Gangnam bakery after a full meal: 8 Gangnam Sand, Bakerist Brown

Sweet desserts I kept reaching for even though I was already full

Bakerist Brown, a Gangnam bakery in a standalone red brick building

After eating with a friend in Gangnam, we went looking for a café to chat in and ended up at Bakerist Brown. Being a standalone red brick building, it caught the eye the moment we turned into the alley. The exterior already felt different from a typical downtown café, and there were outdoor seats set up both beside the entrance and along the side of the building.

Inside, madeleines, croissants, salt bread, baked cookies, and cakes were all laid out across several separate display sections, which made browsing one by one kind of fun. If you're looking for a Gangnam Station bakery with a wide range of breads and desserts to choose from, this is a good place to check out.

What is the seating like at Bakerist Brown?

After choosing menu items and ordering drinks on the first floor, we headed up to the seating upstairs. Inside, old wooden tables, leather sofas, and mismatched chairs were arranged in a way that felt natural rather than forced. Instead of a neatly unified interior, it had a vintage feel from mixed furniture, so each space felt a little different from the next.

The window seats looked down over the alley, and there were tables big enough for several people. There was even an outdoor terrace, so on a cooler day it would be nice to eat outside.

What we ordered at Bakerist Brown and what it cost

That day we ordered the 8-piece Gangnam Sand set for ₩19,000, a double vanilla bean madeleine for ₩3,200, and a salt cream coffee for ₩7,800.

The total came to ₩30,000.

Inside the 8-piece Gangnam Sand set: all eight flavors

The Gangnam Sand box came with eight different flavors in one box: Cream Forest, Peanut Butter Wave, Black Grain, Golden Hour, London Fog, Rich Ganache, Raspberry Blossom, and Sweet Pumpkin Jack.

Laid out on a plate together, the range of colors made it look pretty. Each flavor was packed generously with a different cream or filling between the cookies. It suited my sweet tooth well, and all eight had distinct, clearly defined flavors that were all delicious.

Splitting them one by one and comparing flavors was fun in itself. Even though I was already full, I ended up eating more than expected because it was so good. With so many different flavors, it never got repetitive the way one flavor eaten continuously might, and I kept wanting to try the next one.

A small guide card came with the box so you could check which flavor was which as you ate, which was a nice touch. Each flavor had a clearly different color, so they were easy to tell apart, and neatly arranged in one box it also looked good as a gift. If you're looking for a takeaway dessert at a Gangnam Station bakery, this is worth keeping an eye on.

Taking the leftover Gangnam Sand home in a takeaway box

There was quite a generous amount, too much to finish in one sitting, so we got a takeaway container from the store for the rest. The packaging was neat too, which would suit anyone at this Gangnam Station bakery looking for a dessert to gift or share.

Double vanilla bean madeleine, 3,200 won

The double vanilla bean madeleine was cute from the shape alone, with a round bump rising in the middle. Cut in half, the inside was soft and moist, and the sweet vanilla flavor came through clearly.

It wasn't dry at all and went down easily, and it went well alongside the Gangnam Sand. True to a Gangnam Station bakery, the range of baked cookies was wide, and since the madeleine I had that day was this good, it made me curious about the others. It was hard to pick just one favorite among everything I chose that day — they all suited my taste.

How the salt cream coffee (7,800 won) pairs with Gangnam Sand

The salt cream coffee had a generous layer of white cream on top of dark, strong coffee. I tried it first with the layers separated, then mixed the cream and coffee together.

The soft cream paired well with the strong coffee, and it was nice to sip in between bites of sweet dessert. Both the Gangnam Sand and the madeleine suited my taste for sweet desserts, and the pairing with the salt cream coffee worked well too. Even though I arrived already full, I ended up enjoying everything enough to keep eating.

Is Bakerist Brown worth a stop after a meal?

Among Gangnam Station bakeries, Bakerist Brown stood out for using the entire building, offering plenty of seating options, and letting you browse everything from bread to cakes and baked cookies in one place. It even sells goods like t-shirts, which gave the store its own character.

This time I had the Gangnam Sand and madeleine, but there are so many other breads on display that I'd like to come back and try more. If you're looking for a Gangnam Station dessert spot where you can enjoy many flavors at once, or a menu item that packs well for takeaway, I'd strongly recommend the Gangnam Sand. A Gangnam Station bakery that's also great for picking out gift desserts.

Bakerist Brown: address, hours and parking

• Address: 21 Gangnam-daero 102-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, South Korea (basement to 3rd floor)
• Hours: Daily 11:00–22:30
• Parking: No dedicated parking lot