Pasta restaurant in Gwangju's Suwan district, lunch with mom: Bueokgan

It had been a while since my mom and I went out for an Italian food date, so we headed to Bueokgan Suwan Branch, a well-known Italian restaurant in Gwangju's Suwan district. There are two Bueokgan branches in Gwangju, but since we had errands in the Suwan area, we decided to check out the Suwan branch this time.

Bueokgan Suwan Branch / 37 Suwan-ro 106beon-gil, Gwangsan-gu, Gwangju, South Korea, 1st floor / Daily 11:30–21:00 / Break time 15:00–17:00 / Last order 20:20 / Group seating available, reservations available via Naver

Where is Bueokgan Suwan Branch, and where do you park?

Bueokgan Suwan Branch, a well-known Italian restaurant in Gwangju's Suwan district, sits on one of the main side streets of the neighborhood. There's no dedicated parking lot, but you can park in the surrounding alleys, so parking wasn't a hassle.

Bueokgan Suwan Branch also has outdoor terrace seating. As the weather cools down, I imagine more people will come out just to enjoy the terrace.

There's no waiting area inside, so if there's a wait, you write down your name, phone number, and party size and wait to be called.

Inside Bueokgan Suwan Branch: big windows, green-and-pink walls, bar table

The moment we walked in, the lush green view through Bueokgan's signature floor-to-ceiling windows gave the whole space a fresh, vibrant feel.

With green and pink woven through the interior, Bueokgan Suwan Branch is a lovely, crisp-feeling space.

The pops of color make it a much more casual, comfortable spot to enjoy Italian food. There's a bar table where you can sit side by side, so I'd recommend it as a date spot for couples as well as for group gatherings or family dinners!

Small plates, napkins, water glasses, water, and various utensils were all already set at the table.

What we ordered at Bueokgan Suwan Branch and what it cost

Seafood tomato pasta ₩19,000 / Abalone cream risotto ₩20,000 / Pepperoni pizza ₩17,000

It was great that all our dishes came out together at this Suwan-district Italian restaurant, perfect for brunch too.

The food looked so pretty it was practically begging to be photographed. I especially loved that you can enjoy such a variety of Italian dishes — pasta, pizza, risotto, steak — all in one place.

Seafood tomato pasta, 19,000 won

First up, the seafood tomato pasta! I wanted something spicy to cut through the richness, and it was the perfect choice. It was packed with fresh seafood — shrimp, mussels, clams — and the portion was generous, with just the right amount of spicy kick.

The noodles were cooked just right, not mushy at all. And it wasn't overly spicy, which I appreciated.

Abalone cream risotto, 20,000 won

The abalone cream risotto, basically Bueokgan's signature dish! The finely chopped abalone and the thick, savory cream sauce balanced beautifully together, leaving a subtle hint of the sea in every bite.

Eating it together with the crispy fried enoki mushrooms was absolutely delicious.

Pepperoni pizza, 17,000 won

Loaded with mozzarella and pepperoni, this salty pepperoni pizza tasted like pizza in its most essential form!

I wanted a cheesy pizza, and since it came fresh out of the wood-fired oven, it wasn't greasy at all — just spicy and salty in the best way.

The salty pepperoni and the savory cheese went really well together, and adding hot sauce brought out a whole different flavor — a genuinely appealing pizza. The dough in particular was light and tasty, and my mom really enjoyed it too.

Leftover pizza from Bueokgan Suwan Branch, reheated in the oven

They carefully packed up the leftover pizza for us, and when we reheated it in the oven at home the next day, it tasted just like it had come fresh out of the oven again, haha. If you're looking for a great-atmosphere Italian restaurant in Gwangju, I'd definitely recommend visiting Bueokgan in the Suwan district.