Incheon Nat'l Univ. Station bakery: mango sand cake haul, Tomoru

What kind of bakery is Tomoru Bakery in Songdo?

Tomoru Bakery is a bakery in Songdo near Incheon National University Station, a great bread spot with lots of variety and reasonable prices. Whenever I have a reason to go to Songdo, I drop in every single time, like a sparrow to a rice mill.

The red-brick exterior of Tomoru Bakery stands out even from far away, so it's really easy to find. There's also a small terrace in front, which looks like a nice place to rest for a bit when the weather is good. Every time I go, the smell of baking bread drifts out past the shop door and puts me in a good mood.

Does Tomoru Bakery have parking?

The building's underground parking lot at Tomoru Bakery is quite spacious, so you can park comfortably if you come by car. When parking is hard, I hesitate no matter how good the food is, but there's no such worry here. It's perfect for dropping by casually for some bread shopping.

Tomoru Bakery drinks and shop atmosphere

Step inside Tomoru Bakery and the drink menu is the first thing you see. There's more variety than I expected, from coffee like americano to ades and teas. Milk and chocolate drinks for kids are available too, so it's good for families.

The interior feels cozy and warm overall. The soft lighting makes the bread look even tastier. The staff are really friendly too, explaining things well when asked and always greeting you with a smile.

Now it's time to look at the breads one by one. The long display counter running through the middle of the shop was packed with delicious-looking bread. With so many kinds, you fall into a happy dilemma over what to pick.

What breads and cakes does Tomoru Bakery sell?

Mango sand cake and strawberry dome cake

The showcase on one side of Tomoru Bakery is full of pretty cakes. The mango sand cake piled high with mango and the strawberry dome studded with strawberries both look gorgeous. I couldn't help thinking everyone would love it if you bought a cake here for an anniversary.

Olive ciabatta, scones and alligator pie

There are also ciabatta and scones for people who like plain, simple bread. The olive-studded ciabatta is big and cheap, so it works well as a meal replacement. The alligator pie next to it looked crispy and nutty too, and my eyes kept drifting back to it.

Salt bread, pollock roe salt bread and garlic cheese salt bread

Salt bread (butter roll with a salted crust), popular everywhere these days, can't be left out, right? Tomoru Bakery has the plain salt bread, plus a version topped with pollock roe and one with garlic cheese. They were glossy and shiny, and looked like they'd have a rich butter flavor, so I quickly grabbed some.

Cream mammoth and choux cream bread from the fridge section

Over in the refrigerated section, a cream-filled mammoth bread (a big cream-filled sponge sandwich) and choux cream buns were waiting. The cream mammoth looked so full inside that you could almost feel the heft, which made me think it's great value. On days when you crave something sweet, cream breads like these are just right.

Garlic bread by the piece or in a 10-piece bundle

Crispy garlic bread is another popular item at Tomoru Bakery. You can buy it as single pieces or as a 10-piece bundle, so it's easy to pick as much as you want. The golden-brown color really stimulates the appetite.

Red bean bun, strawberry soboro roll and butter tteok

The red bean bun with its nostalgic flavor and the soboro (crumb-topped) strawberry roll also looked really appetizing. They said the house-made butter tteok (chewy rice cake) has a great chewy texture, so out of curiosity I picked one up.

Kkwabaegi (twisted doughnut), pie manju and Basque cheesecake

I liked that there were lots of items parents would enjoy too. Snacks like kkwabaegi (twisted sugar-dusted doughnuts) and pie manju (pie-pastry filled buns) filled the display cases. The Basque cheesecake was neatly packaged in slices so you can enjoy it without any burden. You could see the care put into every single item just by looking.

Can you buy cookie gift sets at Tomoru Bakery?

On one side of Tomoru Bakery, baked sweets like cookie sets and financiers are prettily arranged, perfect for gifts. The cookie tins are transparent so you can see right through to the contents, and the assortment is really generous. If you need a light gift for acquaintances, choosing here seems like a sure thing.

A full tray of bread: how much did it cost?

At Tomoru Bakery I bought a bit of everything, including a salt bread sandwich with fresh vegetables, chestnut loaf, butter tteok and pizza bread, and it came to only ₩30,000. While picking this and that, I ended up choosing so much bread that the tray got heavy, but the price is reasonable.

Is Tomoru Bakery worth a return visit?

The bread at Tomoru Bakery tastes good and the portions are generous, so I'd confidently recommend it to the people around me. Tomoru Bakery, the bakery near Incheon National University Station, is a great bread spot with variety and reasonable prices, and it's a place that always leaves me in a good mood. If you love bread, I hope you'll stop by once when you visit Songdo.