East Jeju's Quiet Side: Food, Cafés and Coast Walks in Gujwa
Gimnyeong, Pyeongdae and Sehwa — where people on Jeju's east coast actually eat, and the walks worth doing between meals. Every stop noted for whether dogs can come.
- Getting thereGujwa-eup, east Jeju · rental car essential
Most of Jeju's visitors go west or south. Gujwa-eup (구좌읍), on the east coast, is where a lot of the island's own residents end up on a day off — quieter, more lived-in, with low stone walls dividing carrot fields that run right down to the water.
I lived here for a year. This is the stretch from Gimnyeong through Pyeongdae to Sehwa: four places to eat, seven cafés, and six walks, close enough together to do in a day with a car.
Every stop below also notes whether dogs are allowed, and under what conditions. If you live in Korea and travel with one, that section is the useful part — in Korean listings "pet friendly" can mean inside is fine, or terrace only, or lead required, or small dogs only, and the difference decides your afternoon in February. If you don't have a dog, ignore those rows.
Where to eat
Gimnyeong Restaurant (김녕식당) — a seasonal tasting menu
Six courses built around whatever is in season on Jeju that month, so the menu changes as you go through the year. Locals call this style eommakase — a joke on omakase and eomma (mum), meaning "whatever mum decides to make". Glass walls, a garden, and the nicest room on this list.
| Address | 구좌읍 김녕로11길 5-3 1층 |
|---|---|
| Hours | 12:00–22:00 · closed 15:00–17:00 · last order 20:30 |
| Closed | 2nd and 4th Wednesday each month |
| Booking | Required (via Naver). Don't turn up hoping. |
| Parking | 4–5 spaces out front |
| Dogs | Welcome |
Mari (말이) — enormous gimmari
Gimmari (김말이) is glass noodles rolled in seaweed and deep-fried. The ones here are the size of a whole gimbap roll, which is not normal. Order the hanchi (squid) tempura alongside — the batter shatters properly.
| Address | 구좌읍 세화1길 40 |
|---|---|
| Hours | 11:00–19:00 · last order 18:30 |
| Closed | Sundays |
| Parking | One space at the shop, plus the alley |
| Dogs | Welcome |
Two more worth knowing
Doughboy (도우보이) — Neapolitan wood-fired sourdough pizza, out on its own near Songdang and Bijarim forest. Good brunch stop. 구좌읍 비자림로 2136 · Wed–Sun 11:00–15:00 (last order 14:15), closed Mon–Tue · parking front and back · dogs welcome.
Gimnyeong Bitsori (김녕빗소리) — cold soba with prawn and squid tempura, potato salad and smashed cucumber. High chairs available. 구좌읍 김녕로 151 · 11:30–17:00 · closing days alternate fortnightly, so check before going · no car park, use the nearby public lot or the verge · dogs welcome.
Where to drink coffee
Sonong Road (소농로드) — carrots and stone walls
Run by farmers using their own organic produce; the name means "small farmer". The window looks straight out over Gujwa's fields and the low volcanic-stone walls (batdam, 밭담) that divide them. Gujwa is Korea's carrot country, and the menu leans into it.
| Address | 구좌읍 비자림로 2615 |
|---|---|
| Hours | 10:00–17:00 · last order 16:30 |
| Note | One drink per person minimum |
| Dogs | Outdoor terrace only |
More More (모어모어) — soufflé with a sea view
Right on the Haemaji coastal road, so the window seats face open water. Soufflé pancakes, priced accordingly. Come for sunset.
| Address | 구좌읍 해맞이해안로 1616, B1–1F |
|---|---|
| Hours | 09:00–18:00 · closed Thursdays |
| Dogs | Welcome — carrier or lead required |
Oat House (오트하우스) — fruit cut to order, and a dog menu
Tucked inside the harbour village of Jongdal. They slice the fruit after you order, so nothing is sitting around. Large dogs are welcome and there's a menu for them — the only place on this list that goes that far.
| Address | 구좌읍 종달로1길 117 1층 |
|---|---|
| Hours | 10:00–19:00 · last order 18:00 |
| Parking | Out front and on the verge opposite |
| Dogs | Welcome, including large breeds |
This café hosted my visit.
Three more
Bisugi Aehoga (비수기애호가) — floor-to-ceiling sea view, carrot cake and carrot juice. 구좌읍 해맞이해안로 997 2층 · 10:00–18:00 (LO 17:30) · park on the cleared ground opposite, not in front · dogs welcome.
Cafe Hallasan (카페 한라산) — vintage interior facing Sehwa beach, with a TV-shaped photo frame people queue for. 구좌읍 면수1길 48 · 09:30–21:00 (LO 20:30) · roadside and nearby public parking · dogs outside only.
Camel Coffee (카멜커피) — the Seoul roaster's Jeju branch, terrace looking at Conan Beach. Abebe Bakery is next door. 구좌읍 해맞이해안로 617-3 C동 · 10:00–18:00 (LO 17:30) · 2 hours free parking, ask for a ticket · terrace only for dogs.
Where to walk
Sehwa Folk Five-Day Market (세화민속오일시장)
A traditional market that only opens on dates ending in 5 and 0 — the 5th, 10th, 15th, 20th, 25th and 30th of each month. Seasonal fruit, seafood, household goods, and cheap fried snacks. It sits right by the sea, so you can walk the beach afterwards.
Go in the morning. Stalls start packing up around 2pm.
Sehwa Beach (세화해수욕장)
Small, emerald, and more interesting than the big beaches because of the contrast — white sand against black basalt. Check the tide. At high water the sand mostly disappears; go at low tide.
Conan Beach (코난비치)
Clear water and white wind turbines. Known for snorkelling, but fine for a slow walk with a dog if you're not getting in. Small, quiet, and next door to Camel Coffee and Abebe Bakery.
Ojeoyeo (오저여) — sunset and, sometimes, dolphins
A sunset spot on the east coast with a pavilion to sit in. Jeju's resident bottlenose dolphins pass along this coast, and with luck you'll see them offshore. Easy, flat walking. Search 오저여 in your map app.
Byeolbangjin (별방진) — a stone fortress
A fortress wall built from Jeju's volcanic stone, looking out over Hado village and the sea. In spring the inside fills with yellow rapeseed flowers. Hado harbour is a short walk on.
Yongnuni Oreum (용눈이오름)
An oreum is a parasitic volcanic cone — Jeju has around 360 of them. This one has unusually soft, rolling ridgelines and takes about an hour up, without anything steep. On a clear day you can see Seongsan Ilchulbong and Udo from the top. Green grass in summer, silver pampas in autumn.
Tick warning. Jeju's oreum are full of ticks. Treat your dog with tick prevention before you go — this is not optional advice, it's what people here actually do.
Before you go
| Getting around | Gujwa is spread out and bus service is thin. You need a car. |
|---|---|
| Indoor vs terrace | Several cafés here are terrace-only. On a cold or wet day, Oat House and Gimnyeong Restaurant are your indoor options. |
| Ticks | Treat your dog before walking any oreum. Seriously. |
| Market days | Sehwa market opens on the 5th, 10th, 15th, 20th, 25th and 30th only |
| Tides | Check before Sehwa Beach — the sand shrinks badly at high water |
Say it in Korean
The phrases that actually work here. Tap to copy.
- Can I bring my dog in?The single most useful sentence in this guide. Ask at the door.
- Is inside OK too?Follow-up when they say yes — plenty of places mean the terrace only.
- Terrace only?Worth confirming before you sit down in winter.
- Are large dogs OK?Many Korean cafés quietly mean small dogs only.
- Does he need to be on a lead?Some places also require a carrier — ask both.
- Could I get a water bowl?Most dog-friendly cafés here have one behind the counter.
- Do I need to book?Yes, for Gimnyeong Restaurant. Usually no elsewhere.