Vongole pasta and apple Earl Grey ade in Gwangju: Bueokgan Suwan

We slept in on Saturday and headed out with my boyfriend for lunch at Bueokgan Suwan Branch, a pasta spot in the Suwan district that I'd been meaning to go back to.

I remembered it being so good the first time I visited a few months ago, so we went back again last weekend.

This time I ordered different dishes than before, and honestly I liked them even more — another satisfying meal at this pasta-and-pizza place in Suwan ✨️

Bueokgan Suwan Branch hours and parking

• Address: 37 Suwan-ro 106beon-gil, Gwangsan-gu, Gwangju, South Korea, 1st floor
• Hours: Daily 11:30–21:00
• Break time 15:00–17:00
• Last order: Lunch 14:30, Dinner 20:20
• Parking: No lot, park in the nearby alleys

There's no dedicated parking lot, so you'll need to park in the alleys around the restaurant.

Still, since it's a bit off the main drag of Suwan district, parking is pretty easy!

Already half full just five minutes after opening

We got there around 11:35am on Saturday — five minutes after opening — and nearly half the tables were already full. Is that even real...?

Since it's such a popular restaurant, I'd recommend booking ahead if you can.

The park view through the floor-to-ceiling windows is lovely and the interior is clean and tidy, which is exactly why this Gwangju Italian restaurant gets so many visitors from Suwan district for group meetups, blind dates, and date courses.

Sure enough, there were people dressed up for what looked like a blind date that day too — confirmed hotspot status ,,❕️

The menu and our order

The menu at Bueokgan Suwan Branch, a pasta favorite in the Suwan district

My boyfriend and I each picked one dish

• Vongole pasta – ₩20,000
• Truffle mushroom pizza – ₩22,000

That's what we ordered this time.

Bueokgan is known for its pasta, but it's also a pizza place, and you can tell — every table seems to have a pizza on it haha

Order complete, drinks included!

Apple Earl Grey ade

Apple Earl Grey ade — not something you see at most restaurants

It wasn't very sweet, so it felt clean and refreshing.

The vongole pasta came out without much of a wait

According to my boyfriend, you really can't go wrong with an oil-based pasta anywhere 🤭

And here's the truffle mushroom pizza I chose

The basil margherita pizza we had last time was delicious too, but this one was even better

A must-order for anyone who loves mushrooms!

〰️ A gorgeous shot of everything together 〰️ Perfect for weekend brunch 🫶🏻

How was the vongole pasta

Vongole pasta, the classic and ultimate oil pasta, hit us with a subtle garlic and olive oil aroma the moment it arrived, which really got the appetite going

The noodles weren't overcooked but weren't too firm either — just the right texture — and the garlic and oil flavor soaked in deeply so nothing tasted separate. I really liked that.

Honestly the noodles alone were so good ,, 💛 truly a pasta place worth the trip to Suwan district

The clams were kind of small and cute, but the fun of picking them out and their salty flavor were still very much there 〰️

Truffle mushroom pizza, a life-changing pizza

The truffle mushroom pizza felt almost luxurious with its fragrant truffle aroma

It was piled generously with oyster mushrooms, cooked just right — chewy texture and juicy moisture from the mushrooms themselves, so good

The salty, savory melted mozzarella and the clean flavor of the mushrooms were literally a perfect match ♡♡♡

We dipped the crispy crust edges into the vongole pasta sauce we'd ordered alongside it hahaha

A total life-changing pizza — when you visit Bueokgan Suwan Branch, make sure to order a whole pizza ,,

A delicious weekend lunch with my husband at Bueokgan, a brunch and Italian restaurant favorite in the Suwan district

If you're looking for a clean, comfortable restaurant in Suwan district for group meetups, brunch, family meals, or a couple's date, I recommend Bueokgan!