Upstairs Notebook · 8 stories

Second Shelf, Seoul-Gyeonggi Restaurants, Cafes and Bars

Notes on restaurants, cafes, and bars across Seoul and Gyeonggi, written after ordinary visits. · Writes about: Restaurants · Bars · Cafés

PlaceSeongnam, GyeonggiRestaurants

Namwirye shabu-shabu buffet: beef chuck only for a dieter, Dadam

Dadam Shabu Shabu & Wolnamssam Wirye Branch (다담샤브샤브&월남쌈 위례점) is an all-you-can-eat shabu-shabu restaurant on the 3rd floor of G&G Plaza near Namwirye Station in Seongnam, Gyeonggi. On a third visit to Dadam, the writer paired the seafood and spicy broths, stuck to beef chuck for a dining companion on a diet, and finished with ice cream instead of kalguksu or porridge. With a waterside park view, a fresh self-serve bar and shabu-shabu takeout priced by weight, Dadam Wirye is a dependable shabu-shabu pick near Namwirye Station.

Written Jun 16, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSeongnam, GyeonggiRestaurants

Pangyo pork BBQ: Korean vs Iberico neck, cheonggukjang, Dwaeji Mansion

Dwaeji Mansion Pangyo Avenue France Branch is a pork BBQ restaurant on the first floor of Pangyo Avenue France in Pangyo, Seongnam, serving both domestic Korean pork (han-don) and Spanish Iberico. On a weekend evening, two pork-neck lovers ordered one serving each of han-don Insaeng Moksal (150g, ₩18,000) and Iberico thick-cut neck (150g, ₩21,000), and especially enjoyed the thick-cut neck, which the staff grill and rest at the table, and the rich cheonggukjang (fermented soybean stew, ₩9,000). If you want to try both han-don and Iberico pork neck in one meal, Dwaeji Mansion Pangyo Avenue France Branch is a great choice.

Written Jul 5, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGwangju, GyeonggiRestaurants

Gwangju Korean BBQ: straw-seared black pork family set, Surelsil Bonga

Surelsil Bonga (수레실본가) is a Korean BBQ restaurant in Neungpyeong-dong, Gwangju, Gyeonggi, serving straw-seared black pork ogyeopsal (five-layer pork belly), beef makchang (grilled beef intestine) and chicken stew cooked in a cast-iron lid. Two people ordered the Bonga Family Set for 3–4 people at 5 p.m. on a weekday and had pork belly, beef makchang and pork skin grilled over fresh binchotan charcoal, with kimchi stew and rice the owner couple grew themselves. With a large parking lot and a terrace, Surelsil Bonga is a solid choice for a weekend family meal or a group dinner.

Written Jul 6, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGwangju, GyeonggiRestaurants

Gonjiam Korean restaurant: Sunday last order, ₩40,000 for two, Oneuldo

Oneuldo Utja Chowol (오늘도웃자 초월) is a Korean restaurant in Chowol-eup, Gwangju, Gyeonggi, specializing in kimchi jjigae (kimchi stew) and duruchigi (spicy stir-fry). On a fourth visit, two people walked in on a Sunday evening just before last order and shared 3 servings: pork duruchigi for two, kimchi jjigae sotbap (hot-pot rice) for one, an extra pot of rice and ramyeon noodles, for ₩40,000 in total. Oneuldo Utja Chowol suits anyone near Gonjiam who wants meat-packed, home-style cooking at a good price.

Written Jul 8, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGwangju, GyeonggiCafés

Gonjiam bakery café open until 10 pm: watermelon bingsu, La Cuesta

La Cuesta Gwangju is a large bakery café near Hwadam Forest in Gonjiam, Gwangju (Gyeonggi), open until 10 pm. After a late dinner, the writer visited La Cuesta Gwangju an hour before closing and had the summer-only snowflake watermelon bingsu (shaved ice dessert, ₩17,000), the La Cuesta latte (₩7,800), a custard cream bun and a chocolate baked treat, and more bread was still left than expected at that hour. La Cuesta Gwangju is a good café for a late dessert after a drive or a day at Hwadam Forest.

Written Jul 12, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGwacheon, GyeonggiRestaurants

Gwacheon duck BBQ leaner than beef brisket, couple course: Deo Chadol

Deo Chadol (더차돌) is a duck BBQ restaurant on Dwitgol 2-ro in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi, near Seoul Land, specialising in grilled duck brisket and marinated raw duck jumulleok. Arriving around 6pm on a weekday with no wait, the writer had the ₩55,000 couple course of duck brisket BBQ (200g), marinated raw duck jumulleok (300g), doenjang (soybean paste) stew and self-made fried rice for one, and found the duck brisket leaner than beef brisket with no gamey smell. Deo Chadol is best enjoyed by ordering the course that matches your group size first, then adding à la carte dishes if needed.

Written Jul 20, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSeongnam, GyeonggiRestaurants

Pangyo pasta restaurant with anchovy oil pasta for beginners: Andover

Andover is a pasta and Western restaurant on Pangyoyeok-ro 10beon-gil in Bundang-gu, Seongnam, Gyeonggi. On a weekday after work, the writer and her boyfriend arrived at 6 PM as Andover's first customers and ordered whole tomato marinade with ricotta (₩15,000), Andover anchovy pasta (₩21,000) and shrimp bisque pasta (₩26,000), plus 3 slices of baguette. Andover makes its own sauces and keeps the flavors mild, making it an easy Pangyo pasta pick for anchovy beginners, dates and meals with kids.

Written Jul 27, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSeongnam, GyeonggiRestaurants

Seongnam bossam restaurant with free kalguksu: Bossam Ae Kalguksu

Bossam Ae Kalguksu (보쌈애칼국수) Seongnam Eunhaeng is a Korean restaurant in Eunhaeng-dong, Jungwon-gu, Seongnam, on the road up to Namhansanseong, serving gabrisal (pork jowl-neck cut) bossam (boiled pork) and kalguksu (knife-cut noodle soup). On a weekday visit at 7 pm, the 2-person bossam set came with kalguksu, plus an added handmade sujebi (hand-torn dough) portion; the thin gabrisal slices had a great fat-to-lean balance and the noodles were generous. At 37,000 won for bossam for two with kalguksu, Bossam Ae Kalguksu is a great-value pick for a family meal.

Written Jul 28, 2026Sponsored
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