Yeonnam-dong café with Entre Volcanes drip: Central Site Yeonnam

Bringing you my review of the Guatemala hand-drip and classic tiramisu at Central Site Yeonnam, a Yeonnam-dong cafe!

A Yeonnam-dong cafe recommendation, Central Site Yeonnam — Guatemala hand-drip ☕️ and classic tiramisu review!

Why I keep going back to Central Site Yeonnam

There are so many cafes in Yeonnam-dong, but this is the one I visit pretty often — Central Site Yeonnam. Some cafes you go to once and that's it, but others quietly become places you naturally return to. For me, Central Site is one of those.

I love the coffee and I love the atmosphere of the space, so whenever I have a reason to head to Yeonnam-dong, this cafe comes to mind.

Ordering on the 1st floor: smelling the beans, watching the hand-drip

1st floor / Order + hand-drip (aroma tasting available)

Smelling the beans first on the first floor! One fun part of Central Site is that even the ordering process feels a bit special. (You can also buy whole beans.)

When you walk into the first floor, you can check out the beans and smell them directly. They grind beans so you can sample the aroma, and if you tell the staff your taste preference, they're pretty kind about recommending a coffee.

And right in front of you, you can watch them grind the beans and pour the hand-drip, which makes the waiting time fun too. Being able to smell the beans and watch the extraction process on the first floor feels like a defining feature of Central Site. They're really serious about coffee, I guess?

My favourite seat: the 2nd floor window at Central Site Yeonnam

My favorite spot is the 2nd floor! After visiting Central Site several times, this is the space I've come to love the most. Once you order downstairs and head up, a cozier, more relaxed atmosphere opens up.

I especially love the second floor on days when all the windows are open. When a gentle breeze drifts in and I sit by the window sipping coffee, it feels like I'm slightly outdoors even though I'm inside a cafe!

These days the second floor still has window seats and tables, and the third floor has a rooftop space! Also, the spot on the first floor that used to have the coffee roasting machine is now gone, and a new seating area for drinks has taken its place!

What's on the menu: drinks and desserts

Drink menu at Central Site Yeonnam

The Guatemala hand-drip I picked! This time I went with Guatemalan beans. When it comes to coffee, I generally prefer nutty and smooth over strongly acidic, and Guatemala is exactly my style!

Dessert menu at Central Site Yeonnam

How the Guatemala Entre Volcanes washed hand-drip tastes

Barely any acidity, just a nutty, smooth-going type, so it went really well with dessert too. Hehe.

Guatemala Entre Volcanes washed has notes of hazelnut, butterscotch, and milk chocolate — flavors that match my preference for something nutty and sweetish perfectly. Sip it slowly and there's a nutty lingering finish that pairs really well with tiramisu. 👍

Classic tiramisu: moist sponge, generous cream

The classic tiramisu, of course! The tiramisu I ordered along with the coffee is one of the reasons I love Central Site.

My preferred style of tiramisu isn't the type with a thick, heavy sponge, but one with generous cream and a sponge properly soaked in coffee — and Central Site's tiramisu is exactly that.

The cream is really soft and generous, and the sponge underneath is moist with espresso, so a big spoonful gives you cream and coffee flavor together. (Heavenly...) I especially love how moist that sponge is!

If a tiramisu is too dry, you feel like you need to drink coffee separately alongside it, but here, the sponge is well-soaked in espresso and combines with the soft cream, so one bite immediately makes you think of coffee.

Is Central Site Yeonnam worth it for hand-drip coffee in Yeonnam-dong?

Smelling the beans on the first floor, watching the hand-drip being poured, and getting a bean recommendation tailored to your taste — the whole process is fun. But more than anything, I keep coming back for the cozy atmosphere of the second floor and the breeze that comes in on days when the windows are wide open.

If you're looking for a cafe in Yeonnam-dong where you can properly enjoy hand-drip coffee and settle in comfortably, give Central Site Yeonnam a try! If you like nutty, low-acid coffee like me, I recommend the Guatemala beans, and if you visit, definitely order the classic tiramisu alongside it! I've already visited multiple times now, and I think I'll keep naturally coming back whenever I'm in Yeonnam-dong.