Restaurant in Seoul, South Korea
Michelin-recognized Italian at mid-range prices.
Rialto holds back-to-back Michelin Plate recognition (2024 and 2025) and delivers Italian cooking at a ₩₩ price point that makes it the clearest value proposition in Seoul's Gangnam Italian dining set. Practical for business meals and special occasions alike, it sits in a credible middle tier: more serious than casual Italian, more accessible than the city's ₩₩₩₩ tasting-menu restaurants.
Yes, and more directly: Rialto is one of the few Italian restaurants in Seoul to earn back-to-back Michelin Plate recognition (2024 and 2025), which puts it in a credible tier for anyone who wants serious Italian cooking in Gangnam rather than a Korean-inflected approximation of it. At the ₩₩ price point, it also represents meaningful value against the city's Michelin-acknowledged dining options, most of which sit at ₩₩₩ or ₩₩₩₩. If Italian cuisine is the priority and you want quality credentials without the four-symbol price tag, Rialto is the clearest answer in this part of Seoul.
The editorial angle that matters here is technical fidelity. Italian cuisine in Asia frequently drifts: local ingredients get substituted without acknowledgment, sauces thin out, pasta textures land somewhere between overcooked and approximate. The Michelin Plate, awarded consecutively, signals that Rialto's kitchen is holding a higher standard than that. A Plate designation does not mean star-level complexity, but it does mean the Michelin inspector found the cooking competent and consistent enough to single out, which in a city where Italian options are plentiful but uneven, matters.
Rialto sits on the second floor of a building on Samseong-ro 149-gil in Gangnam District, a neighborhood better known for Korean fine dining and French-influenced tasting menus than for Italian trattoria-style cooking. That positioning is part of what makes the venue worth examining: it is operating in a market where 7th Door, Onjium, and Zero Complex set the tone for serious dining, yet Rialto holds its own as a distinct Italian proposition rather than chasing the Korean-fusion wave.
For context on what Italian cooking at this standard looks like elsewhere in the region, 8 1/2 Otto e Mezzo Bombana in Hong Kong and cenci in Kyoto represent the ceiling of Italian fine dining in Asia. Rialto is not in that category, nor is it priced like it is, but the Michelin recognition confirms it is playing a different game than the mid-market Italian chains that populate Gangnam's side streets.
Within Seoul's Italian dining set, Rialto occupies a specific niche. Borgo Hannam in Hannam-dong draws a similar audience for Italian cuisine with a different neighborhood profile. Il Vecchio and Osteria Orzo offer alternatives at varying price points, while Egg & Flour and Doughroom represent the more casual, carb-forward end of Seoul's Italian dining. Rialto sits above the casual tier and below the true fine-dining ceiling, which is exactly the right slot for a Michelin Plate at ₩₩ pricing.
Rialto is well-suited to three specific groups. First, couples or pairs looking for a special-occasion dinner that does not require a ₩₩₩₩ commitment. The Michelin Plate recognition provides enough credibility to justify the occasion without the anxiety of a full omakase-style spend. Second, business diners who want a neutral, globally legible cuisine (Italian reads as appropriate for international guests in a way that some hyper-local Korean formats do not). Third, visitors to Seoul who want one genuinely good Italian meal rather than defaulting to Korean dining for every booking on the trip.
If you are celebrating a significant milestone and budget is secondary, the comparison set shifts. Solbam and L'Amitié offer more elaborate tasting menu formats at higher price points. But for a dinner where the food needs to be reliably good, the room needs to feel appropriate for the occasion, and the bill needs to stay within reason, Rialto is a sound choice.
Google reviewers give Rialto a 4.5 from 27 ratings, a number that is encouraging but small enough to treat with some caution. The Michelin Plate carries more evidential weight here than the review count does. Two consecutive Plate years (2024 and 2025) suggest consistency rather than a single strong inspection performance.
Reservations: Booking at Rialto is classified as easy; walk-in availability is plausible given the ₩₩ price tier and Gangnam location, but booking ahead is sensible for weekend evenings or any special occasion. Budget: ₩₩ pricing makes Rialto one of the more accessible Michelin-recognized Italian options in the city. Expect a materially lower spend than the ₩₩₩₩ comparison venues. Getting there: The address (13 2F Samseong-ro 149-gil, Gangnam District) places it in a dense commercial area with good subway access via the Gangnam or Samseong stations on Line 2. Dress: No dress code is confirmed in available data, but the Gangnam context and Michelin recognition suggest smart casual is appropriate for evening dining. Groups: Seat count is not published; contact the venue directly if booking for four or more to confirm capacity and configuration. Timing: Hours are not published in available data; confirm before arrival.
For more dining options across the city and region, see our full Seoul restaurants guide. If you are planning a wider trip, our Seoul hotels guide, bars guide, wineries guide, and experiences guide cover the full picture. Further afield in South Korea, Mori in Busan, Double T Dining in Gangneung, and Doosoogobang in Suwon are worth knowing if your itinerary extends beyond the capital. For those exploring the countryside, Injegol in Inje County, Pool House in Incheon, and 에버리움펜션 in Cheoin round out the regional picture.
Rialto is a Michelin Plate Italian restaurant in Gangnam at ₩₩ pricing, which makes it more accessible than most Michelin-recognized dining in Seoul. The kitchen delivers Italian cooking at a standard the Michelin guide has recognized in consecutive years. First-timers should confirm hours before visiting and book ahead for evenings, particularly on weekends. The address is second-floor on Samseong-ro 149-gil, so look for building signage rather than street-level frontage.
Yes. The Michelin Plate designation (consecutive 2024 and 2025) gives Rialto the credibility needed for a celebration dinner, and the ₩₩ price point means you are not overpaying for the occasion relative to what you receive. For a more elaborate or higher-spend celebration, Solbam or L'Amitié offer more complex tasting formats. But for a couple or small group that wants Italian cooking done well at a fair price, Rialto works.
Tasting menu format and pricing are not confirmed in available data. Given the ₩₩ price range and Michelin Plate (rather than star) designation, Rialto likely operates with a menu structure that is less formal than a full omakase or degustação format. Check with the venue directly. If a multi-course format is important to your occasion, L'Amitié at ₩₩₩ is a confirmed tasting-menu-focused alternative.
Specific dish data is not available. Given the Michelin Plate recognition and Italian cuisine category, the pasta program is the reasonable anchor of any order. Ask the server for current recommendations rather than arriving with a specific dish in mind; at Plate-level Italian restaurants, the kitchen's strengths often shift by season and supply.
No dress code is confirmed in available data. The combination of Gangnam location, Michelin recognition, and ₩₩ pricing suggests smart casual is appropriate: presentable but not black-tie. If you are dining for a special occasion, lean toward the smarter end of that range.
Bar or counter seating configuration is not confirmed in available data. Contact the venue directly if bar dining is your preference. The second-floor address and Italian fine-casual format suggest a conventional table-service layout rather than a counter-focused setup.
Seat count and private dining availability are not published. For groups of four or more, contact the venue directly to confirm table availability and configuration. At ₩₩ pricing, Rialto is a reasonable group dining option on cost grounds, but logistical confirmation is needed before committing a larger party.
Booking difficulty is classified as easy, which means last-minute reservations are often possible. For weekend evenings or a specific special occasion, booking a week ahead is sensible. The venue's Michelin Plate status may draw more demand than a comparable non-recognized Italian restaurant; do not assume a walk-in will always work on a Friday or Saturday evening.
| Venue | Cuisine | Price | Awards | Booking Difficulty | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rialto | Italian | ₩₩ | Michelin Plate (2025); Michelin Plate (2024) | Easy | — |
| 7th Door | Korean, Contemporary | ₩₩₩₩ | Michelin 1 Star, World's 50 Best | Unknown | — |
| Solbam | Contemporary | ₩₩₩₩ | Michelin 1 Star, World's 50 Best | Unknown | — |
| Onjium | Korean | ₩₩₩₩ | Michelin 1 Star, World's 50 Best | Unknown | — |
| L'Amitié | French | ₩₩₩ | Michelin 1 Star | Unknown | — |
| Zero Complex | Korean-French, Innovative | ₩₩₩₩ | Michelin 1 Star | Unknown | — |
Key differences to consider before you reserve.
Bar seating details are not confirmed in available venue data for Rialto. Given the ₩₩ price tier and Gangnam location, the format skews toward table dining rather than a bar-forward setup. Call ahead or book a table to be safe — walk-in availability is plausible at this price point, but confirming in advance is the better move.
Rialto has earned Michelin Plate recognition in both 2024 and 2025, which signals consistent kitchen standards rather than a one-off performance. It sits in Gangnam's Samseong-ro area and prices at ₩₩, making it one of the more accessible entry points into recognized Italian dining in Seoul. Go expecting technical fidelity to Italian cooking rather than fusion or locally adapted flavors.
Specific menu formats and pricing are not confirmed in the venue data. At ₩₩, Rialto sits well below the top tier of Seoul's Italian options, so even if a tasting menu is offered, the financial risk is lower than at ₩₩₩₩ competitors. The back-to-back Michelin Plate awards suggest the kitchen is consistent enough to justify exploring whatever structured format they offer.
Specific dishes are not documented in the venue record, so ordering recommendations would be speculative. What the Michelin Plate recognition does confirm is that the kitchen meets a recognized standard for the cuisine type. Ask staff for the kitchen's current strengths — that will get you further than any pre-visit list.
Yes, particularly if your group wants a credentialed dinner without committing to ₩₩₩₩ pricing. Back-to-back Michelin Plate recognition in 2024 and 2025 gives it enough weight to feel occasion-appropriate. It works well for couples or small groups — for large parties wanting a private room or set menu, confirm availability before booking.
Dress code details are not specified in the venue data. At ₩₩ in Gangnam, a neat casual to smart casual approach is a reasonable baseline — Gangnam diners generally trend presentable even at mid-range restaurants. When in doubt, err toward the smarter end; Italian restaurants in Seoul at this recognition level rarely enforce strict codes but reward the effort.
Group-specific seating or private dining details are not confirmed in the venue record. At a ₩₩ Italian restaurant in Gangnam, larger group bookings are possible but worth verifying directly. For parties of six or more, contact the restaurant in advance — assuming walk-in space for groups is a risk at any Michelin-recognized venue.
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