Weekday evening Gangnam Station café, matcha canelé: Upper and Under

Why we picked Upper and Under near Gangnam Station

Upper and Under is a dessert-focused café on the hill along the CGV alley between Gangnam Station and Sinnonhyeon Station. Not long ago, my friend and I had dinner in Gangnam and went looking for a place with good desserts — that's how I ended up at this Gangnam Station café. Usually when I have plans, I just default to the nearest chain café, but this time I really wanted somewhere with pretty visuals and genuinely good desserts, so I searched around and landed here. The floor-to-ceiling glass exterior and warm lighting caught my eye from far away. The building spans basement, 1st, and 2nd floors, so it's a pretty large space overall. The clean English signage by the entrance had a nice aesthetic touch that got me excited before I even walked in.

Inside Upper and Under: modern interior across B1, 1F and 2F

Walking into Upper and Under, white-brick-style walls, exposed concrete, and clean white-toned tables came together in a cozy way. Each floor had a slightly different mood, and the seats were spaced generously with big windows looking out, so there was no cramped feeling at all. Even on a weekday evening, plenty of people were already enjoying coffee and dessert. The lighting was soft, which made it a great spot for Instagram photos or selfies. Finding such a pleasant space to chat right in the middle of Gangnam made me genuinely happy.

What desserts does Upper and Under have?

The baked goods case at Upper and Under had an amazing variety — lemon madeleine, Earl Grey fig madeleine, sweet potato matang financier, yellow cheese financier, Nutella financier, and matcha canelé, among others. Heading over to the pastry and cake display to order, I couldn't help but gasp at how packed the shelves were with baked goods and how stunning the cakes in the showcase looked. The display style, with dessert plates arranged on stacks of books, felt unique and stylish too.

In the fridge showcase next to it, a moist-looking tiramisu, a fig cake piled with fresh figs, and a tangy raspberry cake were all neatly arranged. Everything looked so good that picking just one felt like a happy dilemma.

Menu and our order at Upper and Under: 29,000 won total

Checking Upper and Under's drink menu, there was a wide range from coffee to cream lattes, sparkling ades, cold brew, and various teas. Americano was ₩6,500 and einspänner around ₩8,000, and signature cream drinks like salted caramel, matcha cream oat latte, and coconut matcha were also well stocked.

After some deliberation, we ordered our drinks and desserts at the counter. Here's what we got:

• Matcha canelé: ₩4,500
• Yellow cheese Basque cheesecake: ₩9,500
• Chamomile (iced): ₩6,500
• Coconut matcha cream: ₩8,500

It came out to ₩29,000 total, paid out of our own pockets for a solid order. At the time, there was also an ongoing event offering one free financier for a receipt review.

How the yellow cheese Basque cheesecake and matcha canelé tasted

Upper and Under's yellow cheese Basque cheesecake showed the essence of what dense and fudgy can be. When the drinks and desserts finally arrived, neatly arranged on a tray, the visuals alone were so appetizing that I took several photos before digging in. The rich, salty-savory flavor of the yellow cheese wrapped heavily around my mouth, and paired with the crunchy crumble served alongside, the texture was perfect too. The dense, smooth signature of cheesecake combined beautifully with the yellow cheese flavor.

The matcha canelé was textbook crisp-outside, moist-and-chewy-inside. On top was bittersweet, nutty matcha powder and cream, and with each bite the distinctive fragrance of matcha spread through my mouth.

For my drink, I chose the coconut matcha cream — a deep, bittersweet matcha base topped generously with soft, sweet coconut cream. Stirred together and sipped, the bitterness and the nutty sweetness of coconut blended in a curious, wonderful way, pairing perfectly with the desserts. The cool, clean chamomile tea was a great choice too, cutting through the richness of the desserts nicely.

Best time to visit Upper and Under, tips and verdict

If you're looking for a Gangnam Station café that combines both quality desserts and an aesthetic interior, Upper and Under is a place I'd strongly recommend. With such a wide variety of baked goods, dessert lovers will likely leave very satisfied. On weekends or during peak hours, window seats and popular spots fill up quickly, so if you want a more relaxed time, try a weekday evening or a weekend morning instead. This was a fully satisfying visit — 200% would come back.

Upper and Under hours, address and directions

• Store name: Upper and Under (어퍼앤언더)
• Address: 28 Gangnam-daero 102-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, South Korea (B1, 1F, 2F)
• Hours: Daily 11:00 – 22:00
• Signature menu: Yellow cheese Basque cheesecake ₩9,500 / Matcha canelé ₩4,500 / Coconut matcha cream ₩8,500 / Chamomile ₩6,500 / various financiers and madeleines around ₩4,000
• About 7 min walk from Gangnam Station (Line 2/Sinbundang) Exit 11
• About 5 min walk from Sinnonhyeon Station (Line 9/Sinbundang) Exit 6
• Walk up the hill inside the CGV alley between Gangnam Station and Sinnonhyeon Station — it's on the right as the road climbs