Bakery café in Ulju, Ulsan for a drive: MUG

I was looking for somewhere to take a drive from Ulsan and have coffee at a relaxed pace, so I visited MUG (카페 먹). Set amid nature a little outside the city, even the trip there felt like getting out for some fresh air.

Where is MUG, and is parking easy?

The address is 90 Hyangsan Dagae-ro, Sangbuk-myeon, Ulju-gun, Ulsan, South Korea. There was plenty of parking in the open lot in front of the café, so it was easy to park. The original post lists hours as Monday through Friday, 10:00–20:00, with last order at 19:30.

Is it a relaxing place to stop outdoors after a drive?

The building design and layout were distinctive, making it fun to look around even before going inside. The building blended with the surrounding nature, giving it a different feel from a city café.

There were tables outdoors as well. On a nice day like the one I visited, I thought it would be pleasant to have coffee outside.

Sitting with coffee and bread while looking out at the green surroundings felt like being on a brief picnic.

What are the indoor seating and interior like?

The distinctive atmosphere outside continued indoors. The interior was clean overall, with its own character.

Each seat had a slightly different atmosphere, so it was enjoyable to look around before choosing where to sit.

Can you choose from many breads in the late afternoon?

There were several kinds of bread, but I arrived in the late afternoon and many popular items had already sold out. Still, I spent quite a while deciding among the breads that remained.

What was the blueberry cinnamon roll like?

The first bread I chose was the blueberry cinnamon roll. It is one of MUG's signature desserts, and I picked it because there happened to be one left.

The fresh tartness of blueberry complemented the sweet, fragrant cinnamon roll. Taking a bite of bread and then a sip of coffee seemed to clear the sweetness from my palate, so I enjoyed them slowly, alternating between the two.

How was the ciabatta pepperoni as a light meal?

The second bread, ciabatta pepperoni, was more mild and savory. The plain flavor of the ciabatta worked well with the pepperoni, making it fine as a light meal. Ordering it with the sweet cinnamon roll let me enjoy two different flavors.

Did the MUG Black Latte and Americano pair well with bread?

For drinks, I ordered a MUG Black Latte and an Americano. The prices listed in the original post were ₩7,500 and ₩5,500, respectively.

The MUG Black Latte had a memorable soft, soy-milk-like feel. It was nutty and went down cleanly, making it easy to drink.

The Americano was clean and good with the bread. It paired especially well with the sweet blueberry cinnamon roll.

Is there anything to look at while having coffee?

While looking around the café, I also found a small art exhibition. It was not large, but it was nice to take a moment to look at the works while having coffee.

From the outdoor space set in nature to the interior and small exhibition, there was plenty to take in slowly. It was a decent place to stay awhile over coffee and bread.

It was easy to park and there was space to explore, so I was satisfied with this drive out from Ulsan. Still, as on this visit, arriving in the late afternoon may mean the bread you want is no longer available.