Anniversary date pasta and jambon pizza at Bueokgan Sangmu, Gwangju

For my boyfriend's and my anniversary, I wanted a slightly more special atmosphere than usual for dinner, so I went to Bueokgan Sangmu Branch! Since it was an anniversary date, the taste of the food mattered, but I was also looking for a place with a nice mood where we could sit and talk without rushing — and it turned out even better than I expected. I found it while searching for pasta in Sangmu, and I was really satisfied being able to enjoy both the food and the atmosphere 🤍

Bueokgan Sangmu Branch's location and hours

• Address: 25 Seogwangju-ro, 1F, Seo-gu, Gwangju, South Korea (lot number: 297 Maewol-dong, Seo-gu, Gwangju)
• Hours: Daily 11:00–22:00
• Break time: 16:00–16:30
• Last order: 21:00

The exterior and parking — an easy drive from Sangmu district

When we arrived, the first thing I noticed was the exterior — clean-looking but with a real sense of atmosphere! It felt a bit different from a typical restaurant, so I was already excited before even walking in haha. The vibe suited a special occasion like an anniversary really well ✔️

We drove there, and since there's a dedicated parking lot behind the building, parking was easy haha. Parking around Sangmu district can often be a bit of a headache when you're eating out, so it was nice to visit without worrying about that 👍🏻

What was the interior atmosphere like?

Once inside, the mood from the exterior carried naturally into the interior. Overall it felt like being at an upscale restaurant inside a hotel in Rome haha 😆 Clean and calm, but not overly formal, so it was comfortable to eat there. The lighting was soft and the space itself felt warm, which suited a date atmosphere especially well 🫶🏻

Sitting down to eat, I noticed it wasn't as loud or crowded as I expected, so it was easy to talk slowly with my boyfriend over the meal. If you're looking for pasta in Sangmu and care about the atmosphere as much as the taste, I think Bueokgan Sangmu Branch would satisfy you 〰️

What we ordered and the review perk

We looked over the menu deciding what to get, and ended up choosing several dishes to share haha. Normally I'd just order pasta, but maybe because the atmosphere was so nice, I wanted to try a variety with salad and pizza too haha. I ordered each item separately, but the set menus also looked pretty good, so keep that in mind~

At Bueokgan, if you save the place on Naver Place and write a receipt review, you can get a free pastry, so keep that in mind haha

Napa Cabbage Caesar Salad

First up was the napa cabbage Caesar salad 🥗 Grilled napa cabbage topped generously with sun-dried tomato, bacon chips, onion flakes, and cheese!

Maybe because the napa cabbage was grilled, it felt softer with a subtle smoky flavor compared to a salad made with raw vegetables haha. The salty bacon chips and savory cheese added a lot, and the sun-dried tomato brought a tangy note that balanced it out really well. It also worked great as a side to whet the appetite before the pasta and pizza haha

The full table spread

Shrimp anchovy oil pasta ₩18,000 / Shrimp rosé pasta ₩20,000 / Jambon pizza ₩24,000. As the dishes came out one by one and filled the table, it became quite the spread hahaha. With the pasta and pizza together the colors were varied too, so I wanted to get a nice shot of the whole table 🤍 I thought it might be a bit much for two people, but sharing everything meant we could enjoy a variety of flavors, which turned out to be a good thing!

Shrimp Anchovy Oil Pasta

The shrimp anchovy oil pasta is Bueokgan's signature oil pasta, where fresh shrimp and anchovy come together in harmony haha. The clean flavor typical of oil pasta gets an extra layer of salty, deep umami from the anchovy, so it had more depth than I expected. The shrimp kept a firm, springy texture, which felt great alongside the noodles, and the sauce coated the pasta well so every bite had a savory, salty flavor! If I had to pick a pasta in Sangmu, I think this one will especially stick in my memory haha

Shrimp Rosé Pasta

The shrimp rosé pasta definitely had a different charm from the oil pasta! It's a creamy rosé pasta with springy shrimp and button mushrooms, so soft and savory flavors take center stage ✔️

The subtle tang of tomato blended nicely with the creamy sauce so it wasn't overwhelming, and the mushrooms and shrimp kept the texture from feeling flat. Ordering one oil pasta and one rosé pasta and alternating between them made for a fun comparison of the two different flavors haha. If you're torn over which pasta to get in Sangmu, ordering both to share might be a good option.

Jambon Pizza

The jambon pizza is topped with jambon (ham) and baked, then finished with honey and pistachios! At first I wondered how the combination of jambon, pistachio, and honey would taste, but once I tried it, it worked better than I expected 👍🏻

The salty jambon combined with the sweetness of the honey made for a satisfying sweet-and-salty pairing, and the pistachios added a savory, crunchy texture that kept me reaching for slice after slice haha. It wasn't greasy either, so I didn't get sick of it even after several pieces 😆 Eating it alongside the pasta, none of the flavors overlapped, which made me feel like ordering a variety of dishes was the right call haha

How was it as an anniversary date spot?

Since it was our anniversary, I cared more about atmosphere than usual, and Bueokgan satisfied me not just with the food but with the store's atmosphere too 💛 Being able to eat delicious food in a pretty space and talk with my boyfriend at a relaxed pace made it feel like we properly celebrated our anniversary, rather than just having a meal and leaving!

I think for a special day, you don't necessarily need somewhere grand — what really matters is how well the food, the atmosphere, and the company come together. In that sense, Bueokgan Sangmu Branch is a place I'd want to visit again whenever I want to set the mood, whether for an anniversary or a date. If you're looking for pasta in Sangmu and also want a good atmosphere for a date, it might be worth a visit.