Coffee Timetable · 40 stories

Coffee Hours in Seoul

I write about cafés I visit around Seoul. · Writes about: Cafés · Restaurants · Bars

PlaceGangnam, SeoulRestaurants

Gangnam Japanese eel bowl spot for women dining solo: half eel, Manmok

Manmok (만목) is a Japanese restaurant serving Kanto-style eel rice bowls on Seolleung-ro 82-gil, near Seolleung Station in Gangnam, Seoul. The writer dined alone and ordered the half-eel bowl (₩26,000), which came with shrimp chawanmushi (steamed egg custard), matsutake mushroom soup, white kimchi, seasoned radish salad and black tea ice cream, all in a calm, wood-toned dining room. Manmok is a good pick for anyone who wants a quiet, properly made eel bowl on their own in Gangnam.

Written May 15, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSongpa, SeoulRestaurants

Bangi-dong hanwoo gopchang BBQ, weekend wait & soy sauce: Jinseong

Jinseong Hanwoo Gopchang Bangi Direct Branch is a Korean hanwoo beef gopchang (grilled small intestine) restaurant on Ollimpik-ro 32-gil in Bangi-dong, Songpa, Seoul, serving domestic hanwoo gopchang. The writer waited about 30 minutes on a weekend evening and ordered 3 portions of gopchang. Staff grilled the gopchang, which the writer ate with the special soy dipping sauce and homemade scallion kimchi. Verdict: the best gopchang the writer has had lately, and well worth the 30-minute wait.

Written Nov 5, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangdong, SeoulRestaurants

Gangdong jokbal-bossam revisit, honey gorgonzola pizza: Iseon Hwaduk

Iseon Hwaduk Jokbal Bossam Myeongil Branch is a Korean restaurant on Yangjae-daero 147-gil in Gangdong, Seoul, serving oven-roasted jokbal (braised pig's trotters) and bossam (boiled pork slices). After a satisfying first visit, the writer returned for the oven jokbal and bossam half-and-half, along with the complimentary soft tofu stew and a gorgonzola pizza from the review event. With smoky oven jokbal and moist bossam both hitting the mark, Iseon Hwaduk Jokbal Bossam is a Gangdong jokbal and bossam spot worth coming back to.

Written May 18, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSeocho, SeoulRestaurants

Gangnam Station burgers: fried shiitake mushroom burger, Bass Burger

Bass Burger Gangnam Samsung Town (바스버거 강남삼성타운점) is a handmade burger shop on the Samsung Town side of Gangnam Station in Seocho, Seoul. The order was a Hawaiian burger set and a mushroom burger set with French fries and sweet potato fries as sides; the mushroom burger with fried shiitake was the most memorable, and the sweet potato fries dipped in ranch sauce were also satisfying. For anyone after a burger with character, Bass Burger Gangnam Samsung Town is worth at least one visit near Gangnam Station.

Written May 24, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSongpa, SeoulRestaurants

Jamsil burger shop: sweet potato fries & bacon burger, Downtown Jamsil

Downtown Jamsil is an American-style craft burger shop on Baekjegobun-ro 45-gil in Songpa, Seoul, near Seokchon Lake. At Downtown Jamsil the order was the Downtown Burger, a Classic Cheeseburger, onion rings and sweet potato fries; the bacon-filled signature Downtown Burger was generous, and the sauce-drizzled sweet potato fries made a sweet-and-salty match with the burgers. Downtown Jamsil is worth a visit when you want a proper craft burger in Jamsil for a date or a meal with friends.

Written May 30, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJung-gu, SeoulRestaurants

Yaksu Station dakgalbi, herb vs seasoned: Yaksu Chamsutbul Dakgalbi

Yaksu Chamsutbul Dakgalbi is an old-school charcoal dakgalbi (grilled marinated chicken) restaurant near Yaksu Station in Jung-gu, Seoul. At dinnertime the soy flavor at Yaksu Chamsutbul Dakgalbi was already sold out, so the order was 1 portion of herb and 1 portion of seasoned charcoal dakgalbi, with the complimentary barley shrimp doenjang (soybean paste) stew and a flying fish roe mayo rice ball. If you want properly charcoal-smoky chicken, order the herb and seasoned flavors together and compare.

Written Jun 1, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGwanak, SeoulRestaurants

Seoul Korean BBQ by Sillim Station: acorn jelly soup at Sillim Hwaro

Sillim Hwaro (신림화로) is a charcoal-grilled pork belly restaurant on Bongcheon-ro near Sillim Station in Gwanak, Seoul. Two diners ordered 2 portions of pork belly and 1 portion of pork neck for dinner, which the staff and the owner pre-grilled for them, and also tried the acorn jelly soup (dotorimuk sabal), bibim naengmyeon (spicy cold noodles) and pork skin from the receipt review event. Thanks to the quality of the meat and the easy pre-grilling service, Sillim Hwaro is a place worth coming back to.

Written May 31, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangnam, SeoulBars

DJ cocktail bar in Apgujeong for an introvert's Friday night: Lowkey

Lowkey is a basement DJ cocktail bar near Apgujeong Rodeo and Dosan Park in Gangnam, Seoul. On a Friday night, the writer, a self-described extreme introvert, had white wine (₩12,000), a gin and tonic (₩13,000), Glenfiddich (₩25,000) and the Lowkey pizza (₩17,000) and relaxed comfortably despite the dark, club-like atmosphere. With drinks starting in the low ₩10,000 range, Lowkey suits anyone in Apgujeong who wants a wide choice of drinks with DJ music.

Written Apr 29, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSeongdong, SeoulRestaurants

Seongsu Thai restaurant, revisited: pad thai, mu thod curry, Thanon55

Thanon55 is a Thai restaurant on Ttukseom-ro 9-gil in Seongsu, Seoul, where the Thai owner does the cooking. Remembering how good the first visit was, the writer went back to Thanon55 for a weekend lunch of pad thai loaded with shrimp and mu thod curry, crispy fried pork served with curry. The second visit was just as satisfying, making Thanon55 the writer's all-time favorite Thai restaurant and a go-to rice noodle spot in Seongsu.

Written Oct 24, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangdong, SeoulRestaurants

Cheonho octopus restaurant, staff-cooked with cheese fondue: Jjuksami

Jjuksami Cheonho Main Branch is a baby octopus (jjukkumi) restaurant in the jjukkumi alley of Cheonho-dong, Gangdong-gu, Seoul. The writer ordered jjusamsae (baby octopus, pork belly and shrimp) for 2, which the Jjuksami staff cooked at the table, and enjoyed it with cheese fondue, steamed egg, corn cheese, nurungji (scorched rice) and a final cheese fried rice. For spicy baby octopus with both meat and seafood, Jjuksami's jjusamsae with cheese fondue and cheese fried rice is a strong combination.

Written Oct 18, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJongno, SeoulRestaurants

Seochon trattoria with fresh Bolognese pasta: Seochon Due Trattoria

Seochon Due Trattoria (서촌두에 뜨라또리아) is an Italian restaurant on the second floor on Jahamun-ro 9-gil in Seochon, near Gyeongbokgung Station in Seoul. The writer and a friend ate potato gnocchi with mushroom cream sauce and fresh Bolognese pasta at Seochon Due Trattoria, then walked around Seochon to Reindeer, Solitude and Daeo Bookstore. Thanks to its cozy wood-toned room and excellent gnocchi, Seochon Due Trattoria is an Italian restaurant near Gyeongbokgung Station worth a return visit.

Written Jun 22, 2026Sponsored
PlaceHaeundae, BusanRestaurants

Haeundae date restaurant: chewy margherita couple set, Bueokgan

Bueokgan Haeundae Branch (부엌간 해운대점) is a Western restaurant with a cozy atmosphere on Dalmaji-gil in Haeundae, Busan. Two of us shared the Bueokgan couple dish set: prosciutto salad, kabocha squash soup, a slightly spicy vongole pasta and a basil margherita pizza topped with roasted tomatoes. With soft lighting, a stylish interior and its own parking lot, Bueokgan Haeundae Branch is a place worth returning to for a date or a group meal in Haeundae.

Written Jun 28, 2026Sponsored