Nakdong River rooftop views at a Yangsan bakery café: Choi

Last week, during my vacation, I went down to Yangsan, where my parents live, and stopped by Choi Main Branch, a large café near Hopo Station with Nakdong River views. The view was so much better than I expected, and the interior felt wonderfully open—I was really pleased with it. I heard it newly opened in the former Haewoldang location. A founding member of Haewoldang took it over and created it personally, and perhaps its well-regarded bakery know-how has carried over: the bread quality and flavor felt a cut above.

What are Choi Main Branch’s exterior and parking like?

From outside, looking only at the front of the building, it did not seem especially large—but opening the door revealed such a surprise! With Nakdong River views pouring in through the floor-to-ceiling windows and the high ceilings, the interior felt far larger and incredibly open.

The parking was also very generous, as you would expect from a large café! I visited around 5 p.m. on a weekday, and it was not too busy, so parking was easy and relaxed.

• On the first floor of the café building
• Basement parking inside the building
• Outdoor parking lot beside the building

The first-floor bakery and what I ordered

The first floor is the bakery zone, while the second floor is the café space. The ceilings are incredibly high, so from the moment you enter, the airy openness feels so nice without a hint of stuffiness! As you would hope from a café known for baking, the bread selection was far more varied than I expected.

There was such a range, from gift-worthy cookies to 72-hour-fermented panettone, baguettes, roll cakes, and fig cake! There were simple salt breads, generously filled garlic breads, nutty Mont Blanc pastries, and fruit-filled croissants, so it was fun choosing whatever suited your taste. There was so much that I spent ages deciding, but since it was my first visit, I chose Choi’s signature bakery items!

• Signature No. 1 croissant
• Strawberry raspberry shot
• JUST chestnut loaf
• Scallion salt bread

I also wanted to try the moon-shaped bread and Choi bread, but by the time I arrived late in the afternoon, they were already sold out ㅠㅠ Bakery reservations are available, so if there is a bread you really want, I recommend calling the shop the day before to reserve it before your visit.

For drinks, I ordered an Americano and strawberry juice; when the pager buzzed, we collected them on the second floor. I visited with my baby that day, and the elevator made getting around really convenient!

• For safety, the third-floor rooftop is operated as a no-kids zone
• Leftover bread can be packed at the self-service packing station in front of the second-floor elevator

The second-floor café space overlooking the Nakdong River

The second floor is the main space, where refreshing views of the Nakdong River unfold before you. The floor-to-ceiling windows create such a wonderful sense of openness! Come around sunset and you can take in a gorgeous sky glowing red 🌅 Each seating area has its own interior concept too, so I think it would be perfect for a date or a gathering.

Sunset Garden and the third-floor rooftop

Around the middle of the second floor, there is a staircase leading up to the Sunset Garden and third-floor rooftop. It is a very windy spot, and the café’s thoughtful touch really stood out: they had even provided umbrellas instead of parasols.

Up on the third-floor rooftop, there is a tranquil artificial pond that reflects the clear sky and clouds exactly as they are. It is the perfect photo spot alongside the Nakdong River view! Climb one more staircase from there and you will find a green lawn terrace, where I loved being able to see the wide-open natural scenery with nothing blocking the view!!

Taking a break with Nakdong River views and bread

From outside it looked compact, but the moment I stepped through the door, broad Nakdong River views opened up beyond the floor-to-ceiling windows—what a delightfully unexpected Yangsan café, Choi Main Branch! If you want to unwind at a large café with delicious bread and coffee while looking out over the open river view, I definitely recommend dropping by on a drive ☕🍞✨