CJ Foodville has opened "Oli Pepe," a new Italian restaurant brand, on the second floor of Cheonggye Korea Building in Gwanghwamun, Seoul, on January 11.
The 560-square-meter venue features warm yellow and beige tones, with stone flooring that evokes the feel of walking through a European alley. Even on an overcast day, the interior felt as bright as an Italian afternoon bathed in sunlight. By 11 a.m. on opening day—before the lunch rush had even begun—about half of the restaurant's 156 seats were already filled.
Oli Pepe aims to deliver a lively dining experience centered on delicious Italian cuisine and natural conversation. The name combines "Oli" from olive, an essential ingredient in Italian cooking, with "Pepe," the Italian word for pepper. The brand goes beyond typical pasta and pizza restaurants by offering a full Italian dining course from aperitivo to dessert. The wine list was personally curated by Lee Hyung-taek, who won first place at the 24th Korea Sommelier Competition.
The restaurant features diverse seating options, including window seats overlooking Cheonggyecheon Stream, booth seating, bar seats, and private rooms for groups. An open kitchen at the center of the venue allows diners to watch pizzas being baked in a wood-fired oven, made with Caputo flour certified by the Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana. The restaurant attracted intense interest before opening, with the reservation app Catch Table recording 2,000 simultaneous users at one point.
"Oli Pepe started from an internal culture of trying new challenges," said Park Bo-kyung, head of dining marketing at CJ Foodville. "Based on our capabilities, we wanted to bring the lively mood of Italian food culture to Korea."
The menu faithfully follows authentic Italian dining customs, starting with aperitivo, followed by antipasti as the first course, traditional wood-fired pizza and pasta, then coffee and dessert. The signature pizza "Oli Olive" features green, black, and Kalamata olives topped with five types of cheese, maximizing the umami of olives and the savory notes of aged dough.
The signature pasta "Cacio Oli Pepe," reflecting the brand's name, uses tubular ziti pasta infused with rich cheese and pepper for deep flavor. The restaurant also features an espresso lineup developed in collaboration with Lisar Coffee, which pioneered the popularization of espresso bars, along with authentic desserts including tiramisu and gelato.
CJ Foodville plans to evaluate expansion based on the response to the Gwanghwamun location. "Oli Pepe is a new option for customers seeking differentiated Italian dining, built on CJ Foodville's accumulated experience operating Italian brands," a company official said. "We will refine our strategy based on customer experience and strengthen our brand competitiveness."
