RESTAURANT OF THE WEEK I pity the fool who doesn't try Grandma Piie

A video of Mr. T greets customers at Grandma Piie in Sindorim Station. Courtesy of Emerald Gao

Seoul has a lot of great pizzerias, many of which have been highlighted in this Restaurant of the Week column, but one of the most unique would have to be Grandma Piie in Sindorim Station. "The extra i is for extra flavor," says a Reddit reviewer.

For those who pass through Sindorim as part of their daily commute, it is widely considered one of the worst stations on the Seoul Metro map. No one can be faulted for having low expectations for a pizza place right here. But this little focaccia bakery defies all preconceptions.

Grandma Piie in Sindorim Station on Seoul Metro Line 1's platform heading north, Sept. 12, 2025 / Korea Times photo by Jon Dunbar

When you walk in, right off the platform for Line 1 trains headed north into the city, there's an armada of focaccia pizzas under a display case.

The pizza toppings range from traditional — the three-cheese Grandma Piie, the Meat Bonkers! which is basically a meat lover's, a delectable mushroom medley — to slightly more inventive. There's a bacon, egg and cheese breakfast variety, a creamy spinach alfredo, and a jalapeno Hawaiian pizza featuring an almost delicate relish-style pepper topping and a generous smear of Grandma's marinara sauce. For the dip and drizzle enthusiasts, you can get a generous amount of chipotle ranch or sriracha mayo for nominal extra cost.

There are usually a couple of thin-crust options available in the display case, but why bother? Grandma Piie's high-rise dough is the star of the show, especially in their thick and fluffy East Coast-inspired slices. The shop interior is plastered with posters — many featuring copy that is unprintable here — extolling the virtues of that very same dough, and they're right.

The restaurant also sells a small selection of canned goods, homemade focaccia bread in a variety of flavors both savory and sweet and fountain drinks such as a tangy-sweet lemonade and a Hong Kong iced tea — a dense and refreshing green tea slush with a strong peach kick. Both pair well with the savory, toothsome pizzas.

A television screen over the counter plays Mr. T videos the whole time, with made-up subtitles praising the shop's offerings. (Like the posters, they're right.) There is room to sit and eat, and even people-watch if you're so inclined, but it's also pretty damn convenient if you just want a takeout order on your way downtown.

Grandma Piie jalapeno Hawaiian pizza and lemonade / Korea Times photo by Emerald Gao

Grandma Piie opens every weekday at 7 a.m. and closes at 10 p.m. On Saturdays it's open from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., and is closed on Sundays. Follow @grandmapiie on Instagram for more information.