Namyangju Italian restaurant, weekday lunch window seat: Romaok

I visited Romaok Riverside, a Namyangju restaurant I'd been wanting to try, for a rare date with my husband, just the two of us.

It's an Italian restaurant where you can enjoy a hanok-motif building, a wide courtyard, and Han River views all together. The atmosphere is special enough that it suits not just a Namyangju date or drive, but also family meals with kids or an anniversary dinner.

Romaok Riverside basics: reservations and parking

• 📍 Address: 16-13 Gangbyeonbuk-ro632beon-gil, Namyangju-si, Gyeonggi-do
• ⏰️ Hours: Daily 11:00–21:30 / Break time 15:00–17:00 / Last order 14:00, 20:30
• ✔️ Reservations: Available via Naver Reservation
• 🚗 Parking: Namyangju Han River Sports Park public parking lot right in front (1 hour free)
• ✔️ Amenities: Baby chairs, separate men's/women's restrooms, groups welcome

We booked ahead through Naver, and they assigned us a window seat. Even on a weekday lunch the tables were nearly full, so I'd recommend reserving in advance if you want a window seat.

For parking, the Namyangju Han River Sports Park public lot right in front of the restaurant gives you 1 hour free. The restaurant and parking lot are close together, so getting around was easy. The parking fee was cheap too, so even if we went over the free hour it wasn't a burden.

A Namyangju restaurant defined by its hanok and wide courtyard

As soon as we arrived at Romaok Riverside, the wide courtyard and hanok-style building caught my eye.

The traditional hanok mood combined with modern interior touches gave it a feel that was clearly different from a typical Italian restaurant. It was charming even in daylight, but I imagine visiting in the evening, when the lights come on in the courtyard, would be even more romantic.

My husband and I hadn't been out just the two of us in a while, so we took our time eating, and the atmosphere made me glad I'd chosen it as our Namyangju date spot.

First-floor restaurant and second-floor Han River view café

The first floor is a dining space for Italian food and wine, and there's a café on the second floor.

We didn't use the café, but we went up to the second floor after our meal. The Han River view through the window was so pretty that it felt a shame just to look and head back down.

Enjoying coffee and dessert after a meal here would make for a relaxed time in one spot.

The outdoor space was great too — you can enjoy brunch and coffee while looking out at the Han River, which makes it a good fit for anyone hunting for a Namyangju café as well.

Menu overview and what we ordered

Romaok Riverside is apparently a place where you can taste Italian cuisine from a chef who trained at a Michelin two-star restaurant in Italy.

Take a look at the menu 👇

So many things looked delicious that we agonized for a while, finally landing on pine nut caprese, truffle ragu pasta, and gorgonzola pizza.

When you order, they bring out a green onion ciabatta as pre-meal bread, one per person.

The green onion flavor wasn't overpowering, and the ciabatta kept its characteristic light, chewy texture. It was nice to nibble on before the mains arrived — this wasn't just an ordinary pre-meal bread, it was genuinely tasty and memorable.

While we were eating the bread, everything else arrived. A perfect spread, complete with the green view 💚

The pine nut caprese I have to recommend

The tastiest dish we had that day was the pine nut caprese.

Caprese itself is a familiar dish, but adding nutty pine nuts gave it a distinctive flavor I hadn't tasted anywhere else. My husband, who doesn't usually go for vegetable salads or cheese, said it was delicious and that he'd buy this cheese and sauce if they sold it!

It really showed off Romaok Riverside's own character, so if it's your first visit, I'd strongly recommend ordering the pine nut caprese.

Truffle ragu pasta

The truffle ragu pasta pairs a rich ragu sauce with truffle aroma.

The sauce coated the noodles well and it was reliably good. It doesn't seem like a dish that would split opinion much, which makes it a solid, filling main.

Sweet, soft gorgonzola pizza

The gorgonzola pizza comes topped with ricotta mousse, béchamel cream, and cranberries, served with honey on the side.

The soft, nutty flavor combined with the sweetness of the cranberries and honey made it easy to enjoy. It was a good combo to share alongside the pasta, and it seemed like it would pair nicely with wine too.

Overall the food was clean and delicious, and blending authentic Italian cooking with Korean ingredients gave it a taste that was familiar yet distinctive!

Good points for visiting with kids

This time it was just my husband and me, but baby chairs are available, so it seemed like a good spot to bring kids too. With a Naver Reservation, you can also get a free mushroom cream risotto coupon for little ones. It's provided one per child for ages 12 to 72 months, and can be used when ordering alongside another menu item.

Going to an Italian restaurant with a kid usually means worrying over what they'll eat, so having a dedicated kids' menu felt thoughtful. With the wide courtyard too, I'd love to come back with the kids next time.

Romaok Riverside: final thoughts

• The atmosphere blending hanok and Han River views is special.
• The pine nut caprese and green onion ciabatta were especially delicious.
• Recommended as a Namyangju date or anniversary meal spot.
• Good for visiting with kids, thanks to baby chairs and the kids' risotto.
• Next time I want to go back in the evening when the lights come on.

Romaok Riverside, a Namyangju spot that let my husband and I spend some rare, relaxed time together — it's a place I'd want to visit again for its delicious Italian food, hanok atmosphere, and beautiful Han River view all in one. Next time, I want to visit at sunset with the kids for a meal, and enjoy coffee at the second-floor café too.