Back Kitchen, Gwangju/Jeonnam Restaurants — Backdoor Kitchen Regular

Wolgye-dong, Gwangju duck BBQ with no break time: Hyangchon Duck

Hyangchon Duck (향촌오리) is a blueberry-aged grilled duck restaurant on Wolgye-ro in Wolgye-dong (Cheomdan), Gwangsan District, Gwangju. The writer grilled a half duck (₩35,000) over charcoal and had it with free shabu-shabu, pre-meal mung bean porridge and blueberry sikhye (sweet rice drink), and found the duck juicy with no gamey smell. With underground and outdoor parking, private rooms and hours of 11:00 to 23:00 with no break time, Hyangchon Duck is a good fit for family meals and group gatherings.

Written Oct 9, 2026Sponsored

PlaceBuk-gu, GwangjuRestaurants

Gwangju gopchang stew heaped with scallions, plus dumplings: Kim Taeju

Kim Taeju Seonsan Gopchang, Yongbong Branch (김태주선산곱창 용봉점) is a gopchang jeongol (beef small intestine stew) restaurant in the Yongbong-dong food alley in Buk-gu, Gwangju, and it serves gopchang stew as its only menu. The writer had the scallion-heaped gopchang stew for two (₩22,000) and fried rice (₩4,000), and found chewy gopchang with no gamey smell, a spicy, deep broth and a nutty fried-rice finish that made a filling meal. Kim Taeju Seonsan Gopchang is a good Yongbong-dong stop when cool weather has you craving a spicy stew.

Written Oct 1, 2026Sponsored

PlaceGwangsan, GwangjuRestaurants

Carbonara and mango juice at a Gwangju Suwan restaurant: Bueokgan

Bueokgan Suwan Branch is a pasta and pizza restaurant tucked into an alley in the Suwan district of Gwangsan-gu, Gwangju. With an 11:30 reservation, the writer came with two older friends and shared basil pesto cream pasta (18,000 won), carbonara (19,000 won), pepperoni pizza (17,000 won), and mango juice (9,000 won). Between the floor-to-ceiling windows and the generous space between tables, Bueokgan Suwan works well for a brunch get-together or a date.

Written Aug 15, 2026Sponsored