Bakery café in Ulju, Ulsan with exhibits and cinnamon rolls: MUG

We drove to MUG (카페 먹), near Eonyang in Ulsan, over the weekend. Two adults and one child visited together. Along with a place to have bread and drinks, it had an exhibition area where we could spend time looking at the works.

Where is MUG, and what was weekend parking like?

MUG is at 90 Hyangsan-dagae-ro, Sangbuk-myeon, Ulju-gun, Ulsan. The hours listed in the original post are 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM daily, with last orders at 7:30 PM.

The parking lot in front was large, so it was convenient to stop by by car. However, it was a weekend when I visited, and there were quite a lot of people. I felt that finding a parking spot would have been difficult if we had arrived just a little later.

Can you view an exhibition inside the café?

As soon as I entered, I noticed a space arranged like a painting exhibition. There were works to look at throughout, so it was enjoyable to explore as well as have coffee and bread.

There was also a guestbook. The café says it regularly holds exhibitions with photographers inside.

Did the indoor seating feel crowded even with many people?

Past the exhibition area, a spacious seating area continues farther inside. The café is large and has a high ceiling, so it felt less stuffy even with many people there.

There was plenty of seating outside as well. On a day with good weather, it looked like a nice place to sit outside and spend some time.

The ceiling is said to be about 9 m high. Even while sitting indoors, the sense of open space above was striking.

Could we still choose enough bread in the afternoon?

You can browse and choose the bread yourself, and there was a wide variety. Still, even between 1:00 and 2:00 PM when we visited, a lot of bread was already gone, which was disappointing. Popular items may sell out after 4:00 PM.

What did the three of us order, and how much was it?

Two adults and one child ordered two drinks and two bakery items. The total was ₩25,600.

• MUG Lemon Ade: ₩7,000
• Grapefruit Ade: ₩7,000
• Blueberry Cream Cheese Cinnamon Roll: ₩6,800
• Cream Cheese Ciabutter: ₩4,800

It was a good selection for having a light bite and chatting. I worried we might have to wait a long time because it was busy, but there were several staff members, so our order came out quickly.

Did the lemon ade and grapefruit ade go well with the bread?

The MUG Lemon Ade was clean and refreshing, so it went well with sweet baked goods. The Grapefruit Ade had grapefruit's characteristic brightness with a slight bitterness, and it paired well with the bread for my taste.

What were the cinnamon roll and cream cheese ciabutter like?

The Blueberry Cream Cheese Cinnamon Roll was the item I had looked forward to most that day. It is said to be one of the café's signature items. I liked the combination of the cinnamon roll's sweet, fragrant flavor with blueberry and cream cheese.

The Cream Cheese Ciabutter was mild on its own, making it good alongside a drink. While the cinnamon roll was closer to a sweet dessert, this bread was a more savory option. If two or more people visit together, choosing one sweet bread and one milder bread would be a good combination.

What is the outdoor area like to explore with a child?

There is an outdoor water feature, so it looked like a nice place to spend time outside when the weather is good. The café says it also holds an outdoor bubble event on weekends. We visited with a child, but we did not experience the event that day.

MUG is said to have been made using charred wood on the site of a past large wildfire. I found the space concept, connected to its name “MUG,” striking. Pets are also allowed.