Baby-friendly pasta dinner in Hongdae: mild Gnocchi Lover at Pasta Go

A pasta restaurant in Hongdae that works with a baby: Pasta Go Hongdae Branch

Pasta Go Hongdae Branch (파스타고 홍대점) was a great-value pasta place near Hongik Univ. Station where we could have dinner with our baby. We stopped by for dinner after a day out in Hongdae.

Picking a restaurant when you're out with a baby is harder than it sounds. It has to satisfy the adults, and the little one has to be able to eat too, so even choosing a menu takes some thought. I love pasta in general, and I'm especially crazy about gnocchi, so my eyes lit up the moment I saw the menu.

Hongdae has so many pasta places, right? But when you actually go, prices are often higher than expected, or the place feels awkward with a child. Pasta Go, on the other hand, has a wide menu and reasonable prices, so I thought it would work for a family meal or a date. After visiting in person, I understood why it's known as a budget-friendly Hongdae favorite.

Pasta Go Hongdae Branch: location, hours and parking

Pasta Go Hongdae Branch is at 12 Wausan-ro 33-gil, Mapo-gu, Seoul, on the 1st floor, and it's open daily from 10:00 to 20:20. For parking, you'll need to use a paid lot near the restaurant.

• Address: 12 Wausan-ro 33-gil, Mapo-gu, Seoul, 1st floor
• Getting there: 338m from Exit 7 of Hongik Univ. Station (Line 2, Airport Railroad, Gyeongui-Jungang Line)
• Hours: daily 10:00–20:20
• Parking: paid parking lots near the restaurant

What we ordered at Pasta Go Hongdae Branch

At Pasta Go Hongdae Branch we ordered Gnocchi Lover, a garlic butter cream risotto, fries and a soda. The menu describes Gnocchi Lover as "potato gnocchi bathing in cream, soft and chewy."

For the risotto you can choose a topping, shrimp or bacon, and I went with bacon. We also ordered fries and a soda, which our baby loves.

Adjustable spice at Pasta Go: mild for eating with a baby

One of the biggest perks of Pasta Go is that the spice level can be adjusted on every menu item. There are four levels to choose from.

• Not spicy
• Slightly spicy
• Shin Ramyun-level
• Very spicy

Since I was eating with my baby, I picked not spicy without a second thought. Spice is the hardest part of eating out with a child, so being able to choose it was really convenient.

The food also came out quickly after we ordered. Hongdae is always crowded, and a long wait can make a baby restless, so the fast cooking was a plus.

How was the Gnocchi Lover?

Pasta Go's Gnocchi Lover is chewy potato gnocchi in a thick cream sauce, and anyone who loves gnocchi will be happy with it. It looked so appetizing from the first glance.

The cream sauce was piled on thick, and the gnocchi had that proper chewy texture. The mushrooms were plump, and croutons added even more texture. After one bite I thought, yes, good choice. If you like gnocchi, you'll definitely be satisfied.

What about the bacon garlic butter cream risotto?

Pasta Go's garlic butter cream risotto had a rich cream sauce with the savory flavor of bacon, and I kept going back for more. The menu describes it as "insane texture, one spoonful of happiness, absolute perfection" (in a slangy Korean phrase), and I immediately understood why they wrote that.

The cream sauce was rich without being heavy, the kind of taste where you eat one spoonful and want another. Best of all, I ordered it not spicy, so I could share it with my baby.

Did the baby eat well?

After one bite of the Gnocchi Lover, my baby kept asking for more. Seeing the little one eat the risotto well and then dig into the fries too was satisfying enough for me as a mom.

You know how when your child eats well while dining out, everything just tastes better?

Pasta Go Hongdae Branch prices: four items for under ₩30,000

We ordered gnocchi, risotto, fries and a soda at Pasta Go Hongdae Branch, and the bill still came to under ₩30,000. I was honestly surprised at the register.

Considering restaurant prices these days, I thought it was a really good value. There's also a 20% discount event for dine-in and takeout right now, so it's even easier on the wallet.

Atmosphere at Pasta Go Hongdae Branch and who it suits

Pasta Go Hongdae Branch is clean and casual, so it's easy to recommend as a Hongdae date spot too. I could see why students, office workers, couples and families all visit.

• If you're looking for a good pasta restaurant in Hongdae
• If you want a comfortable meal with a child
• If you want tasty pasta without worrying about the price

I'd really recommend Pasta Go to these people. Chewy gnocchi, rich risotto, and a baby who ate happily too made it a satisfying meal. Next time I'm in Hongdae, I definitely want to try the other pasta dishes.