[RESTAURANT OF THE WEEK] Enjoy Gyedong Pizza, but don't bother the locals

By Jon Dunbar

You know all those signs around central Seoul's Bukchon Hanok Village telling you to be quiet so you don't disturb the local residents? They used to be for my benefit, as I lived in Gye-dong in the area for a few years last decade. I didn't live in a hanok, just a regular four-story apartment building, but it was on a major alley, Gyedong-gil. Sometimes, it was a little chaotic, but it didn't bother me because the crowds would typically disperse a little after 5 p.m. At that point, I'd have all the area's cafes, bars and restaurants mostly to myself.

To be totally honest, it seemed like the tourists who flooded the alleys every day were there only to dress up in cheap cosplay hanbok and take pictures among the brick buildings, rarely going inside any of the area's establishments. Even as the alleys changed to accommodate the surge in tourism, many of the indoor establishments maintained a humble, local character. This has certainly changed, and now there are trendy restaurants dotted across the quaint neighborhood, with customers regularly lining up out front.

Of the restaurants that have survived since my days living in the village, one of the few that remains is Gyedong Pizza. Opened in either 2011 or 2012 (depending on whether you're going off what it says on the storefront or in the menu), Gyedong Pizza is a small pizzeria opening directly onto Gyedong-gil. Half of the floor space appears to be kitchen, which features a massive wood oven. You might not expect much from this little shop, but it has a lot to offer and for great prices.

The pizza is Neapolitan-style, although with their own adaptations over the years to suit local market conditions. Don't worry, not in the ways you'd expect — they do not skimp on quality ingredients. The handmade crust is fine, the sauce is tangy, and the toppings are on point. You can get a classic Margherita pizza or a pretty standard Neapolitan arugula pizza, or you can go with the more North American pizzas like pepperoni or Hawaiian. If you're trying to imagine a Neapolitan Hawaiian pizza, stop thinking and just go try it — it's worth it. When I used to live just up the street, they had a killer diavola pizza, which I was sad to see is no longer on the menu.

They also offer pastas, advertising that some of them are a little spicy, and the spiciness can be adjusted according to customer preference. Plus there are salads as well as drinks, although it appears the only alcoholic drink they serve is a nonalcoholic Heineken.

Dining in is fine if there's enough space, but Gyedong Pizza also offers takeout. A sign out front advertises their solo pizzas, which are essentially smaller, oval-shaped versions of their regular pizzas — something they didn't have back in the day. The prices for these are all under 10,000 won, which is impressively affordable these days, let alone for Neapolitan pizza, especially in this traditional, albeit overtouristed, neighborhood.

Gyedong Pizza is open every day of the week from 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Yes, that's up past the fearsome tourism curfew for Bukchon, but it seems this restaurant is not within the curfew zone, and apparently, customers are allowed to go to restaurants anyway as long as they don't do anything else too touristy at night. Follow @gyedongpizza on Insagram for more information.