sally matzip

Every neighborhood in Seoul has that one grill spot everyone defaults to when plans get made. Near Wangsimni and Haengdang, that place is Cheongchun Theater (청춘극장) — and once you've eaten here, you'll understand why. I walked past this place a couple of times before finally stepping inside. That was a mistake I won't be repeating — because now I think about it every time I have plans in the Wangsimni area. The Vibe: A Retro Theater That Happens to Serve Incredible Ribs The name means "Youth Theater," and the whole space leans into that concept harder than you'd expect from a Korean BBQ joint. Moody lighting, vintage theater-esque touches, a buzzy dinner-crowd energy — it somehow pulls off retro without feeling tacky. The kind of place where you order another round just because you're not ready to leave yet. Expect a wait on weekday evenings — people queue up for a reason. The line moves, and it's worth every minute. The Star: Jjokgalbi (Pork Short Rib...

I'd been meaning to visit this place ever since I found out that Maison MO's cookies had landed in Seongsu. The brand's Biscuiterie MO concept — a cookie-focused offshoot of the beloved Korean patisserie — had set up shop inside Cafe Ephemera on the ground floor of LCDC SEOUL. That combination alone was enough to pull me in on a Saturday afternoon. Cafe Ephemera x Biscuiterie MO — What Is This Place? The full name is a mouthful: Cafe Ephemera x Biscuiterie MO . Two concepts sharing one space. Ephemera is the cafe; Biscuiterie MO (비스퀴테리 엠오) is the dessert counter from Maison MO, one of Korea's most well-regarded cookie and patisserie brands. Together they occupy the entire first floor of LCDC SEOUL's A-building in the Yeonmujang-gil area of Seongsu. The name "Ephemera" refers to everyday objects designed to be used once and discarded — think old postcards, postage stamps, event tickets, printed ephemera of all kinds. The concept is that these throwaway thin...

I'll be honest — when someone first told me there was a spot in Macheon-dong where you pair wood-fired pizza with soju, I raised an eyebrow. Pizza is a beer thing. Soju is a Korean BBQ thing. These worlds don't collide. Except at 이태리양조장 (Italy Brewery) , they absolutely do — and it works better than it has any right to. What Is Italy Brewery (이태리양조장)? Italy Brewery is a Korean craft-beer-and-pizza chain that's been quietly expanding across Seoul. The Songpa Macheon branch (송파마천점) is one of their newer locations, and it brings the full concept to a neighbourhood that honestly deserved something like this. The name is a bit of a wink — it's not a winery or a soju distillery, it's a brewpub with Italian-leaning food. The "brewery" part refers to the serious craft beer programme running alongside the kitchen. The unexpected twist? They also serve soju. And somehow, cold soju alongside a blistered, charred pizza crust hits the same way soju hits next to grilled...

After eating my way through the udon shops of Takamatsu, I came back to Seoul slightly ruined. Not in a dramatic way — just in the way where you bite into a bowl of chain-restaurant udon and feel a quiet, specific disappointment. The noodle is fine. The broth is warm. But something's missing, and you know exactly what it is. Hyeon Udon (현우동) in Sinsa-dong (신사동) fixed that problem for me. A small place on a residential backstreet, staffed by three cooks and one server — a ratio that tells you something before you've even ordered. Six Consecutive Years of Michelin Bib Gourmand — and It Shows Walk in and the walls do the talking first. Michelin Bib Gourmand plaques, six years running. Blue Ribbon Survey picks stacked alongside. What's interesting is how un-showy it all feels — the certificates are just there, matter-of-fact, the way a serious craftsperson might hang their tools. Nothing gilded, nothing framed in neon. The dining room is compact. On a weekday lunch visit, I was...