Hongcheon hanok café with a friendly cat and bean choices: Gil151

On our Hongcheon trip we took the kids to Gil151, a hanok (traditional Korean house) café with a great atmosphere. The stylish hanok was impressive, but what I liked even more was the huge outdoor space! From the Jeongja pavilion to the pond and the waterwheel, it was a lovely place to stroll slowly.

Where is Gil151 Hanok Cafe in Hongcheon, and what are the hours?

• Gil151 Hanok Cafe, Gangwon Hongcheon Main Branch
• Address: 147 Gilgol-gil, Nam-myeon, Hongcheon-gun, Gangwon, South Korea
• Hours: 10:00–18:30
• Last order: 18:00
• Closed: every Thursday
• Parking: free

Gil151 is in Nam-myeon, Hongcheon. It's an easy stop if you're traveling around Vivaldi Park, so keep it in mind. A big hanok gate greets you at the entrance, and the mood is special even before you step inside.

Is parking easy at Gil151?

Inside the grounds there's plenty of parking. According to the café it's a free lot of about 300 pyeong, and we came by car and parking was really easy. There are even parking attendants who guide you.

A 1,800-pyeong Hongcheon hanok café that also hosts weddings

Once inside I was surprised at how much bigger it was than I expected. I looked it up out of curiosity: it's about 1,800 pyeong, built with Korean red pine. Besides the main hanok building, the pavilion, walking paths and outdoor areas stretch out widely, so it's nice to look around slowly.

I hear the large space can also be used for weddings and special events. The mix of hanok and nature makes it feel even more special. The weather helped a lot that day, too. With the blue sky, pine trees and tiled roofs, every shot looked like a painting.

What I liked most at Gil151 was exactly this spacious, relaxed outdoor area. Unlike big cafés that are just one giant building, you can enjoy the hanok and nature together.

Can you bring kids to Gil151? Care Kids Zone rules

Gil151 operates as a Care Kids Zone, where children are welcome. Ball games and kick scooters are banned on the lawn, and you should keep a close eye on kids around the stairs and the pond. If you visit with children like we did, just check the rules once.

Inside Gil151: a true hanok feel

Inside, too, the special hanok atmosphere carries through. Traditional props and decorations are placed here and there, which made browsing fun, and the Gil151 logo blends nicely with the hanok mood.

The big windows show the hanok outside and the mountain scenery, so sitting indoors never felt stuffy. The tables are spaced comfortably, so it was easy for the family to relax. One side has floor seating, and sitting there looking out over the wide field through the windows made me feel at ease.

By the window there's a tray return and a high chair. The hanok view outside is right there, so you can enjoy the atmosphere even from inside the café.

What desserts are in Gil151's bakery case?

The showcase next to the counter had more variety than I expected: sweet potato, injeolmi (rice cake with roasted soybean powder), sweet pumpkin cheese and carrot cake, plus a colorful rainbow cake kids will love, and several breads. Coming with kids, it's hard to just walk past the case. ^^

Gil151 menu and prices

Signature drinks

• Jinhong Sukhyehui Nunkkot (cream latte) ₩8,300
• When the Dongbaek Flowers Bloom (affogato) ₩8,800
• Grain Storehouse (seonsik, roasted grain drink) ₩7,500
• Autumn Road ₩8,500

Coffee

• Espresso ₩6,000
• Americano ₩6,000
• Café latte ₩6,500
• Vanilla bean latte ₩6,800
• Belgian café mocha ₩7,000
• Deep caramel latte ₩7,000
• Oat milk upgrade +₩1,000

Non-coffee drinks

• Belgian couverture chocolate latte ₩7,800
• Homemade strawberry & raspberry syrup latte ₩7,800
• Jeju20 matcha latte ₩7,500
• Sugar-free tangerine juice ₩5,000

Ades and smoothies

• Lemon ade ₩7,300
• Tropical ade ₩7,300
• Yogurt smoothie ₩7,500
• Mango smoothie ₩8,000
• Persimmon (hongsi) smoothie ₩8,000

Traditional Korean teas

• Donguibogam Ssanghwa tea (herbal tea) ₩8,000
• Strong cinnamon tea ₩7,500
• Spicy ginger tea ₩7,500

Leaf teas and gaja teas

• Royal chamomile ₩7,500
• Sweet lemongrass ₩7,500
• Cool mint ₩7,500
• Serenity ₩7,500
• Rooibos bilberry ₩7,500
• Mugwort flower gaja tea ₩7,800
• Chrysanthemum gaja tea ₩7,800
• Gujeolcho (Korean wild chrysanthemum) gaja tea ₩7,800
• Bangah (Korean mint) gaja tea ₩7,800

※ Per the menu, it's one drink per person. From coffee to traditional teas, ades and smoothies, the drink selection was wide.

Three coffee beans to choose from at Gil151

At Gil151 you can choose the beans for your Americano. It's fun to pick whatever suits you.

• Kkotgil (Flower Road) – acidity
• Heukgil (Earth Road) – nutty
• Nungil (Snow Road) – decaf

What our family ordered and the total bill

4 drinks and 3 breads came to ₩47,000. For the Americanos, we each picked to taste: I chose the nutty beans and my husband the acidic ones. Our tastes are opposite, so I loved being able to choose. ^^

Gil151 takes its coffee seriously

From the café's own information, Gil151 puts real effort into coffee. It uses its own blended beans and says it builds in long extraction know-how. The staff's hanbok-style outfits fit the hanok mood too.

Pond, waterwheel and a friendly cat while we waited

Gil151 has a pond and a big waterwheel, so it feels like a waste to just drink coffee and leave. Walking along to the sound of flowing water, it really felt like a trip.

The kids spotted a cat and stopped in their tracks! They gently petted it and wouldn't leave its side for ages. Unexpected little moments like this seem to stay in memory longer when you travel with kids.

This one was a gaenyang-i (a cat that acts like a dog, very friendly with people) ^^ The kids were so smitten that even after our order was ready they had no intention of leaving, haha.

Best photo spots at Gil151

If you head to the side of the café there's a stone wall, and photos there come out really pretty. So my daughter and I took turns photographing each other and got one shot each, haha.

Drinks and desserts we ordered with the kids

For the Americanos, I chose the nutty beans and my husband the acidic ones, each to our own taste. The cups and props suited the hanok mood and were so pretty that we took photos without even thinking.

Autumn Road, the autumn-only drink we fell for

The Autumn Road (₩8,500) my daughter picked is Gil151's autumn-only seasonal menu item. Homemade strawberry-yuzu syrup blended with jasmine tea made it sweet yet fresh, with a lovely subtle aroma. If you visit in autumn, it's a signature drink worth trying once. ^^

Heukgil (nutty) vs Kkotgil (acidic) Americano: how they taste

I chose the nutty beans, and with no acidity, smooth and nutty, it was just right for me! The acidic beans my husband chose tasted clean and bright.

Salt bread, cheese long sausage bread and rainbow cake

For bread we got salt bread, a cheese long sausage and the rainbow cake! The kids loved the rainbow cake the moment they saw it. The colorful look was totally their taste. The cheese long sausage is a pastry, crisp outside and moist inside, with a sausage in it, easy to eat in bites.

My son dipped his bread into his yogurt smoothie and ate it up, saying it was delicious, haha.

Good air, good views, and tasty bread and coffee in Gil151's hanok Jeongja pavilion. Even a short break became a nice travel memory.

Gil151 receipt review event

When we visited, Gil151 was also running a receipt review event. After writing a review you can pick one of three Dutch coffee portions, so I took one home. If you love coffee, don't miss it.

Who is Gil151 Hanok Cafe in Hongcheon best for?

Gil151 was our stop on a Hongcheon trip. The hanok was lovely, but the wide outdoor space was especially good. We had coffee and bread in the Jeongja pavilion and took a relaxed break, looking around the pond and waterwheel with the kids. It's a good café to combine with a trip to Sudasa Temple, Palbongsan, Vivaldi Park or Sono Pelice. Our family made good memories at Gil151~♡

• People who like hanok-style cafés
• Anyone looking for a Hongcheon café with big outdoor space
• Families wanting a café to explore slowly with kids
• People who like cafés with a pavilion, pond and walking areas
• Anyone looking for a spot for a small wedding or special gathering
• Anyone wanting a café to rest at during a Hongcheon trip