Cake café near Janghowon market in Icheon: fig and choco cake, Lapins

Why we stopped at Lapins after the Janghowon five-day market

Lapins is a fruit cake and tart café in Janghowon-eup, Icheon, just a short drive from the Janghowon five-day market. I finally got a weekday off for once. A weekday off has a different kind of charm than a weekend, doesn't it? Just being able to move around calmly, avoiding the crowds, made me feel oddly relaxed.

That day I strolled through the Janghowon five-day market, looking at this and that, and before I knew it I'd walked more than I thought — my legs started to ache. "Let's find somewhere to sit and have a cool coffee!" I thought, and searching for nearby cafés, I discovered Lapins.

Lapins location, hours, and parking in Janghowon-eup

• Address: 35 Seodongdae-ro 8830beon-gil, Janghowon-eup, Icheon-si, Gyeonggi-do, 1st floor
• Hours: 12:00–20:00, closed every Monday (until 17:00 on weekends)
• Parking available
• Specializes in fruit tarts, cakes, and baked goods / uses 100% dairy whipped cream

When I searched, it turned out to be a place with a bit of a reputation in Icheon as a spot for handmade cakes and fruit cakes. The reviews were the kind that's hard to scroll past if you like cake, so I decided right away that Lapins would be my destination.

When I arrived, the first thing I loved was how spacious the parking lot was. Finding a café only to struggle to find parking can drain your energy before you even walk in, but being able to park easily and just walk into the store made a great first impression.

Inside Lapins: the room and the open kitchen

The moment I opened the door, my first thought was, "Wow, this is really clean." The overall atmosphere was bright yet warm,

with wood-tone furniture, soft lighting, and green plants and flower decorations placed here and there, all blending together — it felt like the owner's taste was reflected in every corner of the space.

What I especially noticed was the open kitchen. An open kitchen is nice for customers because you can watch the food being made, but if it's even slightly disorganized, it can easily look messy and cluttered.

But Lapins was surprisingly tidy. The cooking area and its surroundings were kept neatly organized, which made me trust the place even more. The cleanliness of the store felt like part of the café's atmosphere itself.

The indoor temperature was perfect too. The afternoon sun had been pretty strong while I was walking around the market, so it was hot, but stepping into the café, I felt cool, pleasant air wrap around me! Outside, the intense sunlight around 3:30 p.m. had started to fade, and a cool breeze was blowing outside the door — it really felt like "a good time to rest."

Ordering fig cake, choco cake, and an iced Americano at Lapins

I'd heard Lapins is known for its handmade cakes piled high with fruit. I was a little worried the popular cakes might sell out if I came late in the day. Luckily, when I visited, my favorite fig cake was still there.

This is fate, I thought, and grabbed it immediately! And of course, you can't have cake without a cool iced Americano, so I ordered that too. Plus 1 — I was hungry, so I also ordered the choco cake.

How sweet are the Lapins cakes?

The sweetness of Lapins' cakes was just right for me. When the cake arrived, I ended up taking photos before eating, of course. Usually I take a shot or two of food and dig right in, but that day the cake looked so pretty I kept snapping — one here, one there. Next to the coffee, with the flowers — I spent quite a while with my camera out.

Why is it that people get so busy the moment a pretty dessert shows up, haha. Personally, cake can taste great for the first bite or two but get sickening fast if it's too sweet — Lapins' cake wasn't overly sweet at all. The balance of moist sponge, cream, and fruit was so good that I could understand a little why it's word-of-mouth famous in Icheon.

My legs, tired from walking around the market since morning, finally got to rest, and with a cool coffee and a pretty, delicious cake, my mood softened right along with them. It might seem like nothing much, but taking a moment to enjoy something delicious in the middle of a busy day turned out to be a real recharge. ^^

Who should visit Lapins in Icheon

A quiet weekday afternoon, the sun gradually tilting, a cool breeze blowing — that's when I met Lapins. In a pretty space, eating a delicious slice of fig cake, I got to put a proper comma in my day. And fully recharged!

Off I go again, gathering strength for the not-quite-commute back home, haha. If you're looking for a café to rest in after browsing the Janghowon five-day market, or want to try a pretty handmade cake piled with fruit in Icheon, spending a sweet afternoon at Lapins sounds like a great idea. Next time, I'd like to stop by again when a different seasonal fruit cake is out.