Hapjeong Station Italian restaurant for a date: Hongdae Hwadeok Pizza

Looking for a restaurant near Hapjeong Station for a blind date, and craving Western food? How about Hongdae Hwadeok Pizza?

A close friend of mine got pregnant, and we were looking for somewhere quiet near Hongik University or Hapjeong Station — somewhere with a nice atmosphere, easy to talk in, and good for a date or blind date. That's how we ended up at Hongdae Hwadeok Pizza.

The place has been around since 2012, which apparently means plenty of people still come for the pizza and pasta, so I was curious what the fuss was about. My friend, who's had bad morning sickness, ate so well she said she'd want to come back whenever she craves Western food, and honestly the pizza and pasta stuck in my head for days afterward — a genuinely good restaurant near Hapjeong Station.

Hongdae Hwadeok Pizza hours and what the room feels like

Hongdae Hwadeok Pizza is closed every Tuesday, open the rest of the week from 11:30 AM to 10 PM. There's a break time from 3:30 to 4:30 PM, so it's best to avoid visiting then, and last order is at 9:30 PM.

Walking in, the place was full of wood-tone tables and chairs with soft yellow lighting, and photos decorating the walls — it felt warm and cozy overall.

It's not the kind of chaotic space where sound bounces around like a cave and you can't hear the person across from you — so if you're looking for a date spot or need somewhere for a blind date around Hapjeong Station, it seemed like a good fit for talking and eating slowly.

With wine props and exposed brick as part of the interior, it felt almost like an old European restaurant — the kind of place you'd want to visit when craving Western food. The tables weren't packed tightly together either, so we could eat comfortably without worrying about the next table.

My friend and I each had different things we wanted to eat, but the Western menu had so many good-looking options that we had trouble deciding. In the end we went safe and picked the best-selling wood-fired pizza and pasta, plus two glasses of ade.

Orange ade and grapefruit ade made with fresh fruit

It happened to be over 30 degrees that day, so the moment we got to this restaurant near Hapjeong Station, thirsty, we went straight for something to drink. Since the ade is made by the owner hand-prepping fresh fruit, I went with orange and my friend chose grapefruit.

Compared to ades heavy on syrup, this had a clean, natural fruit tartness that didn't taste artificial at all — really good. And since wine is also on offer, it seemed like a nice option for pairing a glass with pizza and pasta on an evening date or blind date.

Gamberi Crema shrimp cream pasta, penne or spaghetti

Hongdae Hwadeok Pizza simmers its own tomato and cream sauces, so between cream, oil, and tomato bases there was plenty of choice when craving Western food. Ours had a slight kick of spice that kept it from feeling heavy, and with cheese piled on and melted under the wood-fired oven's high heat, the shrimp and mushroom aroma came through strongly while the cream sauce stayed smooth.

You can also choose penne or spaghetti noodles, which is handy if you're worried about sauce splashing on your clothes or the awkwardness of twirling noodles on a date or blind date — penne solves that. Catching up with my friend, hearing how she'd been and whether pregnancy had been hard on her, an hour flew by before we knew it.

The owner happened to pass by our table, noticed the shrimp cream pasta had gone cold, and thoughtfully offered to reheat it for us. Thanks to that, we got to finish it warm again, scraping up every last bit of the cream sauce.

Quattro Stagioni pizza: four flavors, two slices each

Checking the menu, there was an option with four flavors, two slices each — perfect for two indecisive people like us. True to being a best-seller, it came with Quattro Formaggi, Croccante, Margherita, and Diavola, so between the two of us we got to try a slice of each.

I worried the cheese might cool down as we ate, but a candle warming it gently underneath kept it from stiffening. Natural mozzarella blended with high-quality Italian natural cheese, and each slice stretched with a satisfying cheese pull.

When the crust edges got a bit dry, dipping them in the honey they provided brought a sweetness that spread through the mouth, so I never got tired of it even to the last bite.

The pickles — radish and cucumber with natural spices — are made in-house too, and the crunchy texture went really well with the pizza.

72-hour fermented dough baked in a Vesuvius volcanic stone oven

What I was most looking forward to at this Hongdae Hwadeok Pizza spot was pizza baked fresh straight out of the wood-fired oven. The dough is hand-kneaded and aged for 72 hours to slowly ferment, then topped with tomato sauce, mozzarella, and various toppings before being fired quickly in an oven above 400 degrees.

On top of that, they use an oven built from volcanic stone brought in from Mount Vesuvius in Italy, so I was curious how different it would taste from pizza baked in a regular oven.

Trying it myself, the crust edge was fluffy yet chewy, and the base was carefully baked without any harsh burning or char marks. Inside, the sauce, toppings, and cheese came together so well that I kept reaching for more even when I was already full.

If you're looking for a place to bring family, meet coworkers, go on a blind date or a date, gather friends, or just want a Western restaurant with a bit of atmosphere, Hongdae Hwadeok Pizza — known as a solid restaurant near Hapjeong Station — is worth a visit for freshly baked wood-fired pizza and pasta, and a slow conversation over the meal.