How to Find the Best Brick Oven Pizza in Korea

Do you love delicate pizzas with and fresh ingredients? Maybe it’s time to find some of the best brick oven pizza spots in Korea! We also share some of the most popular spots in Pyeongtaek-si to try.

Aboout Brick Oven Pizza in Korea

If you’re used to American-style pizza, brick oven pizza might come as a surprise. Instead of gigantic pies stacked with heavy toppings and meant to feed a whole crew, brick oven pizza often offers cozy flavors and fresh ingredients. North Americans might ask, “Why is it too small? Too light? Where’s the ranch dressing?” and Europeans might wonder at some of the new toppings they see.

Either way brick oven pizza in Korea might feel like a whole different experience, and that’s exactly the point. Korea bring it’s own twist and part of the adventure of moving to a new country is learning new ways of life. In South Korea, where more and more artisan pizzerias are popping up and the chefs don’t limit themselves. It’s fun to find your perfect spots.

One Pizza, One Person

Let’s start with what surprises many North Americans about brick oven pizza in Korea (or anywhere else in the world), the size. Brick oven pizzas often only come in one size and only meant for one person. That’s not a rip-off. That’s the tradition. If you don’t enjoy pizza this way, you may want to find a different type of pizza restaurant.

Brick oven pizzas are typically about 10–12 inches in diameter, thin-crusted. They’re meant to be eaten whole by one person, with a fork and knife or folded by hand. It’s fast, fresh, and deeply satisfying. Some even prefer them because brick oven pizzas don’t make them feel overly stuffed and sluggish.

What Makes a Brick Oven Special?

It’s all in the oven. Brick ovens are wood-fired or gas-fired ovens that reach temperatures between 400°C and 500°C (750°F to 900°F). That’s much hotter than your typical kitchen oven or conveyor-style pizza oven. This extreme heat cooks the pizza in about 90 seconds, creating:

• A light, airy, slightly charred crust
• Melty, bubbling cheese
• Lightly blistered toppings
• Smoky, earthy flavor from the fire

It’s not just about speed. Instead, sit back and enjoy the texture, aroma, and character.

Fresh, Seasonal Ingredients Take Center Stage

Brick oven pizza is about simplicity and quality. That means fewer and better ingredients. You’ll typically see:

• Fresh mozzarella or burrata
• San Marzano-style tomatoes
• Fresh herbs like basil or arugula
• High-quality olive oil
• Seasonal vegetables or cured meats like prosciutto, speck, or mushrooms

There’s a strong Italian influence here, so don’t expect the loaded pies of American takeout menus. Instead, expect combinations like:

• Margherita (mozzarella, tomato, basil)
• Prosciutto and arugula
• Gorgonzola with walnuts and honey

This is pizza where every ingredient matters and where the crust is treated as an ingredient in its own right, not just a delivery system for toppings.

Don’t Ask for Ranch

If you moved to South Korea from the United States, remember that the rest of the world generally avoids dipping their pizza into Ranch Dressing. This includes brick oven pizza. The delicate pizzas aren’t meant to be drowned in sauces or smothered in cheese. Instead:

• Savor the olive oil
• Enjoy the flavor of the dough and char
• Maybe add a little chili oil, honey, or balsamic glaze — if the restaurant offers it

If you’re craving something to dip, check if the restaurant offers focaccia or side sauces that complement the flavors of the pizza rather than mask them.

This Isn’t Fast Food. It’s Artisan Craft

When you go to a brick oven pizza place, especially a small or independently run one, you’re not getting factory-made dough and reheated toppings. You’re usually getting (but not always):

• Dough that’s been fermented for 24–72 hours
• Handmade pizzas cooked to order
• Carefully balanced flavors instead of “more of everything”

Expect slower service than a typical pizza joint even though the pizzas cook fast. Also, expect higher prices for a single pizza because the flour and ingredients often need imported. But also expect to taste something that took real time and skill to create. If it you don’t fall in love with the flavors at one place, move onto the next spot and don’t even worry about it.

Finding Brick Oven Pizza in Korea

In Korea, you’ll find brick oven pizza across the country. Sometimes even in rural areas and small towns. Sometimes these restaurants or cafes are run by Koreans who’ve trained abroad or foreign chefs who want to bring authentic flavors to Korea.

Words to look for on Korean signs or Naver Maps:

• 화덕피자 (hwa-deok pizza) = brick oven pizza
• 나폴리 피자 (Napoli pizza) = Neapolitan-style pizza
• 이탈리안 피자 = Italian pizza

You want to look for restaurants the proudly show their ovens and have maybe 3-5 different pizzas to choose them. Extra bonus points if they have seasonal specials.

Also expect to find different flavor profiles than you might find in your home country. That’s one of the fun parts about living in a new culture. You get to discover new flavors.

How to Order Like a Local

Here is how we often enjoy eating at wood fired pizza restaurants with friends:

• Don’t share only one pizza among a group since it’s usually not enough food. Order a few pizzas and then share slices so you can taste them all.
• Consider ordering a salad or appetizer to balance your diet.
• Don’t ask for extra toppings right away because you should first enjoy the chef’s balance.
• Use a knife and fork or fold slices, depending on the crust’s firmness.
• Relax this is an experience, not a race so if you aren’t full and need another pizza, just order one.

Final Slice

Brick oven pizza is a reminder that less can be more. It’s not about stuffing yourself. Brick oven pizza is about appreciating balance, craft, and flavor. So the next time you see a 12-inch pizza with just a few toppings and no side sauces, don’t panic. You’re not being shortchanged, you’re about to experience pizza the way it was meant to be. If you prefer quantity over quality, maybe try on of the more western leaning pizza spots in Pyeongtaek-si.

Pyeongtaek-si Brick Oven Pizza List