Family brunch café by the sea in Ilgwang: ice cream waffle at De Mer

De Mer is a café in Gijang, Busan, where you can have brunch and then let the kids play by the sea.

Where is De Mer in Ilgwang, Gijang?

De Mer is a brunch café in Ilgwang, at 582-48 Ilgwang-ro, Ilgwang-eup, Gijang-gun, Busan, right in front of Sinpyeong Sopark in Gijang. I went to this Ilgwang brunch café, De Mer, recently.

• Address: 582-48 Ilgwang-ro, Ilgwang-eup, Gijang-gun, Busan
• Parking: lots on both sides of the building
• Dogs allowed
• Hours: 10:00 - 20:40
• Closed: every Monday
• Brunch last order at 6 pm; waffles at 6 pm on weekdays and 7:30 pm on weekends

The sea at Sinpyeong Small Park: weekend or weekday visit?

The sea at Sinpyeong Sopark in front of De Mer was more relaxed on a weekday. Right in front there's the sea and a park, and on weekends it's always packed with families.

It's a spot where you can find quite a few clams and crabs, so lots of people come with kids. On weekdays there are fewer people and you can enjoy the sea a bit more calmly. We came on a weekend not long ago, but it was so crowded that we just turned around and went home.

So we made time on a weekday and went back. In the end, the weekday visit was much more satisfying.

Is De Mer a good seaside café in Gijang for kids?

What I liked about De Mer is that you can enjoy brunch or a drink and then head straight out to Sinpyeong Sopark and the sea. If you have kids, you know how it goes. Even at a café, they want to go outside in no time, right?

But at De Mer, the sea is right in front. Dad can take the kids down to look at clams and catch crabs, while Mom has a coffee and a little rest at the café. Doesn't that alone make it a satisfying weekend outing? The kids are thrilled and Mom gets a short break. Kids get bored quickly if it's just a café, but at De Mer you can have a drink, take a walk and look at the sea.

What we ordered at De Mer and how much it cost

We ordered fresh mango juice for ₩8,000, cheonhyehyang (Korean citrus) juice, freshly squeezed, for ₩7,500, an ice cream waffle for ₩15,000, and an iced salted caramel latte for ₩6,500.

Ice cream waffle (15,000 won)

The first thing I reached for was, of course, the De Mer ice cream waffle. A crisp, freshly baked waffle topped with vanilla ice cream, chocolate ice cream and soft cream.

Crisp outside, moist inside, with cold ice cream on top: great combo, right? It was tasty for us adults too.

Iced salted caramel latte (6,500 won)

The De Mer salted caramel latte was better than I expected. A rich milky taste with sweet caramel on top, but it wasn't just sweet, you could taste the coffee too. It also went well with the dessert.

Fresh mango juice (8,000 won) and cheonhyehyang citrus juice (7,500 won)

The De Mer fresh mango juice even came topped with frozen mango. It was thick and heavy, with a strong mango aroma.

The cheonhyehyang juice was fresh and tangy, nice to drink with brunch.

Is the seating at De Mer spacious?

The space inside De Mer is fairly large. The tables were nicely spaced out and the seats were roomy.

There are also tatami (Japanese-style floor mat) seats, which looked good for visiting with small children. I could see why so many families come.

Is De Mer worth a stop on an Ilgwang coastal drive?

De Mer is a place where it'd be a little a shame to just have your drink and leave. After a drink you can walk along the sea right in front or look around Sinpyeong Sopark. If weekends have a lively, bustling mood, weekdays let you enjoy the sea a bit more quietly.

Especially if you're visiting with kids, being able to enjoy the café and the sea in one go felt like a big plus. If you're planning a drive around Ilgwang, it's a good place to stop and rest too. We failed once on a weekend and came back on a weekday, but thanks to that we had a more relaxed time.

De Mer also allows pets.