# Seochon brunch café after a Gyeongbokgung walk: Respire Toast plate - By Mangwon Coat Hanger (https://superchart.com/en/@coat-hook/) - Written Jun 16, 2026 - Local places › Cafés › Jongno, Seoul - Sponsored: This visit review was written after the café provided the meal through a store-visit campaign. - English edition: https://superchart.com/en/@coat-hook/seochon-respire-toast-brunch-plate/ - Also in: [한국어](https://superchart.com/ko/@coat-hook/seochon-respire-toast-brunch-plate/index.md) · [日本語](https://superchart.com/ja/@coat-hook/seochon-respire-toast-brunch-plate/index.md) ## In short Respire Bakery Cafe Seochon is a two-floor brunch café known for its salt bread, on Hyoja-ro in Seochon near Gyeongbokgung Station, Seoul. On an early-June walk along the Gyeongbokgung path, the ice cream French toast at Respire Bakery Cafe was sold out, so the writer ordered the Respire Toast and a decaf iced Americano. A plate of salt bread, scrambled eggs, arugula salad, carrot râpée and sausage quickly erased the disappointment. Respire Bakery Cafe is a recommended Seochon brunch stop to rest after a Gyeongbokgung walk. ## Good to know - **Address**: 40-7 Hyoja-ro 13-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul (104-1 Hyoja-dong) - **Getting there**: 800m from Exit 3 of Gyeongbokgung Station (Line 3), near Cheongwadae Sarangchae - **Hours**: Mon–Fri 08:30–18:00 / Sat–Sun 09:00–19:00 - **Parking**: No dedicated lot; use the paid Cheongwadae Sarangchae public parking lot, a 2-minute walk away - **Parking fee**: ₩300 for the first 5 minutes, ₩300 per additional 5 minutes, up to ₩30,000 - **Heads-up**: The lot in front of the café belongs to the Presidential Security Service and cannot be used - **Space**: Two floors, with window views of the Gyeongbokgung walking path - **What I ordered**: Respire Toast, decaf iced Americano - **Price reference**: ₩30,000 ≈ $22.5 (2026-10-23) *as written by the visitor on Jun 16, 2026* ![Main photo of Respire Bakery Cafe, a brunch café in Seochon](https://img.superchart.com/images/seochon-respire-toast-brunch-plate/seochon-respire-toast-brunch-plate-01-196nq-966.webp) ## A Seochon brunch café I stopped at during a Gyeongbokgung walk: Respire Bakery Cafe Seochon Respire Bakery Cafe Seochon (레스피레베이커리) is a brunch café in Seochon, near Gyeongbokgung Station and the Cheongwadae Sarangchae, rumored to be a top spot for salt bread. In early June I was walking along the Gyeongbokgung path and headed over with high hopes. ![Exterior of Respire Bakery Cafe in Seochon near Gyeongbokgung Station](https://img.superchart.com/images/seochon-respire-toast-brunch-plate/seochon-respire-toast-brunch-plate-02-108z2-966.webp) ![Scene around Respire Bakery Cafe, a Seochon-style brunch café](https://img.superchart.com/images/seochon-respire-toast-brunch-plate/seochon-respire-toast-brunch-plate-03-8v7hq-966.webp) ![Respire Bakery Cafe in Seochon, visited in early June](https://img.superchart.com/images/seochon-respire-toast-brunch-plate/seochon-respire-toast-brunch-plate-04-j6dx5-1200.webp) Are you all enjoying this fresh early-June weather? With warm sunshine and a cool breeze, you just want to get outside, right? Making the most of this perfect weather, I walked the Gyeongbokgung path and stopped at Respire Bakery Cafe, a brunch café that holds all the warm charm of Seochon. It's so well known for its salt bread that my expectations were high. ## How do you get to Respire Bakery Cafe, and where do you park? The café is near Gyeongbokgung Station, close to the Cheongwadae Sarangchae, and has no parking of its own. If you're driving, the paid Cheongwadae Sarangchae public parking lot, a 2-minute walk away, is the convenient choice. ![Location of Respire Bakery Cafe near the Cheongwadae Sarangchae](https://img.superchart.com/images/seochon-respire-toast-brunch-plate/seochon-respire-toast-brunch-plate-05-1xmb4-952.webp) ![Street around Respire Bakery Cafe, related to parking directions](https://img.superchart.com/images/seochon-respire-toast-brunch-plate/seochon-respire-toast-brunch-plate-06-19sxx-841.webp) ![Toward the Cheongwadae Sarangchae public parking lot near Respire Bakery Cafe](https://img.superchart.com/images/seochon-respire-toast-brunch-plate/seochon-respire-toast-brunch-plate-07-15lrv-862.webp) - Location: near Gyeongbokgung Station, close to the Cheongwadae Sarangchae (800m from Exit 3 of Subway Line 3) - Parking: there's no lot of its own, so use the paid Cheongwadae Sarangchae public lot right nearby - The Sarangchae lot is a 2-minute walk: ₩300 for the first 5 minutes, ₩300 per additional 5 minutes, max ₩30,000 - The lot in front of the café belongs to the Cheongwadae security service and can't be used ## Two floors of green views at Respire Bakery Cafe The café has a 1st and 2nd floor, so there was more room to relax than I expected. Through the windows you can see the lush green of the Gyeongbokgung walking path. ![Inside Respire Bakery Cafe, spread over two floors](https://img.superchart.com/images/seochon-respire-toast-brunch-plate/seochon-respire-toast-brunch-plate-08-1mj0d-966.webp) ![Seochon-style interior of Respire Bakery Cafe](https://img.superchart.com/images/seochon-respire-toast-brunch-plate/seochon-respire-toast-brunch-plate-09-1q1z2-966.webp) ![Window seat at Respire Bakery Cafe overlooking the Gyeongbokgung walking path](https://img.superchart.com/images/seochon-respire-toast-brunch-plate/seochon-respire-toast-brunch-plate-10-1hemc-966.webp) ![Seating and atmosphere at Respire Bakery Cafe](https://img.superchart.com/images/seochon-respire-toast-brunch-plate/seochon-respire-toast-brunch-plate-11-a8o7l-966.webp) The whole interior was full of warm, cozy Seochon feeling. The green view of the Gyeongbokgung path outside the window was so pretty that just sitting there felt properly healing. Plenty of people were reading alone or enjoying a coffee, and I also spotted groups of friends out for brunch. ## The salt bread display at this Seochon bakery café The display case held freshly baked salt bread, ciabatta and other bakery items. It lived up to its reputation as a well-known salt bread spot in Seochon. ![Bread display at Respire Bakery Cafe](https://img.superchart.com/images/seochon-respire-toast-brunch-plate/seochon-respire-toast-brunch-plate-12-1sh8o-966.webp) ![Freshly baked salt bread on display at Respire Bakery Cafe](https://img.superchart.com/images/seochon-respire-toast-brunch-plate/seochon-respire-toast-brunch-plate-13-v8oqj-966.webp) ![Ciabatta and other bakery items at Respire Bakery Cafe](https://img.superchart.com/images/seochon-respire-toast-brunch-plate/seochon-respire-toast-brunch-plate-14-ks0ws-966.webp) ![Variety of breads at Respire Bakery Cafe](https://img.superchart.com/images/seochon-respire-toast-brunch-plate/seochon-respire-toast-brunch-plate-15-c3rqt-966.webp) Besides the nutty salt bread, there's ciabatta and plenty of other bakery items. There was so much variety that I struggled to decide what to eat. ![Brunch menu at Respire Bakery Cafe](https://img.superchart.com/images/seochon-respire-toast-brunch-plate/seochon-respire-toast-brunch-plate-16-2gs7m-900.webp) ### The ice cream French toast was sold out The thing I was most looking forward to that day was the ice cream French toast, but sadly it was sold out, which I guess is what happens at a popular place. Leaving my disappointment behind, I ordered the Respire Toast and a decaf iced Americano. ## How do the Respire Toast and decaf iced Americano taste? The Respire Toast is a brunch plate with salt bread, scrambled eggs, an arugula salad, carrot rapée (shredded carrot salad), cherry tomatoes and seasonal fruit, and a sausage, plus basil pesto on the side. I'd picked it as a backup, but what do you know, the moment I saw it, the disappointment was gone! ![Respire Toast and a decaf iced Americano](https://img.superchart.com/images/seochon-respire-toast-brunch-plate/seochon-respire-toast-brunch-plate-17-osld2-966.webp) ![What's on the Respire Toast brunch plate](https://img.superchart.com/images/seochon-respire-toast-brunch-plate/seochon-respire-toast-brunch-plate-18-1to7o-898.webp) The plate was generously packed with golden-toasted salt bread, soft scrambled eggs, a fresh arugula salad, sweet-and-sour carrot rapée, cherry tomatoes and seasonal fruit, and a sausage. The fragrant basil pesto on the side added extra flavor. ![Respire Toast with salt bread and scrambled eggs](https://img.superchart.com/images/seochon-respire-toast-brunch-plate/seochon-respire-toast-brunch-plate-19-1ijqw-966.webp) ![Respire brunch plate with basil pesto](https://img.superchart.com/images/seochon-respire-toast-brunch-plate/seochon-respire-toast-brunch-plate-20-6jndw-966.webp) ![Respire Toast and decaf iced Americano brunch spread](https://img.superchart.com/images/seochon-respire-toast-brunch-plate/seochon-respire-toast-brunch-plate-21-1k2xk-966.webp) The salt bread was crisp outside and moist inside, with a gentle buttery richness. Topped with the soft scrambled eggs it tasted even fuller, and a little basil pesto added a fragrant note that got my appetite going. The decaf iced Americano has a clean taste with a mild acidity. It doesn't overpower the nutty salt bread or the basil pesto, so it pairs nicely with brunch. ## Brunch in Seochon after a Gyeongbokgung walk: how about Respire Bakery Cafe? If you're looking for a place to rest after a Gyeongbokgung walk, or a Seochon brunch café with a nice atmosphere, I'd recommend Respire Bakery Cafe. Next time I'll go a little earlier and definitely try the popular ice cream French toast. :) ### Respire Bakery Cafe opening hours - Mon–Fri 08:30–18:00 - Sat–Sun 09:00–19:00 - 40-7 Hyoja-ro 13-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul (Hyoja-dong 104-1), 800m from Exit 3 of Gyeongbokgung Station ## Where it is - Respire Bakery Cafe Seochon (레스피레베이커리카페 서촌) - 40-7 Hyoja-ro 13-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea - 서울특별시 종로구 효자로13길 40-7 레스피레 - 37.5827651, 126.9721449 - Google Maps: https://www.google.com/maps/search/%EB%A0%88%EC%8A%A4%ED%94%BC%EB%A0%88%EB%B2%A0%EC%9D%B4%EC%BB%A4%EB%A6%AC%EC%B9%B4%ED%8E%98%20%EC%84%9C%EC%B4%8C/@37.5827651,126.9721449,17z --- Superchart · https://superchart.com/en/@coat-hook/seochon-respire-toast-brunch-plate/ · https://superchart.com/llms.txt