Weekday lunch pizza and bisque pasta in Sangmu, Gwangju: Camel Orzo

(This is a partly sponsored visit review.)

I went to Camel Orzo with friends a few months ago and remembered loving it, so this time I brought my husband haha. It's got that Italian-restaurant vibe, and since we actually went to Italy for our honeymoon, the menu, taste, and atmosphere brought back all those memories in the best way~~

Where Camel Orzo is in Sangmu, Gwangju, and its opening hours

Camel Orzo is at 261 Uncheon-ro, Urban Peak Sangmu 1F #102, Seo-gu, Gwangju — on the first floor of the Gourmet Square building in Sangmu. It's open daily from 11:00 to 23:00, with a break time.

• 📌 Address: 261 Uncheon-ro, Urban Peak Sangmu 1F #102, Seo-gu, Gwangju
• ⏰ Hours: Daily 11:00–23:00
• Break time: Weekdays 15:30–17:00 / Weekends 16:00–17:00
• 🍽️ Last order: 21:00
• 🌕 Closed for Chuseok: Sep 24 (Thu)–Sep 25 (Fri) — worth noting if you're planning a Chuseok visit!

How long is the wait at Camel Orzo for weekday lunch?

We visited around noon on a weekday, and there were 2 parties ahead of us, so we waited about 10 minutes. It's on the first floor of the Gourmet Square building in Sangmu.

It felt like autumn that day, so the shade was cool and the place looked pretty — that 10-minute wait actually felt like a nice moment to relax rather than a bother~~ If you're in a hurry, though, book ahead!

The restroom is outside the restaurant, but it's clearly signposted and easy to find. It's a shared building restroom, but it was kept clean~~

Where to park near Camel Orzo

Camel Orzo does have parking available!

The building's own lot would be the best option, but it's always full ㅠㅠ

There's a Nice Park Gwangju Chipyeong lot not far away with 2 hours free, and there were 2-3 open spots there at weekday lunchtime.

What the inside of Camel Orzo looks like

It was fully booked when we first walked in, so I took this photo on our way out — a spacious hall with warm tones, great for setting a mood~!

I especially loved the daytime light haha. It was a lovely date with my husband after a while.

What we ordered at Camel Orzo and what it cost

We ordered Margherita pizza (₩19,500), red shrimp bisque pasta (₩22,000), mushroom soup (₩5,000), and Zero Sprite (₩2,500) at Camel Orzo. One pizza, one pasta, and one soup between the two of us was plenty.

These were our picks~! Menu photos below for reference.

Mushroom soup and Sprite Zero

The mushroom soup had a truffle aroma and chunky mushroom bites that tasted luxurious — I'd recommend ordering one! You can add bread too, but we skipped it since we thought we'd get too full; still, the bread that came with it had just the right crispiness for dipping.

It's kind of funny that soda is even on the menu lol, but we ordered one and got it with two cups of ice🧊 and a lemon🍋 on top — such a nice touch!! I'm the type who gets won over by little details like this...haha

Red shrimp bisque pasta at Camel Orzo

The red shrimp bisque pasta that stole my heart with its shrimp visuals!! It surprisingly had a bit of spiciness, which I absolutely loved!! Western food can get heavy, but the spice cut right through it, and dipping the wood-fired pizza into the pasta sauce turned out to be such a great combo!

Camel Orzo's wood-fired Margherita pizza

Haha, my attempt at a nice pizza-pull video failed, but true to a wood-fired pizza, the dough was nutty and chewy in the best way, and the tomato sauce tasted genuinely fresh! It wasn't heavy or overwhelming — it felt packed with fresh ingredients, so we were full but not bloated at all~! Definitely lives up to being a wood-fired pizza spot in Sangmu~!!

We finished the meal happy and full, and being able to pay with Onnuri gift certificates made for an even better ending~~

Is Camel Orzo worth it? Final verdict

• ✔️ A great-atmosphere restaurant full of Italian charm
• ✔️ Highly recommend the red shrimp bisque pasta and wood-fired pizza combo!
• ✔️ Not greasy at all — the ingredients tasted fresh and satisfying
• ✔️ Parking and Onnuri gift certificate payment made it even better💕