Pizza Meets Burger at DongMyeong Burger

Written and photographed by Sarah Pittman

This month we are going back to Dongmyeong-dong for an Instagram-worthy dish called the Pizza Meets Burger.

Dongmyeong Burger (동명버거) opened to the public in December 2017. This small restaurant can only seat between 30 to 40 people and is hidden in a building above a staircase to the second floor, so I have walked past it many times in the past couple of months without ever knowing it was there. The interior is a thematic blend of a 1950s diner combined with trendy, stark modernism. Exposed rough concrete, bare floors, and accents of polished chrome and glowing neon bring it all together. This hidden treasure is being featured not for its décor or its view, but for its mouth-watering all-American hamburgers, particularly its specialty, the Pizza Meets Burger.

The Pizza Meets Burger (PMB) is made with a handmade brioche bun, American beer hamburger patty, caramelized onions, and half of an avocado sliced and fanned in the middle. The top of the bun is cut in half and covered in tomato sauce, mozzarella cheese, and miniature pepperoni before being toasted for a second time. The PMB was definitely the messiest burger I had ever consumed, and every single bite was absolutely amazing. The creaminess of the avocado only added to the juiciness of the hamburger and the greasiness of the pizza. For 11,000 won (14,500 won for the fries and drink set), the PMB is large enough that you could share it with a friend. Their french fries also made an impression on me. The shoestring fries were perfectly cooked and salted, fried fast enough to make each of them crunch with every bite but still have a hint of softness inside.

In my time spent in Korea, I have always been searching for a place to get a great hamburger. As an In-N-Out Burger aficionado, most, if not all, fell very short, or at least did not carry enough flavor and love to inspire any comment.

But I loved Dongmyeong Burger so much that I went there again with my friends and relished the double cheeseburger set. In my experience, this burger is the closest thing you will find in Korea to an animal-style In-N-Out hamburger. The patty is cooked expertly, leaving the beef fresh, tender, and juicy with all its natural flavors intact. The brioche bun is an expression of the passion Dongmyeong Burger has for their craft. The fresh aroma of buttery, baked bread almost made me homesick. The double cheeseburger will cost you 7,500 won, or 10,500 won if you make it a set. If you have the itch for a real slice of Americana, perhaps with a real slice of pizza as the bun, you should head over to Dongmyeong Burger in 2019 and get an authentic taste of home.

DONGMYEONG BURGER 동명버거
Address: 7 Jangdong-ro, Dong-gu, Gwangju
광주광역시 동구 장동로 7 (장동 67-14) 2층
Phone: 062-413-7111
Open Hours:
11:30 am – 10:00 pm, Tuesday–Thursday.
11:30 am – 11:00 pm, Friday–Sunday.
Closed on Mondays.

The Author
Sarah Pittman is an English teacher from Southern California. She is an avid hobbyist and enjoys knitting, sewing, and photography, among other things. If you have a place you think that Sarah should try next, you can contact her on Facebook or on her Instagram @hello.korean.adventure.