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

PlaceDongnae, BusanRestaurants

Truffle scallion sauce BBQ near Dongnae Station: Sanseong Meat Shop

Sanseong Meat Shop Dongnae Main Branch is a Korean BBQ restaurant on Myeongnyun-ro near Dongnae Station in Busan, where staff grill the pork belly and nuruk-aged pork neck for you. The writer took a table for 3, ordered the B set (700g, ₩74,000) and the freshwater shrimp doenjang rice (soybean paste stew with rice), and liked the side dishes, especially the truffle scallion cream sauce, and the nuruk-aged pork neck most. With staff-grilled meat and private rooms, Sanseong Meat Shop is a solid Dongnae BBQ pick for a wedding invitation meetup.

Written Jun 9, 2026Sponsored
PlaceBusanjin, BusanRestaurants

Seomyeon pork galbi with friends: raw and marinated 800g, Gilchon

Gilchon Sutbul Galbi Seomyeon Main Branch is a charcoal-grill pork galbi restaurant near Seomyeon Station Exit 8 in Busan, serving raw and marinated pork galbi cut in-house from bone-in pork belly. At a dinner with friends we ordered the 800g large plate of raw pork galbi and the 800g large plate of marinated pork galbi, then finished with ₩2,900 steamed egg, ₩2,900 barley shrimp doenjang (soybean paste) stew and ₩6,900 half-and-half naengmyeon (cold noodles). At Gilchon Sutbul Galbi, the raw galbi dipped in shrimp sesame oil sauce was the standout, and the marinated galbi is not too sweet, so it never gets cloying.

Written Jun 10, 2026Sponsored
PlaceDongnae, BusanRestaurants

Brunch spot near Dongnae Market: buffalo wings for two, Sasaenghwal

Sasaenghwal (사생활) Dongnae is a brunch and Western restaurant on the second floor of a building near Dongnae Market in Busan, with a wide menu that runs from salad bowls, pasta, pizza and katsu to highballs. On this visit, two people shared buffalo wings (₩15,900) and a sous vide chicken breast salad bowl (₩15,900), plus a Saenghwal tea ade and a chocolate pound cake, and those two dishes alone were plenty for two. With roomy seating and a black-and-wood interior, Sasaenghwal Dongnae is a good fit for a date or a get-together with friends in Dongnae.

Written Jun 10, 2026Sponsored
PlaceMapo, SeoulRestaurants

Thai restaurant near Sinchon Station: cloudy-day beef pho, Fong Thai

Fong Thai Sinchon Main Branch (퐁타이 신촌본점) is a Thai restaurant on Baekbeom-ro near Sinchon Station Exit 7 in Mapo, Seoul, reportedly run by a Korean-Thai couple. On a cloudy day, lunch at Fong Thai Sinchon Main Branch was beef rice noodle soup (pho), pineapple fried rice and wontons: the broth was clear and deep, the fried rice fluffy and the wontons crispy. With mild spices, Fong Thai Sinchon Main Branch is an easy rice noodle spot in Sinchon even for first-timers to Thai food.

Written Jun 14, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSeongdong, SeoulRestaurants

Seoulsup handmade burger and beer spot: ₩10,000 combo at Bas Burger

Bas Burger Seongsu (바스버거 성수직영점) is a handmade burger and craft beer restaurant near Ttukseom Station and Seoulsup in Seongdong, Seoul. The writer paired the basic Bas Burger Combo (₩10,000) with a Chili Mozzarella Cheese Bar (₩3,700) and a Bas Lager (₩5,800), and found the free potato chip refills at the self bar, tablet ordering and the choice of raw or grilled onions convenient. Bas Burger Seongsu is a satisfying stop for a back-to-basics burger and a beer during a Seongsu outing or a Seoulsup date.

Written Jun 14, 2026Sponsored
PlaceMapo, SeoulThings to do

Hongdae self-photo studio for a green & wildflower bridal shower: U&I

U&I Studio Hongdae Branch is a self-photo studio on Woldeukeopbuk-ro in Mapo, Seoul, with a 4m-tall cyclorama wall. The writer visited on a weekday afternoon for a green & wildflower bridal shower shoot, took photos for 1 hour with a Bluetooth remote, and received all the high-resolution originals by email the same day. Time was tight, but thanks to the lighting U&I Studio Hongdae Branch delivered very satisfying results and is a strong pick for a Hongdae self-wedding or bridal shower shoot.

Written Jun 16, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSeocho, SeoulRestaurants

Seocho salad shop: chicken salad with sweet potato to go, Salering

Salering Gyodae Direct Store is a salad and poke shop on the 1st floor of 15 Seocho-daero 56-gil in Seocho, Seoul, near Exit 1 of Gyodae Station. The writer ordered a chicken breast salad (8,500 won) with 70g of sweet potato salad and classic balsamic vegan dressing, plus a chicken thigh high-protein slim pack (10,200 won), all to go. The sturdy clear containers made takeout easy, and the salads were generously filled. Salering Gyodae Direct Store is a good pick for a light but filling takeout lunch near Gyodae Station.

Written Oct 17, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSongpa, SeoulCafés

Songpanaru Station bakery for jambon-beurre salt bread: Okuku Bakery

Okuku Bakery Jamsil Main Branch is a croissant and salt bread bakery café in Songpa, Seoul, near Songridan-gil and Exit 1 of Songpanaru Station on Line 9. The writer picked bread from Okuku Bakery's yellow-tiled display and ordered the jambon-beurre salt bread (ham and butter salt bread, 7,200 won), noting that the bread isn't too thick, so the ham and cheese come through clearly. For a wide range of salt bread and a cute, cozy shop, Okuku Bakery Jamsil Main Branch is worth considering.

Written Oct 17, 2026Sponsored
PlaceMapo, SeoulRestaurants

Hongdae Korean BBQ, hanwoo sirloin with scallion kimchi: Gogikkun

Gogikkun Gim Chunbae Hongdae Main Branch is a charcoal-grill Korean BBQ restaurant serving hanwoo (Korean beef) and Korean pork, on the 3rd floor of a building about a 6-minute walk from Exit 9 of Hongik Univ. Station in Mapo, Seoul. Having only tried pork at the Hongdae Forest Path branch, the writer ordered the hanwoo and pork set for two, kkakdugi fried rice and half-and-half naengmyeon at Gogikkun Gim Chunbae Hongdae Main Branch, tasting hanwoo sirloin, fresh galbi-sal (rib finger meat) and five-layer pork belly in turn. With cozy partitioned seating and excellent meat, the verdict is a 100% chance of a return visit.

Written Jun 17, 2026Sponsored
PlaceMapo, SeoulCafés

Hongdae café, cinnamon chimney bread & iced cold brew: Chimney Mansion

Chimney Mansion is a bakery café specializing in Czech-style chimney bread, on Jandari-ro between Hapjeong Station and Hongdae in Mapo, Seoul. On a weekday afternoon the writer ordered a cinnamon chimney bread and an iced cold brew, and enjoyed the crisp-outside, chewy-inside texture and the subtle cinnamon aroma, but noted that Chimney Mansion's popular chimney breads sell out quickly. Chimney Mansion is a unique Hongdae café for an unusual dessert paired with a chimney-sweep-themed interior.

Written Jun 17, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSongpa, SeoulCafés

Songpa café: watermelon bingsu and butter krungji to go, Young Coffee

Young Coffee Jamsil Trizium is a specialty coffee and snowflake bingsu (shaved ice) dessert café in Songpa, Seoul, near Jamsil Saenae and Samjeon Station. The writer had watermelon bingsu and a decaf americano at Young Coffee Jamsil Trizium and took a croffle and butter krungji to go; the watermelon bingsu had a fresh sweetness and soft snowflake ice, and the decaf americano kept its aroma. Young Coffee Jamsil Trizium is a good Jamsil Saenae café for cold bingsu on a hot day plus takeaway desserts in one stop.

Written Jun 15, 2026Sponsored
PlaceMapo, SeoulHair & beauty salons

Bruise-covering dress tour makeup, middle bun in Hongdae: Today Makeup

Today Makeup is a wedding hair and makeup salon near Exit 1 of Hongik Univ. Station in Hongdae, Mapo, Seoul. Before a dress tour, the writer got natural wedding makeup to cover bruises left from a dermatology procedure, plus a bridal middle bun. The bruises were hidden so naturally that she forgot where they were, and the hair and makeup lasted into the evening. Today Makeup satisfied someone who often had bad results at makeup salons, and it suits brides-to-be looking for a natural dress tour look.

Written Jun 16, 2026Sponsored