or group gathering! Since I’m really into escape rooms, the menu was interesting too—it felt like solving escape-room puzzles. I think I’d come back next time I’m nearby and want a beer, too~~