Buyeong Meat Restaurant
By Maryam Ali
I first visited the Nampyeong Buyeong Meat Restaurant for a teachers’ dinner (hoesik) earlier this year. The restaurant was booked for our private party, and we were able to sample the dishes while enjoying a communal chat. I remember being surprised by the excellent flavors of the foods we were served.
Occasionally, there is a queue when the restaurant reopens at 5 p.m. for dinner. After entering, you are likely to be seated in a booth and given the menu straight away. Make sure you come early to avoid the line! The interior of the building accommodates the fast-paced aspect of the restaurant. If you are there for an occasion, you can book private rooms. You can book a room through Naver, but it cannot be booked on the same day as the reservation. The rooms can accommodate 4 to 40 people. The staff are friendly, and the service is accommodating, with a quick turnaround of people. The place is popular with locals and is a great find! The menu is written in Korean, and there is no English option, so make sure to bring your Papago translator if you need it.
The restaurant offers a range of prices. You can choose from many options for a great budget meal, like the bibimbap (12,000 won), as well as high-end meals like meats and barbecue. The most expensive meal in the store is a 100,000-won beef dish.
After the main meal is ordered, the side dishes are served. The side dishes at the restaurant are flavorful. Some of my favorites were the salty anchovies and peanuts (myeolchi-ttangkong-bokkeum) and the kimchi.
Following the wait, you get the main meal and the seaweed soup (miyeok-guk). I adore the seaweed soup because of how warm the dish is. My go-to order is the cooked bibimbap (yukhoe bibimbap), which is always accompanied by a soup.
If you’re looking for high-quality Korean food, I highly recommend this restaurant. I have referred many of my friends to it. This restaurant was where I had my final meal in Gwangju before my recent departure, which shows how much I cherish the offerings on their menu. You won’t regret seeking out the Nampyeong Buyeong Meat Restaurant to have a taste!
Nampyeong Buyeong Meat Restaurant
Open: 11:30–14:00, 17:00–21:30 (Closed Sundays)
Address: 215 Gyeongyang-ro (Gyerim-dong) Dong-gu, Gwangju
Phone: 0507-1379-5658
The Author
Maryam Ali is currently based in Sheffield and is persuing an MA in broadcast journalism at the University of Sheffield. Originally from London, she took the plunge to live abroad and share her experiences in a blog. Blog: https://sites.google.com/view/maryamaliportfolio/
Cover Photo: One of the many servings of bibimbap that Maryam consumed. You can see the array of side dishes available with the meal as well as the seaweed soup. (Maryam Ali)