Haebangchon wine bar with a jelly bear cheese plate: Sugar Hill

Now that the muggy summer is over and the evenings are getting cool, Lulu and Pippi headed out for a date in Haebangchon's Sinheung Market, which is apparently the hot spot right now!! Even though it was a weekday Wednesday, I was surprised how many people were out.

There were so many good restaurants that I couldn't decide, but in the end we went to Sugar Hill, a wine bar in Haebangchon known for its great atmosphere!!

From the outdoor-market vibe that suits the night air, to the delicious steak, the unusual shell pasta, and the wine and cocktails, we really got the full experience!!

If you want to enjoy good food in a romantic atmosphere, I really recommend this place haha.

Sugar Hill

What is Sugar Hill? A wine bar inside Sinheung Market, Haebangchon

Sugar Hill is a cozy wine bar tucked away inside Sinheung Market in Haebangchon!

The exotic, vintage atmosphere unique to Sinheung Market really matched the sensibility of Sugar Hill!!

The space runs from the first to the third floor, and while it's not huge, every floor has its seats packed in nicely, which actually gave it more of a hideout feel!

You could feel the owner's taste and sense in the props, lighting, and interior placed throughout, and each floor had a slightly different mood, which made exploring fun!!

Sugar Hill's private third-floor room and two-seat terrace

In particular, the third floor of Sugar Hill apparently operates as a private room for dinners, birthdays, and small gatherings with loved ones.

You can enjoy the unique atmosphere of Haebangchon's Sinheung Market while dining privately, so it seemed great not just for birthday parties or small gatherings but even for a marriage-meeting spot!!

And personally, the space I was most impressed by was the little terrace-like seat on the third floor!! It's a cozy spot for just two people, and once the lights came on, the mood was so pretty ㅠㅠ You know that late-night convenience store 'truth chair' vibe? That's exactly it hahaha.

It felt like a secret little room for just the two of you to talk hahaha.

On a cool day, it's great for talking while feeling the outside air, so anyone looking for that outdoor-market feel in Haebangchon would really love it! It's also perfect for couples who want to have a heart-to-heart, so I'd definitely recommend it as a Haebangchon date spot!

What's in the Sugar Hill BTS Meal, and the price (₩105,000)

We sat on the first floor of Sugar Hill and ordered the special set menu, the 'BTS Meal' (₩105,000)! Here, BTS apparently stands for Bites · Tunes · Spirits.

The owner used to work in planning and marketing and took part in projects related to BTS the group, and this menu was apparently inspired by that experience!!

The BTS Meal comes with steak strips, Bodeumi shell pasta, a mini cheese plate, and two drinks, so it's a great set for two people to share.

First up: Juju's steak strips, cooked sous vide

Sugar Hill's Juju's steak strips are sous vide seared steak served with chef Juju's signature oregano sauce, and from the first bite I was surprised at how moist and tender the meat was!!

Maybe because it's sous vide, there was no toughness at all — the texture was so good it practically melted in your mouth haha.

It was easily one of the best steaks I've had recently, and we were both amazed the whole time we were eating it!! The combination of the finely chopped chives on top and the sauce was incredible!

The fragrant chives and the savory-salty sauce matched the steak so perfectly that no other sauce was needed at all.

It kept the flavor of the meat itself while adding even more umami, so we savored it down to the last piece!! Ah, I want to eat it again ㅠㅠㅠㅠ (I'll come again, chef hahaha)

Bodeumi shell pasta: the dish that turned heads first

Next came Sugar Hill's Bodeumi shell pasta, which had us curious just from looking at it!

Instead of the usual long noodles, it was shaped like a big shell, which immediately grabbed my attention. When I first saw it, it kind of looked like a fried tofu pouch rice ball (?) haha. The shape was so unexpected that it was even more interesting!

Inside the shell was packed with cheese, with a rich tomato sauce underneath — the softly baked pasta and the tangy tomato sauce went really well together.

But the real highlight was the savory cheese packed inside!! Even to my palate as a self-proclaimed cheese expert haha, the cheese flavor came through richly and I was very satisfied.

It's not just a menu with a unique shape — the taste is on point too, so I'd recommend it to anyone looking for a different kind of pasta at a Sinheung Market restaurant!

White wine and the Obok cocktail to go with the food

Delicious food like this obviously needs drinks to go with it haha. Pairing the steak and shell pasta with white wine really brought out that Haebangchon wine bar mood!!

What I especially loved was Sugar Hill's signature cocktail, Obok! Made with omija (schisandra berry), bokbunja (black raspberry), and gin, you first get a bright, sweet-tart flavor, and then a subtle boozy note comes up at the end — the overall balance was really good!!

It wasn't very bitter, so I think even people who aren't great with alcohol could enjoy it fairly comfortably!

The white wine went down clean and crisp too, pairing well with both the steak and the shell pasta. The bright, sweet Obok cocktail and the clean white wine each had their own charm, so it was fun switching between the two!!

The cute detail: seven jelly bears on Sugar Hill's mini cheese plate

Last was Sugar Hill's mini cheese plate, great to enjoy with wine! There were many kinds of cheese, but one with what seemed like a slightly spicy pepper mixed in was distinctive and delicious. True to a Haebangchon wine bar, even the cheese was excellent, so I was fully satisfied right to the end!

And if you look closely, there are seven jelly bears placed on the cheese plate — apparently the seven jelly bears represent BTS the group, which I found so cute haha. From the name 'BTS Meal' to the menu composition to these little details, the way the story carries through was part of what makes Sugar Hill unique!

Jazz and soft lighting: is Sugar Hill a good Haebangchon date spot?

The food was great, but the atmosphere is something you can't leave out at Sugar Hill!! Apparently the chef has quite a knack for jazz music, and maybe that's why every song playing in the restaurant matched the space so well.

Soft lighting, moody music, plus delicious food and wine — it's perfect for setting a date mood!! Especially if you visit on a blind date or with a partner, the romantic atmosphere would really do a lot of the work haha.

Spend time together in an atmosphere like this and you might just fall even more in love with each other...♥ If you're looking for a great Haebangchon wine bar or a special date spot in Sinheung Market, I recommend Sugar Hill!!