Hongdae café for a solo late lunch: soufflé pancakes at Petrico

Petrico, a Hapjeong Station café known for its soufflé pancakes

Where is Petrico? Halfway between Hapjeong and Hongdae

It sits roughly halfway between Hapjeong Station Exit 2 and Hongik University Station Exit 1, so it's easy to get to. It's right on the road but still feels fairly quiet — a nice spot for a date or just to enjoy dessert.

I'd also recommend it for working solo or grabbing coffee alone. It's only been open a short while but already seems to draw a good crowd, and I think it'll only get more popular. The café itself was really clean and had a lovely atmosphere.

Petrico menu and prices

• Fruit Soufflé ₩18,000
• Pear & Lime Granita ₩7,500
• Choco Banana Soufflé ₩17,000
• Platter Soufflé Pancake ₩19,000
• Lime Tart ₩8,500
• Vanilla Bean Cheese Tart ₩8,500
• Classic Soufflé Pancake ₩14,000
• Butterscotch ₩7,000
• Matcha Latte ₩6,500
• Coco Lime-ade ₩7,500
• Basil Tomato Ade ₩7,500
• Lemon Earl Grey Tea ₩7,500
• Omija-ade ₩7,000
• Americano ₩5,000
• Espresso ₩5,000
• Café Latte ₩5,500
• Flat White ₩5,500
• Café Vanilla ₩6,000
• Affogato ₩7,000
• TWG Chamomile ₩7,500
• TWG Crème Caramel ₩7,500
• Cold-brew Assam Milk Tea ₩7,500
• Cold-brew Hojicha Milk Tea ₩7,500

Inside Petrico: quiet room and a wide group table

The wood tables and chairs, along with the lighting, definitely gave the space a warm feeling :)

There are fresh flowers dotted here and there too 💛🌷 The wide table was empty when I visited, though I saw some foreign visitors who'd come to study Korean — with a table that size, it seems like a great spot for group visits too. Not sure if reservations are possible if the café gets busy, but if they are, booking ahead might be a smart move. And ordering the soufflé pancakes in advance might get you served faster?

The interior was genuinely pretty :)

Ordering by Toss Order and the 15-minute soufflé wait

You order through Toss Order, and since the soufflé pancakes are made fresh right beside the seating area, the kitchen has to be spacious!

For my late lunch I ordered the platter soufflé pancake and an iced decaf latte. I was told the pancakes take about 15 minutes after ordering — wherever you go for soufflé pancakes, some waiting is just part of the deal. That said, mine came out fairly quickly, and I'd recommend visiting with some time to spare, especially on weekends when orders can back up :)

You can ask for your coffee first or have it come out together with the pancakes — I asked to have them served together.

The 19,000 won platter soufflé pancake as a solo late lunch

A brunch of two thick soufflé pancakes, sausage, scrambled egg, and salad. For dessert, the sweeter fruit or chocolate soufflés probably shine, but the platter was a great option for eating solo.

The inside of the pancake was really moist — pouring the syrup on little by little instead of all at once kept it from being too sweet and made it even better.

The sweet-and-salty combo with the sausage worked well :) The salad was fresh too, and the dressing was nicely tangy.

The decaf latte is +₩1,000! Petrico's decaf latte was nutty and refreshingly cold. A latte with soufflé pancakes is just the right combination.

Cushions, blankets and a plant-filled café to sit and work in

If the wooden chairs feel too hard, you can grab a cushion to sit on, and blankets are available too, so you can settle in comfortably.

Petrico is a café full of cute, charming little details

There were plenty of plants too, which gave the space an almost purifying feel, and the quiet surroundings made it even nicer to spend time there.

Petrico is a great spot to visit in the Hongdae/Hapjeong area for soufflé pancakes and good coffee.