Songdo Central Park cookie café with plum black tea: Standard Square

So many people are heading out to Songdo Central Park these days, right? I went to Songdo not long ago for a change of pace and found a place I absolutely loved: Standard Square (스탠다드스퀘어), a dessert café on Keonbensia-daero in Songdo.

Where is Standard Square in Songdo? Hours and parking

Standard Square is at 50 Keonbensia-daero, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon (1st floor), open from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. with no days off. If you use the underground car park, parking is free for 3 hours, so it's easy to drop in by car on a Central Park outing.

• Address: 50 Keonbensia-daero, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon (1st floor)
• Hours: 9 a.m. – 10 p.m.
• Closed: none
• Parking: 3 hours free in the underground car park

Why Standard Square feels like a Pocari Sweat ad

Standard Square is a café with a vivid blue sign that catches your eye from far away. It feels as refreshing as stepping into a Pocari Sweat commercial. I got why it earned the nickname the second I stood at the entrance.

The exterior is a clean, no-fuss mix of white and deep blue. It also gives off a bit of that trendy mid-century modern vibe, with a polished, urban feel.

Even the sandwich board on the sidewalk is a vintage blue, so it's great for photos.

Seating and atmosphere inside Standard Square

Inside, white walls are accented with blue furniture, which was really easy on the eyes. The tables are nicely spaced and the chairs have cushions, so it was comfortable to sit for a long time.

On one side you can see the roasting room through a glass window, and it really gives off serious coffee-shop energy. Maybe because they roast their own beans, the coffee aroma drifting through the café was wonderfully fragrant.

Even the Wi-Fi notice on the wall was full of Standard Square's own charm, and you could tell they'd sweated every detail.

What desserts and drinks does Standard Square serve?

Standard Square is known for its coffee too, but above all the number of cookie varieties is huge. The dessert lineup is a feast for the eyes.

The blue boxes with a cute cookie character on them would make perfect gifts.

The menu has a very wide range, from signature coffees to brewed coffees. There are especially many einspänner (cream-topped coffee) varieties, so I recommend them if you like sweet things.

The dessert section has not only cookies but also a unique item called scoop cake. One look at the carrot scoop cake and I thought, I have to try that next time!

Can't choose a cookie? Check the "favorite cookie" vote board

On one side of the shop there's a board with the staff's favorite cookies and a popularity vote tally. If you can't decide, following the votes should cut your chance of a miss way down, right?

House-roasted coffee beans for sale

They also sell their own roasted beans in tidy packaging, which is great for anyone who enjoys a home café. Each bean has a detailed description, so it looked easy to choose by taste.

How do the Lotus s'more cookie, Dwaeji Bar cookie and drinks taste?

After much agonizing, I ordered the s'more cookie topped with a whole Lotus biscuit and the Dwaeji Bar cookie (named after a Korean strawberry-chocolate ice cream bar). The ultimate in sweetness! The look alone shouts "I'm sweet," so my mouth was watering before I even ate.

Plum black tea at Standard Square

The plum black tea I ordered with them was so prettily colored that I almost hated to drink it. It's moderately sweet with a clean finish. Kind of like a sweet grapefruit-orange juice? It went well with the sweetness of the cookies.

Matcha einspänner

The other star, the matcha einspänner, had really chewy, smooth cream. The bitterness of rich matcha with the sweet cream filled my mouth with happiness.

Dwaeji Bar cookie

The Dwaeji Bar cookie has a crunchy crisp outside and a soft filling inside. One bite tastes familiar yet upscale, and I finished it in no time.

Is Standard Square worth a return visit?

Standard Square, a Songdo dessert café, was more satisfying than I expected in both atmosphere and taste. If you need a sweet break somewhere cool after a Central Park walk, give it a try. I'm planning to go back soon for the scoop cake I didn't get to eat.