Pocheon lakeside Italian restaurant with puff-bread pasta: From Italy

This was actually my first time visiting Gomo-ri Reservoir while traveling around Pocheon. While looking for a good date spot near Gomo-ri with a nice atmosphere, I found a place where both the food and the space were beautiful. From Italy had that old-world, antique charm the moment I stepped in — I loved it.

Where From Italy is and when it opens

• 669 Jugyeopsan-ro, Sohol-eup, Pocheon-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea
• Hours 11:00–20:40 (break time Wed/Thu/Fri 15:30–17:00 / L.O. 20:00)
• Closed every Monday and Tuesday

I was hoping to try something a bit different from an ordinary pasta, so seeing the menu got me even more excited.

From Italy has actually been featured on TV as a great date spot. The owner-chef, who used to work at a 5-star hotel in Seoul, developed the menu himself, so I had high expectations for the food.

Inside From Italy near Gomo-ri Reservoir: an antique European look

The first thing that caught my eye when I arrived was the antique building and atmosphere. The brick exterior alone brings to mind an old European mansion, and that feeling only gets stronger once you step inside.

Inside, classic furniture, decorative pieces and warm lighting all come together in harmony. It has a distinctly different charm from the clean, modern restaurants you see everywhere these days.

Antique little pieces are tucked in everywhere, so it felt like I'd been invited into a pretty European space just to have a meal. Maybe it was the atmosphere, but I felt happy the moment I sat down! I think I chose well for a Pocheon restaurant.

Seating on two floors and the garden — book ahead on weekends

From Italy is spread across two floors, so the space feels fairly roomy, and after eating you can also walk around the garden outside the building.

On a nice day the pretty garden makes a great photo backdrop, and I could see why it's such a popular date spot. Reservation guests kept streaming in around lunchtime, so I'd really recommend booking ahead if you're visiting on a weekend.

What we ordered at From Italy and what it cost

The menu at From Italy, a favorite in Gomo-ri, was pretty varied. We went with individual dishes.

• Gebawi pasta ₩29,000
• Half-and-half pizza ₩34,000 — rocket smoked salmon / margherita
• Ade ₩7,000 × 2 — lemon & grapefruit

First came the pre-meal bread. It was squid ink ciabatta, long-fermented, so the texture was chewy and delicious. Definitely got the appetite going.

Gebawi pasta, 29,000 won: how to smash the puff bread

And then, the gebawi pasta. This was the dish I was most looking forward to — a real Pocheon-date-worthy visual. There's what looks like a giant black rock sitting on top of the pasta, and it really does look like an actual stone. But that's gonggalppang (hollow puff bread)! On top of that, baby crab and flying fish roe steal the show too!

The moment this dish lands on the table, everyone's eyes are drawn to it because of that unusual look. The way you're supposed to eat it is fun too — you smash the gonggalppang on top and mix it in with the pasta.

Eating the nutty, crispy gonggalppang together with the pasta is such a unique combination! The soft noodles plus the crunch of the bread made for a really fun bite. If you're looking for a distinctive pasta place in Pocheon, this is it!

Have you ever seen a pasta dish with a visual like this anywhere else? This is a pasta at From Italy, a favorite spot in Gomo-ri, that really pulled it off.

Thanks to this dish, we got to enjoy a slightly more special date in Pocheon with a lot of laughing.

The cream sauce is generous too, and it's not overly heavy — an easy pasta to enjoy without feeling weighed down. My companion loved the sauce so much they practically scraped the plate clean.

Thanks to this gebawi pasta, we got to enjoy our meal at this lovely Gomo-ri restaurant in a fun, and even more delicious, way!

Half-and-half pizza, 34,000 won: rocket smoked salmon and margherita

The half-and-half pizza came with a choice of toppings, and we picked the refreshing rocket smoked salmon alongside the savory, fresh margherita. I thought both were an absolutely can't-go-wrong combo.

The rocket smoked salmon slice has a lot piled on top, so toppings can fall off — I'd recommend rolling it up to eat. The margherita was a bit easier to handle.

The pickles at From Italy are homemade and clean-tasting, so even someone like me who doesn't usually go for pickles kept reaching for more while eating the pizza.

Lemon ade vs grapefruit ade at From Italy

The ade paired well with the food too, so for those of us visiting Pocheon on a trip, it was totally fine not to go with wine. Personally, I thought the grapefruit was tastier than the lemon.

Final verdict: is From Italy worth a Pocheon date course?

From Italy was a place where the joy came from enjoying a meal in a beautiful space. The old-world, antique interior combined with the pretty garden makes it a great fit for a Pocheon date course, and what really stuck with me was the unique menu you won't easily find elsewhere. If you don't want to compromise on either atmosphere or menu for a pasta restaurant in Gomo-ri, this is a Pocheon restaurant I'd wholeheartedly recommend. For a Pocheon date, go with From Italy ♥️