A Perfect West Jeju Afternoon: Lunch at Ttungbo Ajeossi & Ice Cream at Isidore Farm
I showed up just after 1 p.m., thinking the lunch rush would be winding down. It wasn't. There were already people waiting outside, and by the time I got my number, the queue kept growing. It was a rainy Tuesday — not exactly peak tourist conditions — so the crowd said everything about how well-loved this place is among locals.
There's no dedicated parking lot, so you'll need to find a spot along the street in front of the restaurant or on the side roads nearby. Just avoid the alley entrance — there's a clear no-parking sign there.
One small thing that caught my attention while waiting: instead of a paper number slip, they hand you a big wooden spoon with your number written on it. It's a small touch, but I always like seeing it.
The Food
The main draw here is the galchi-gui jeongsik — a set meal built around grilled hairtail fish. Hairtail (갈치, galchi) is one of Jeju's most iconic ingredients, and Ttungbo Ajeossi does it well. The fish arrives piping hot, crispy on the outside and soft inside, with two generous pieces per person. The set also includes grilled mackerel and a sea urchin seaweed soup (성게미역국, seongge miyeokguk) that has this subtle ocean flavour I find very distinctly Jeju.
The side dishes are simple and well-seasoned — nothing overwhelming, which is exactly how it should be alongside grilled fish. The whole meal is ₩12,000 per person, which honestly feels like a bargain by Jeju standards these days.
If you're coming with a group, there are a few other options on the menu: galchi-jorim (braised hairtail, from ₩45,000 for two), yukgaejang (spicy beef soup, ₩10,000), and whole pork belly kimchi hot pot (₩12,000, available October through April for two or more). Most people go for the set meal, but the braised hairtail is worth considering if you want something a little different.
After Lunch: Isidore Farm
After that lunch I didn't want to head straight back, and Isidore Farm (성이시돌목장, Seong-Isidore Mokjang) was only a short drive away. It's one of those places I keep coming back to when I'm in western Jeju — wide open pastures, horses grazing in the distance, and a pace that feels genuinely unhurried.
The farm has a bit of history behind it. Near the entrance there's an unusual arched white structure that looks almost out of place against the pastoral backdrop — it's actually a Classiphon-style house (태시폰식 주택), a building technique introduced to Jeju in the early 1960s by Irish Catholic priest Father McGlinchey, known to locals as임피제 신부 (Impi-je Sinbu). He came to help the poorest farming communities in western Jeju, and during the process of developing the farm, he brought in this method to build affordable shelters, storage buildings, and livestock barns using a curved mortar shell construction. It was practical, inexpensive, and built with genuine care for the people he was trying to help.
What makes these structures even more remarkable is how rare they are today — almost none survive worldwide, and in Korea, these are the only ones left. They've been designated as Jeju Heritage, and honestly, walking past one in the middle of a working farm makes that history feel very real.
Uyubudan — the farm café
The main spot to get something to eat or drink on the farm is Uyubudan (우유부단), a café run in collaboration with a Jeju social enterprise called Seomida. It uses organic milk from Isidore Farm and focuses on drinks and desserts that let the milk speak for itself — think organic milk teas, café lattes, and their signature soft serve ice cream.
I went with the soft serve (₩5,000). It was my first time trying Uyubudan's version, and it's good — clean, milky, not too sweet. The farm scenery through the window makes it taste even better somehow.
Mister Milk — further into the farm
A little further in, past Uyubudan, you'll find Mister Milk (미스터밀크) — a separate brand that specialises in products made from Isidore Farm's organic milk. I was already familiar with Mister Milk from the Songdang Donghwa Village area in eastern Jeju, where I've had their soft serve plenty of times. Their version is ₩6,000 — a bit pricier than Uyubudan — but the serving size is a little larger and , to me, the flavour is a bit richer too. I was already full from lunch that day, so I didn't order, but if you're choosing between the two, both are worth trying at least once.
I'd originally planned to hike Geum Oreum after lunch, but the rain had other ideas. Honestly, it turned into a better afternoon than I expected — a proper local lunch, a walk around the farm, and ice cream with a view of the pasture. Sometimes the unplanned days are the ones that stick with you.
Nearby: What Else to Do in the Area
✔️ Geum Oreum — If the weather cooperates, this is the first place I'd recommend after lunch. It's a short hike to the summit with sweeping views over western Jeju, and the water-filled crater at the top is something you don't see at most other oreum (volcanic hills) on the island.
✔️ Isidore Farm — Already covered above, but worth saying again: even just a short walk around the pastures is a nice way to spend an hour after a meal.
✔️ Jeoji Tteokjip — The rice cake shop directly across from Ttungbo Ajeossi. The mugwort injeolmi (chewy rice cake with soybean powder) is a local favourite and a good alternative to the more tourist-facing omeogi-tteok.
✔️ Jeoji Art Village — A quiet creative district a short drive away with galleries, artists' studios, and the kind of unhurried atmosphere that's hard to find in busier parts of Jeju.
Practical Info
| 📍 Address | 1812-1 Jeoji-ri, Hallim-eup, Jeju City, Jeju Island |
|---|---|
| 🕖 Hours | 09:30 – 20:00 Break time 15:30 – 17:00 Closed every Thursday |
| 💰 Price | Galchi-gui set meal ₩12,000 / Braised hairtail (2 people) from ₩45,000 |
| 🚗 Parking | No dedicated lot · Street parking available in front or on side roads · No parking at alley entrance |
| 📞 Phone | 064-772-1112 |