Crossroads Lunch Goer · 104 stories

Lunch Along the Way

I write about restaurants I visit around Seoul. · Writes about: Restaurants · Cafés · Things to do · Hair & beauty salons · Bars · Shopping

PlaceJung-gu, SeoulShopping

Euljiro wine shop for a nephew's first-birthday label wine: Gaja Wine

Gaja Wine Euljiro is a liquor shop in the Euljiro Starmall underground arcade at Euljiro 1-ga Station in Jung-gu, Seoul, that makes custom wine labels from your own photos. For a nephew's first birthday (dol), the writer sent a GPT-made portrait of the nephew's family by Kakao link, was recommended Casa Palmera Reserve red wine to fit the tall vertical label, and picked it up in a gift case on the reserved day. If you want a first-birthday gift that stays on as a keepsake after the wine is gone, a Gaja Wine Euljiro custom-label wine is a great fit.

Written Oct 27, 2026Sponsored
PlaceEunpyeong, SeoulRestaurants

Eungam Station Korean BBQ: thick pork neck and grilled minari, Yukjjip

Yukjjip is a two-floor charcoal-grilled pork restaurant on Bulgwangcheon-gil near Eungam Station in Eunpyeong, Seoul. On a weeknight evening upstairs, the writer ordered Yukjjip's signature pork neck for two (34,000 won) with extra wild minari, and staff grilled the thick pork neck at the table to eat with white kimchi and sauces. For Korean BBQ near Eungam Station, Yukjjip's signature pork neck paired with grilled wild minari is well worth ordering.

Written Oct 27, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangnam, SeoulCafés

Takeout dessert shop in Apgujeong: fruit sando & egg tart, Donuts Yun

Donuts Yun Apgujeong is a dessert shop specializing in chapssal (glutinous rice) doughnuts and fruit sando (Japanese-style fruit cream sandwiches), near Exit 2 of Apgujeong Station in Gangnam, Seoul. The blogger took home a cream box of 9 cream doughnuts (₩17,000), an assorted fruit sando (₩8,700) and an egg tart, and enjoyed the chewy rice-dough shell, the soft cream and a fruit sando that never felt heavy. Donuts Yun Apgujeong is a handy stop for takeout desserts or a snack gift in Apgujeong.

Written Oct 27, 2026Sponsored
PlaceMapo, SeoulCafés

Spacious Yeonnam-dong café for working and tiramisu: Pip Espresso Bar

Pip Espresso Bar is an espresso bar in a standalone house on a side street near Gyeongui Line Forest Park in Yeonnam-dong, Mapo, Seoul. The writer ordered the tiramisu (₩7,500) and an iced americano, enjoyed the soft mascarpone cream with the clean, not-too-acidic americano, and found Pip Espresso Bar's widely spaced tables comfortable for a long stay. For working solo or chatting with friends for hours in Yeonnam-dong, Pip Espresso Bar is a great fit.

Written Jun 3, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSeodaemun, SeoulCafés

Yeonnam-dong bakery, no garlic baguette: walnut & jalapeño, Mandong

Mandong Jegwa Yeonnam Branch (만동제과 연남점) is a Yeonnam-dong bakery in Seoul famous for its garlic baguette. After missing the garlic baguette's baking time, the writer bought five other breads: walnut bread, fig campagne, jalapeño ciabatta, a rump bun and a rusk, priced from ₩1,500 to ₩5,800. The jalapeño ciabatta and the walnut bread topped with walnut soboro (crumble) stood out most. Even without the garlic baguette, Mandong Jegwa's other breads made the visit well worth it.

Written Jun 3, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSeodaemun, SeoulRestaurants

Sinchon Korean BBQ without the wait: 5 PM pork tray, Jjaengbanjip8292

Jjaengbanjip8292 Sinchon is a Korean BBQ restaurant serving tray set menus, in an alley across from U-Plex near Sinchon Station Exit 3 in Seodaemun, Seoul. After being turned away once by the wait, three women arrived early at 5 PM and shared the 600g pork tray (pork belly, pork neck, pork jowl and kkodeulsal, a chewy pork cut) plus doenjang malli bap (soybean paste rice roll). At Jjaengbanjip8292 Sinchon, one pork tray and one doenjang malli bap were enough for three to eat their fill and try several cuts.

Written Jun 4, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangnam, SeoulHair & beauty salons

Gangnam Station hair salon long layered C-curl, not slick perm: Heeol

Heeol Hair Gangnam Flagship Store (희올헤어 강남본점) is a hair salon on Bongeunsa-ro 4-gil near Gangnam Station in Seoul. The writer came in for a slick perm, but on designer Subin's advice had an old perm straightened, a layered cut and a long layered C-curl perm (long perm ₩250,000), which turned frizzy ends into a style with volume in every layer. For anyone wanting to turn heavy, flat long hair into a face-framing layered C-curl, Heeol Hair Gangnam Flagship Store was a satisfying choice.

Written Oct 26, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSeodaemun, SeoulCafés

Yeonhui-dong study café with decaf and ham-cheese sandwich: Der Stuhl

Der Stuhl Yeonhui (데스툴 연희) is a large café inspired by a German art school, on the second floor of a building down an alley in Yeonhui-dong, Seodaemun, Seoul. On a weekday afternoon the writer ordered a decaf Americano (6,000 won), fig pound cake (4,500 won) and a ham and cheese sandwich (8,500 won), and found a spacious room full of laptop workers, with some seats near power outlets. Der Stuhl Yeonhui is a Yeonhui-dong café with parking that suits long work sessions and a light meal.

Written Jun 6, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangnam, SeoulRestaurants

Sinnonhyeon brunch, apple butter jambon sandwich: The Mignon Seoul

The Mignon Seoul is a European-style Western restaurant on Gangnam-daero 102-gil, between Sinnonhyeon Station and Gangnam Station in Seoul. Two of us sat at a second-floor table for two, ordered on the table tablet, and shared the apple butter jambon open sandwich and the puttanesca pasta (19,000 won each). The jambon, apple and cheese pairing and the tangy, savory tomato pasta stood out. The Mignon Seoul is worth considering for a slightly special brunch or pasta near Gangnam Station.

Written Oct 22, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangnam, SeoulRestaurants

Apgujeongnodeo Station steak spot: wasabi pork neck, Eulji Darak

Eulji Darak Apgujeong Dosan Park (을지다락) is a Western restaurant on the 2nd floor of a building on Eonju-ro 168-gil, near Dosan Park in Apgujeong Rodeo, Gangnam, Seoul. At Eulji Darak, we shared a chopped pork neck steak (₩24,000) served with mashed potatoes and wasabi, and a flat carbonara (₩19,000), a thick, creamy pasta topped with a yolk to break over the sauce. Eulji Darak Dosan Park is a reasonably priced Western restaurant in Apgujeong for dates, blind dates and get-togethers.

Written Oct 22, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJongno, SeoulRestaurants

Jonggak diet restaurant, no break time: egg bomb & chicken oat, Wystab

Wystab Diet Gwanghwamun is a high-protein protein box and rice bowl restaurant on B1 of Le Meilleur Jongno Town near Jonggak Station in Jongno, Seoul, open weekdays 10:00–21:00 with no break time. The writer took out an Egg Bomb Protein Don (chicken, ₩9,900) and a Chicken Oat Protein Box (₩9,900) and reheated them at home; the Egg Bomb Protein Don felt like a proper meal rather than dry diet food, and the Chicken Oat Protein Box was filling with 52g of protein. Wystab Diet Gwanghwamun is worth recommending for office workers on a diet who find salad alone leaves them hungry, whether for lunch or a solo meal.

Written Oct 23, 2026Sponsored
PlaceEunpyeong, SeoulRestaurants

Solo donkatsu in Eungam-dong, Seoul: Bulgwangcheon Wang Donkatsu

Bulgwangcheon Wang Donkatsu (불광천왕돈까스) is an old-school, Western-style donkatsu (Korean pork cutlet) diner in Eungam-dong, Eunpyeong, Seoul, next to the Bulgwangcheon Rainbow Bridge near Saejeol Station. On a weekday morning visit, the writer ordered by QR code: the king donkatsu (₩13,000) and the cheese bomb fry + king donkatsu set (₩15,000), both served with a fried egg, cabbage salad, rice and stew. Bulgwangcheon Wang Donkatsu is a generous, filling Eungam-dong donkatsu spot that works well for solo meals and family dinners alike.

Written Oct 22, 2026Sponsored