Brunch in Sangmu, Gwangju with Mom: basil margherita pizza, Bueokgan

These days, good food matters, but so does finding a place where you can eat unhurried and enjoy the atmosphere too. For brunch especially, I'd rather go somewhere the food comes out clean and the space looks pretty, over somewhere too casual — it just puts me in a better mood. This time I went to Bueokgan Sangmu Branch, known as a brunch spot in Sangmu-jigu.

Bueokgan Sangmu Branch

• 📍 Location: 25 Seogwangju-ro, Seo-gu, Gwangju, South Korea, 1st floor
• ⏰ Hours: 11:00-22:00
• 📚 Info: Private parking lot available

Parking and atmosphere at Bueokgan Sangmu Branch

Bueokgan Sangmu Branch has its own private parking lot, which makes it convenient for group get-togethers too. The vibe is clean but not overly formal, so it's easy to just sit down and eat comfortably. It felt like a good spot to visit on a day you want to start with a leisurely brunch.

The atmosphere also suited food photos well, so it was easy to get nice shots of the menu.

These days I think about the space's atmosphere as much as the taste of the food when picking a good restaurant, and on that front this place scored high.

The menu lineup my 60-something mom picked from without hesitation

Sangmu-jigu brunch — Bueokgan Sangmu Branch

There's a set menu that's just right for two, and a family set for visiting with the whole family. With pizza and pasta as well as pilaf and risotto on the menu, even my mom, in her 60s, ordered without hesitating at all. We settled on kungpao chicken pilaf and basil margherita pizza.

The food came out pretty quickly. Since both dishes arrived together, it was even easier to share.

How the basil margherita pizza at Bueokgan tastes

A margherita pizza is basically just tomato, cheese, and basil — but you know how, with such simple ingredients, if the overall balance is off, it just doesn't taste good? Bueokgan's margherita pizza had dough and toppings that came together well, so it wasn't overwhelming from the first bite. In particular, the tomato's brightness and the cheese's savoriness flowed into each other naturally.

On top of that, the basil aroma kicked in and lifted the whole wood-fired pizza's flavor even further, haha.

I liked that the basil wasn't so strong it covered up the other flavors — it just came through gently between the tomato and cheese. Even as someone with a sweet tooth, I happily ate three slices, and honestly I was proud of myself for staying in control, haha.

Is the kungpao chicken pilaf spicy?

The kungpao chicken pilaf at Bueokgan, a well-known brunch spot in Sangmu-jigu, looked different from a typical pilaf right from the start. With a whole chicken leg sitting on top of the rice, it looked like a pretty hearty dish at a glance.

One bite in, the rice was well seasoned with that distinctive kungpao savoriness and a mild hint of spice. It wasn't just heavily seasoned fried rice — the flavors of several ingredients blended together, making it the kind of dish you keep reaching back for.

Especially when I ate the chicken together with the rice — the combination was!! Amazing,,🤍 The chicken itself was fairly plain, so paired with the well-seasoned pilaf, the balance of flavors worked really well. Despite the name 'kungpao,' it wasn't sharp or overly spicy. But it wasn't bland either, so if you usually enjoy spicy food, I think you'd like this a lot.

Personally, the kungpao chicken pilaf was the most satisfying dish out of everything we ordered that day. Having a rice dish meant that, even paired with pizza, the meal felt hearty and filling, and it was also easy for the two of us to share.

If you're looking for a nice-atmosphere place for a date in Sangmu-jigu, or a relaxed brunch spot in Sangmu-jigu to sit and eat slowly with a friend, I think this place is worth a visit at least once. If you want good food and a pretty atmosphere together, I'd recommend Bueokgan Sangmu Branch.