Montes Alpha: An Italian Mountainside Restaurant

Reviewed and photographed by Sarah Pittman.

I found this month’s restaurant at the base of Mudeung Mountain, just a short drive away from the downtown area, located in a quaint, mountainside resort. The area’s restaurants and shops reminded me of a Swedish fishing village, with brightly painted roofs tucked into the mountainside, as I walked through the quiet streets to my destination. I had ridden the 1187 bus up to Mudeung Mountain past this little area many times, and I feel I have done myself a disservice by never stopping here before.

Montes Alpha’s exterior is a cheery and welcoming cream color, highlighted with bright orange accents, contrasting with the cool and dark interior of the restaurant. With exposed brick and iron beams, it lends a relaxing and stark modern vibe to the restaurant. It felt like a perfect spot to sit for hours, talking with a friend over a shared pasta dish and glasses of wine.

I decided to try their tenderloin cream pasta with broccoli and mushrooms, and their “Egg in Hell”: three poached eggs served in a spicy and cheesy tomato pasta sauce with toasted baguette slices. The tenderloin cream dish came to the table first with plumes of steam still rising off of the pasta. The sauce was a perfect, classic interpretation of cream alfredo, and the spaghetti was cooked perfectly, with the right amount of bite behind the soft noodle. Despite my disappointment with the tenderloin, which lacked moisture and tenderness, the mushrooms and broccoli were extremely flavorful and cooked to perfection.

I chose to try their “Egg in Hell” dish based on the quirky name alone, assuming that it would at least be an adventure. With a 15,000 won price tag, I was a little concerned with how big the dish might be, but my worries were allayed when it arrived at the table. While the sauce was spicy, I found it to be delicious, especially when the flavors of the spice and tomato mixed with egg yolk on a slice of baguette to calm and complement each other. Montes Alpha does state that its specialty is Italian food along with a curated wine list. As I was eating brunch before work, I needed to abstain from the wine, but I feel as though I missed an important part of the experience, and would definitely recommend trying their selection should you choose to dine there.

Overall, I think that Montes Alpha is the perfect restaurant to visit after a long hike around Mudeung Mountain, either with friends or as a date spot. Whether you stop on your way down the mountain to fill up on carbs after a long hike, or to enjoy some peaceful scenery over a glass of wine with good friends, it will give you exactly what you need.

MONTES ALPHA 몬테스 알파

Time: 11:30 – 22:00 (break time: 15:00–17:00). Closed on Tuesdays
Address: 590 Mudeung-ro, Dong-gu, Gwangju 광주 동구 무등로 590
Tel: 070-7793-0622/ 062-233-0622

The Reviewer
Sarah Pittman is an English teacher with a degree in psychology from California State University, Fullerton. She discovered her love for photography while working at Disneyland and has been honing her craft with practice and YouTube videos ever since.