Railside Window Sitter · 9 stories

Window Seat on the Nakdong Line, Busan and Daegu Cafes and Lunches

Writes about cafes and restaurants visited around Busan, Gyeongnam, Daegu and Gyeongbuk. · Writes about: Restaurants · Cafés

PlaceDongnae, BusanRestaurants

Octopus & pork BBQ in Dongnae, Busan: perilla-leaf wraps, Daepagajoa

Daepagajoa Busan Dongnae Branch is a Korean BBQ restaurant in Myeongnyun-dong, Dongnae, Busan, serving jjusam (thin-sliced pork belly with webfoot octopus). At Daepagajoa, the jjusam with large pieces of octopus was wrapped in perilla leaves with mayonnaise, eaten alongside steamed egg and doenjang (soybean paste) stew, and finished with udon noodles stir-fried in the leftover sauce. The generous octopus portion and the perilla-leaf wraps made this Dongnae jjusam meal especially satisfying.

Written Oct 22, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSuyeong, BusanCafés

Gwangalli brunch café: Dukes Market Blend latte & salad, Famous Benny

Famous Benny Gwangalli Branch is a brunch café in Millak-dong, Suyeong-gu, Busan, serving Australian-style brunch and Dukes Coffee from 8am. The writer had The Famous Benny Salmon (a croissant topped with salmon, a poached egg and avocado), ham & cheese toast, a house salad, a strawberry latte and a Dukes Coffee Market Blend latte in a bright, sunlit space. For anyone weighing menu combinations, coffee and atmosphere together, Famous Benny Gwangalli Branch is worth a look.

Written Oct 21, 2026Sponsored
PlaceYangsan, GyeongnamCafés

Bakery near Busan in Yangsan: baguette and chou blanc to go at Choi

Choi (CHOi) Main Branch is a large bakery café in Dongmyeon, Yangsan, Gyeongnam, near Hopo Station, run in the former Haewoldang (해월당) spot and known for its Nakdong River sunsets. A regular since the Haewoldang days took home 7 breads from Choi: galette, pain au chocolat, chou blanc, croissant, myeongran baguette (pollock roe baguette), baguette and mocha bun. Choi in Yangsan is a bakery café near Busan remembered as much for its bread as for its Nakdong River sunset views.

Written Oct 9, 2026Sponsored
PlaceDongnae, BusanRestaurants

Dongnae brunch café: oil pasta and scotch egg brunch at Sasaenghwal

Sasaenghwal (사생활) is a Western-style brunch café on Yeogo-ro in Dongnae, Busan. After repeated recommendations from friends, the writer ordered Sasaenghwal's countryside oil pasta, a scotch egg brunch, a hot café latte and a hot Americano, and found a wait and plenty of families and couples on dates. Verdict: the countryside oil pasta with pork belly and garlic scapes was memorable enough to explain why everyone recommends Sasaenghwal.

Written Oct 8, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGyeongju, GyeongbukRestaurants

Gyeongju restaurant: Margherita pizza and sauced cutlet, Midam Kitchen

Midam Kitchen is a newly opened Western restaurant on Hwangnidang-gil in Gyeongju, serving pizza, pasta, pork cutlet, risotto and salads. On a family visit, Toowoomba pasta, a giant pork loin cutlet and a Margherita pizza were shared; the kids loved the big cutlet served with sauce poured over, while the adults favored the Margherita pizza piled with arugula. For a family meal on Hwangnidang-gil, Midam Kitchen's Margherita pizza and giant cutlet make a recommended pairing.

Written Oct 6, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGyeongju, GyeongbukRestaurants

Mother-of-pearl decor Korean restaurant in Gyeongju Bomun: Hyoeunok

Hyoeunok Gyeongju Branch is a beef short rib hot pot restaurant near Bomun Lake Resort in Gyeongju, known for its mother-of-pearl interior and Ppyeoberest, a mountain-high pile of beef short ribs. On a weekday evening, a family ate Ppyeoberest in order (short ribs, then shabu-shabu, kalguksu noodles and gondre porridge), and the tender, odor-free meat made the kids name Hyoeunok the best meal of their Gyeongju trip. Verdict: a satisfying family dinner in Gyeongju with children.

Written Oct 4, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGyeongju, GyeongbukRestaurants

Family-friendly Gyeongju Korean restaurant: Jeju cutlassfish at Tobagi

Tobagi Sikdang (토박이식당) is a Korean set-meal restaurant specializing in cutlassfish, on Bukgun-gil in Gyeongju, Gyeongbuk. On a Gyeongju trip with kids, the writer ordered boneless Jeju cutlassfish for two, stone pot rice and abalone soft tofu stew. The boneless cutlassfish meant the children ate comfortably, and the stone pot rice nurungji (scorched rice) and about 10 side dishes made it a generous spread. For a cutlassfish meal with kids and no bones to worry about in Gyeongju, Tobagi Sikdang is a solid choice.

Written Oct 4, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGyeongju, GyeongbukCafés

Gyeongju walnut pastry shop for a drip coffee breakfast: Buja Hodu

Buja Hodu (부자호두) is a walnut pastry shop near Hwangnidan-gil in Gyeongju, Gyeongbuk, selling hodu-gwaja (walnut pastries) filled with large whole walnuts and low-sugar red bean, pea cream cheese or matcha. The writer chose a 24-piece mix for 27,000 won (12 red bean, 6 pea cream cheese, 6 matcha), compared each flavor, and had Buja Hodu walnut pastries with drip coffee as breakfast the next morning. Verdict: the big, nutty walnuts make Buja Hodu a satisfying travel snack and gift.

Written Oct 3, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGyeongju, GyeongbukCafés

Gyeongju café with a cosmos terrace and tree-view second floor: Yard

Yard is a café on the main road by Gyeongju World in Bomun-danji, Gyeongju, where cosmos flowers bloom out front in autumn. At Yard, the writer had a hot americano, an iced vanilla bean latte, a yogurt mango smoothie and a slice of fig Earl Grey cake on the first-floor front terrace facing the cosmos, then took in the trees and cosmos through the windows of the no-kids second floor. On a fine day, Yard's first-floor front terrace is the seat to pick at this autumn café in Gyeongju.

Written Oct 2, 2026Sponsored
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