Salt bread at a Gimpo café near Yangchon Station: The Nillai

I visited The Nillai, a brunch café well known as a Gimpo restaurant. With the weather so nice, I stopped by for a light brunch before heading to Ganghwa Island. Hearing that it's run directly by a chef from the 63 Building, I went in with high expectations.

Today's pick at The Nillai

The space is pretty, but after actually eating there, the food was what stuck with me most at this Gimpo restaurant, The Nillai.

The Nillai location, hours and parking near Yangchon Station

The Nillai is at 80 Yangchonyeok-gil, Yangchon-eup, Gimpo-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea, G floor. It's a 3-minute walk from Yangchon Station Exit 1. Hours are Mon–Fri 10:00–20:00 (break time 15:30–16:30), Sat–Sun 10:00–21:00. Parking is available too.

Being so close to Yangchon Station made it easy to find, and the building was huge — it caught my eye right away. The parking lot was spacious too, making it a great spot for family gatherings or a Gimpo drive date, another reason it's popular as a Gimpo restaurant.

How big is this Gimpo café?

The Nillai is a large Gimpo café located in the basement, but the building sits on a slight slope, so the front of the café is wide open — it barely felt like a basement at all.

Walking in, the high ceilings and pretty lighting caught my eye — each light fixture looked almost like a piece of art.

The Nillai menu and prices

• Truffle mushroom pizza with lychee cream ₩23,000
• Lychee cream pepperoni pizza ₩22,000
• Prosciutto & arugula pizza ₩24,000
• Rich truffle cream risotto ₩18,900
• Shrimp rosé risotto ₩18,900
• Americano ₩6,000
• Nillai gold rice latte ₩7,000

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The water-view space that feels like a resort

Heading to the right of the main floor, I found a whole different atmosphere.

With water and plants blended together, it felt like being at a resort or a vacation spot — almost like eating brunch beside a pool.

This section is run as a no-kids zone, so I could enjoy the meal at a more relaxed pace.

The media art room at The Nillai

There's also a media art space toward the back of the café.

With the visuals constantly changing, it seemed like it would be fun for kids to watch if visiting as a family, and it was nice to have something different to look at while having coffee or a meal.

With seats facing the media art space or the outside view, I could see why this Gimpo restaurant draws so many families.

* Care-kids zone – media room etiquette: The media room is meant for quiet viewing, so please keep kids from running around.

What's in The Nillai bakery case

On one side, the bakery display was impossible to walk past.

One corner of the café also sells The Nillai's own goods, many with cute characters.

How often do you really get to taste food from a chef who came from the 63 Building? That's what made me even more excited to visit The Nillai. At the bakery counter, I picked a few of the most basic items to try first.

There's a self-service corner, so you can comfortably pack up any leftover bread.

Potato sausage salt bread

The potato sausage salt bread was really good — the mashed potato paired well with the sausage, and together with the salty bread it was delicious.

The soft sweetness of the potato and the saltiness of the sausage worked well together, making it great for brunch.

Cube plain bread (saengsik bread), soft all the way through

The cube-shaped plain bread was softer than I expected.

It had a moist, soft texture like milk bread, so it was delicious even on its own — but spread with the strawberry jam that came with it, it was even better, with a sweet touch that suited it well.

Truffle quattro mushroom pizza made by the 63 Building chef

And finally, the truffle quattro mushroom pizza I'd been looking forward to arrived.

With a touch of lychee cream on top and drizzled with truffle oil, a gentle truffle scent rose up as soon as it arrived. Loaded generously with mushrooms and piled high with cheese, it looked delicious even before the first bite.

The first bite was really delicious. Pickles and hot sauce came alongside it, and pairing them cut through any richness.

Usually with pizza, two slices is my limit because it gets too rich — but that day I ate four slices of The Nillai's pizza. It was light yet savory, and I kept reaching for more.

At first I was just happy because the space was pretty, but once I actually ate the brunch, I understood why it's so well known as a Gimpo restaurant. Being run by a chef from 63, the food definitely exceeded expectations too.

Coffee that paired well with brunch

The Nillai says its coffee is made by credentialed professional baristas.

The coffee had a rich aroma and the roast level wasn't overwhelming, so it went well with brunch. After the delicious food and coffee, I felt properly full and ready before setting off for Ganghwa Island.

Is The Nillai worth a stop in Gimpo?

I first visited The Nillai thinking of it as just a large Gimpo café, but after eating there, the food ended up being more memorable than the space. From pizza to bakery to coffee, everything was tasty overall, making it a place I'd want to recommend to anyone looking for Gimpo restaurants. With sights like the media art and the water-view space, it was also great for enjoying a meal and café time all in one spot.

Even on a weekday, customers kept coming in, which showed me why it's so popular as a Gimpo restaurant. On weekends, it's probably best to arrive a bit early to grab a good seat and enjoy it at leisure. 😊 This time I tried the pizza and bakery, so next time I'd like to come back and try the pasta too — I already want to revisit The Nillai.