Sinnonhyeon dessert café, lemon madeleine terrace: Upper and Under

Went to Upper and Under, a super hot dreamy café between Gangnam Station and Sinnonhyeon Station. From the dessert lineup to the interior mood, nothing's missing here — no wonder it's already so popular 👀 Not just the madeleines and cakes but the coffee drinks were delicious too, so let me tell you about Upper and Under~!

Where is Upper and Under, and how far is it from Sinnonhyeon Station?

Upper and Under sits right between Sinnonhyeon Station and Gangnam Station, so it's easy to reach on foot from either. It's about a 3–4 minute walk from Sinnonhyeon Station Exit 6, and about 8 minutes from Gangnam Station Exit 11 — closer to Sinnonhyeon, but still a fine walk from the main Gangnam Station street. It's on the uphill café street behind CGV Gangnam, so it was easy to find, and the floor-to-ceiling glass and modern facade stood out even from a distance 🤍

Inside Upper and Under, from the basement to the 2nd floor

True to the name Upper and Under, this café uses three whole floors — basement, 1st and 2nd. It's hard to find such a spacious, high-ceilinged dreamy café right in the middle of Gangnam, which made it even more appealing ✨ The interior blends modern and warm tones throughout, so wherever you sit, the mood is on point.

We took a seat on the 2nd floor — the white-and-wood interior was clean and there was terrace seating too, so it felt really good. There's a magic mirror that makes your legs look longer, perfect as a photo zone haha.

What desserts does Upper and Under have?

A dessert lineup that'll make any bread-lover's eyes go wide 🥯🧁🍰🍩🎂🍪🥖 💫 Every single dessert looked great, so it was really hard to choose,,

Pretty much every dessert I love was here! From gorgeous seasonal fruit cakes to dense tarts, financiers, madeleines and pies — the variety was huge and everything looked delicious.

What we ordered at the 2nd-floor terrace seat

After much deliberation we ordered two signature desserts, one cream coffee, and one ade 🙌🏻 They all looked pretty enough to photograph too.

The weather's been so nice lately that we took a seat on the 2nd floor terrace — the breeze was cool and the view was nice, total healing ☁️

Raspberry cake at Upper and Under

Upper and Under's desserts were especially satisfying — the raspberry cake had a lovely balance of tangy raspberry jam and soft raspberry cream. The moment you take a bite, that signature raspberry tartness spreads through your mouth, sweet and tangy at once.

It wasn't too sweet, and the fruit's natural tartness really came through, so it wasn't cloying and I could keep eating it happily. It looks pretty enough to make a good gift too 💗

Lemon madeleine at Upper and Under

The lemon madeleine had a thin, smooth lemon glaze coating, and once split in half, the inside was firm yet crumbly — a nice texture. The madeleine batter itself had good buttery flavor, and it paired really well with the lemon's tartness. Genuinely delicious.

Mango lemon ade

The mango lemon ade had a sweet mango base with sharp carbonation and lemon's tartness added in, giving it both sweetness and a refreshing quality 🥭 It didn't leave a heavy aftertaste — perfectly refreshing and great alongside the desserts.

Signature pistachio cream coffee

The pistachio cream coffee is one of Upper and Under's signature menu items — an einspänner-style coffee piled high with chewy, nutty pistachio cream. Scooping the cream first with a spoon, I got a rich pistachio aroma and a full nutty flavor. The pistachio cream was so good it made the coffee amazing too ☺️

Is Upper and Under good for a Gangnam date or group meetup?

Gangnam's Upper and Under isn't just a café for the Instagram aesthetic — it's a genuine dessert spot with high-quality desserts and well-made drinks 🫶🏻 The spacious three-floor structure gave it a great sense of openness with no cramped feeling, and I was satisfied with everything: a dessert lineup that nails both looks and taste, thoughtfully made signature drinks, and friendly staff service. If you're trying to decide on a date course or a meetup spot with friends around Gangnam Station, I highly recommend Upper and Under.