Yeonnam-dong night coffee shop with vintage lanterns: Pip Espresso Bar

I'd had dinner near Yeonnam-dong and didn't feel like just heading straight home, so I went looking for a café — and found one that stays open late. This is Yeonnam-dong café Pip Espresso Bar.

Pip Espresso Bar in Yeonnam-dong: are seats free in the evening?

Pip Espresso Bar is a large café on Seongmisan-ro 29-gil in Yeonnam-dong. I hadn't done much research before going, and it turned out to be a pretty huge space. Even though I visited in the evening, customers kept streaming in!

There are outdoor tables too, and with the weather turning cooler these days, sitting outside seemed like a great option.

There's plenty of outdoor seating, but the inside is spacious and cozy too. The vibe alone gets full marks...

There are lots of little alley-like nooks where you can sit for a quick espresso.

Go further in and there are lots of spacious tables. The mood shifts subtly from room to room, so you can just pick a spot that matches your taste.

Vintage lanterns for sale inside a Seoul coffee shop?

Turns out Pip Espresso Bar also sells vintage lanterns in-store. It was such a funny surprise to find lanterns for sale at a café that browsing them became part of the fun.

Pip Espresso Bar menu and what we ordered

The dessert lineup is pretty extensive too. Stroopwafel, macadamia platter, tiramisu — everything looked seriously good...

The menu has all sorts of espresso drinks, coffee beverages, desserts, and even cocktails. I honestly know nothing about coffee, but the staff explained everything so well that I could order comfortably.

First I picked the signature Pip Coffee, then added an Americano and a dessert.

They also have long, slim financiers.

• Pip Coffee ₩7,500 — Earl Grey base + espresso + cream
• Americano ₩5,500
• Tiramisu Banana Crumble ₩9,500
• Total ₩22,500

Signature Pip Coffee, 7,500 won: how strong is the Earl Grey?

The Pip Coffee is ₩7,500, made with an Earl Grey base, espresso, and cream.

First, the signature Pip Coffee! It's shaped a bit like an Einspänner, and the cream on top is thick, sweet, and soft — almost like melted ice cream. And the coffee underneath has a genuinely strong Earl Grey flavor. Honestly I wasn't expecting much from the Earl Grey, but it came through powerfully, and I loved it.

Stirred together it goes smooth, tasting like a rich milk tea with an espresso shot added in. Sweet and fragrant while still tasting like real coffee... it was exactly my type. If you like Earl Grey, you'll probably really enjoy this one!

Americano, 5,500 won: pick your coffee beans

Pip Espresso Bar's Americano is ₩5,500, and you can choose between acidic or nutty beans.

I obviously went with the nutty option. Obvious choice, but it was still delicious... rich and bittersweet, a perfect match with dessert.

Tiramisu Banana Crumble, 9,500 won: a truly bittersweet sheet

The Tiramisu Banana Crumble is ₩9,500.

It's a can't-go-wrong combo — Lotus crumble and banana on top of tiramisu. The Lotus crumble is a familiar flavor, so of course it's sweet and crunchy and delicious! The tiramisu cream itself is subtly sweet and nutty and good.

And the real highlight is the bottom sheet — it's soaked in coffee and genuinely bittersweet. Out of every tiramisu I've had, this one had the strongest, most bitter coffee flavor in the sheet.

That bitterness paired so well with the sweet cream and Lotus crumble. I wish every tiramisu had this much real bitterness... it wasn't just sweet, it actually tasted like coffee, and I loved that.

Verdict: a Yeonnam-dong café worth visiting at night

Yeonnam-dong café Pip Espresso Bar! The sweet Pip Coffee with its charming Earl Grey flavor, the rich and bittersweet Americano, and the Tiramisu Banana Crumble with its crunchy sweet Lotus, soft cream and banana, plus that bittersweet sheet — everything I ordered was satisfying.

It's a big space that stays open late, so it's great for enjoying at night too. The Pip Coffee and tiramisu were especially delicious. If you're looking for a Yeonnam-dong café with great vibes or great coffee, I highly recommend this one!