The Best Brunch in Busan
*** Disclaimer - This post containts affiliate links, and while booking through my links adds no extra cost to you, I do receive a percentage which helps fund my travels! I’ll love you forever, so it’s a win-win situation:) ***
*** NOV 2023 UPDATE: Hi everyone! Just wanted to add a few to the list I’ve heard are EXCELLENT choices, but are new and weren’t there when I lived in Busan!
1) Brunch Cafe Ean (Located in Millak!)
2) Spring Hill (Located in Dalmaji - the hill to the left of Haeundae! This one is on the same street I lived on so I’m SO annoyed it wasn’t there when I lived there).
I know Brunch places are always closing and opening in Busan - so please let me know if you find any gems or if anything on this list shuts down! *****
One of the things I love most in life is brunch. Avocado toast, souffle pancakes, eggs benedict, sausage scrambles, smoothies…. you name it, I’m IN it. Back home in America, at least in my city, brunch is something we do really, really well. Since moving to Korea, however, brunch is a little bit trickier to find, as Koreans typically don’t eat different categories of food for breakfast, generally sticking to traditional Korean food just like any other meal. Luckily for you, if you live in either Seoul or Busan, although not as abundant as other countries I’ve been to, you can still find brunch - and when you do? It’s really freaking good.
I’ve linked all the locations through Naver maps, as it’s the easiest way to figure out transportation in South Korea, but you should be able to easily find all of these on google maps as well. If you’re visiting Korea, be sure to download Naver Maps before arriving to make navigation less of a hassle!
PSA: Busan is enormous, and most people visiting stick to the eastern side of the city. As a result, this list doesn’t include anything west of Gwangalli! If you have any suggestions of where to go in Seomyeon or even towards the KTX train station, please let me know, so that this can be the ULTIMATE guide to the best brunch in Busan.
Best Brunch in Busan
Kangaroo point
Located close to Haeundae beach in Dongbaek (the right side of the beach if you’re facing the ocean), Kangaroo Point makes for the perfect place to enjoy a western brunch of either some large egg platters, incredible french toast, or even a burrata salad or a pizza. It’s right on the water, and it definitely does not feel as if you’re in Korea. If you look out to the water and to the left, you can see Dongbaek “island”, which isn’t really an island at all but rather a small peninsula of a park that gives you some beautiful views, perfect for a short walk to start burning off that french toast!
Mermer
Located on the opposite side of Haeundae, closer to Dalmaji hill, is this little cafe that serves up a range of delicious meals. It’s called Mermer, and the boho aesthetic as well as the adorable resident Boston Terrier will definitely leave a good impression on you. Their brunch is surprisingly cheap, considering the fact that they offer souffle pancakes and avocado toast, as well as a salmon eggs benedict a variety of salads. (fresh produce is a lot more expensive in Korea so the cheap prices here are very surprising!) This place is just a ten minute walk from where I live, and the avocado toast and the cutie dog keep me coming nearly every weekend.
Ceska
Also on Dalmaji Hill (an excellent place for both restaurants and cafes), is Ceska. Try to visit while the weather is nicer, as indoor seating is limited and stifling hot all the time. Although their brunch is very good - think: egg platters, toast, sausage, and salads - the real draw is their authentic chimney cakes!
Covered in cinnamon sugar and dipped in delicious sauces ranging from cream cheese frosting to nutella, chimney cakes are so freaking delicious. When I was in Budapest, I STUFFED myself with these babies, thinking that the odds of me ever being able to eat one again were slim to none. Thank God I was wrong, and that this restaurant is a 15 minute walk from me.
(plus, look at that freaking EGG. Are you kidding me)
Garookang Table
Further east and a little bit out of the way is Garookang Table. Located in Songjeong beach area, Garookang Table is one of my friends top favorite brunch restaurants ever. Their menu is fairly small, but everything they serve, no matter how strange it seems, (think: mac n cheese croissant??) is straight GAS.
Songjeong beach is where people go in the summer for surf lessons, lounging in the sun on the beach (Most of the other beaches aren’t exactly chill swimming vibes tbh), and this is the perfect place to go before you start your day. if you go, definitely try the pancake!
Off On
if you walk smack to the middle of Haeundae beach and head along the main strip a little inland, (or if you simply take exit 4 out of the Haeundae metro station, you’ll come to a tiny little brunch cafe called Off On. Although the menu isn’t huge, they offer a small range of brunch foods including avocado bacon sandwich, a Caprese toast, and granola yogurt bowls. While all of those are absolutely delicious, the real draw of Off On is the Shakshouka they offer, cleverly named “eggs in hell” on the menu.
Maybe it’s not a typical brunch item, but the bread being dipped into the poached eggs and tomato mixture are absolutely to die for and something I would gladly eat for brunch any day. Definitely don’t miss it!
Eat Play Love
And now, we’ll head over to Gwangalli beach. This is one of my favorite parts of the city - it’s so centrally located, the beach is absolutely gorgeous, and there is so much to do. As I result, I frequently find myself spending weekends in Gwangan, and have found three incredible brunch places.
First up is Eat Play Love! If you have a dog, this is where you need to go. The restaurant is 100% dog-friendly, and even if you don’t have a dog, the vibes are immaculate. Nothing quite like petting a dog and eating a fabulous brunch to fend off the Sunday Scaries - amiright? Eat Play Love has a fantastic brunch menu, although whenever there’s a basil pesto ~anything~ on the menu, I literally will not get anything else - so my experience with their menu is limited to one fabulous sandwich that I will get every time without fail.
Eat Play Love is a very cute vibe, and while not as instagrammable as some of the other brunch places, the food and the dogs make up for it.
Rumble
Also near Gwangalli Beach is a little cafe/bar called Rumble. They sell brunch and a good selection of cocktails, and I’ve even gotten cute little welcome shots every time I’ve gone. The atmosphere is so eclectic and fun and to top it all off they have a rooftop seating area with tables and twinkle lights that you can enjoy when the weather is nice. I haven’t indulged ~too~ much in their brunch, I’ve always been in a healthy mood when I’ve gone, but I’ve heard fabulous things about everything on the menu, and it’s one of the few places in Busan that I’ve found where you can get a freaking BAGEL - something I’m very passionate about.
As of right now, foreigners mainly work there, and I’ve met alot of foreigners while eating there. If you’re looking to make friends, heading over to brunch at Rumble is a safe bet.
Little Aus
I saved the best for last😉 The coveted title of “The Best Brunch in Busan” has to go to Little Aus. This is not only my opinion, but the opinion of almost everyone I know who lives in Busan. Those who say another restaurant is better have not been to Little Aus. Closer to the Geumyonsan metro stop then the Gwangan metro stop, Little Aus has everything I want for out of a brunch. They have a fabulous coffee menu, juices, salads, sandwiches, toasts, and it’s done IMPECCABLY. My dish was the one on the black sesame bun, and I’ve literally never had a brunch that heavenly in my mouth ever in my life. The grilled cheese on top with the blistered tomatoes and the basil peso? the egg cooked to perfection? omg.
I discovered this two days ago, which consequently inspired this blog post, and I will be returning tomorrow, okay? Best. Brunch. in. Busan.
And there you have it!!
If you ever visit Busan or are lucky enough to live here, I hope you try out these brunch spots and love them as much as I do! Alternatively, if you have been to Busan and know of a gem that I haven’t mentioned, PLEASE drop it below. I’m always looking for a fab new place to spend my weekends.
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