Seongsu café night date with fig soufflé: 5to7 Seongsu Main Branch

A Seongsu café for a night date after a Seoul Forest walk

After work, we had dinner, then my wife and I held hands and took an unhurried walk along Seoul Forest, breathing in the crisp autumn evening air. As we wandered among the trees and chatted about this and that, away from the rush of everyday life, the clock had somehow reached 8 p.m. Feeling nicely digested after our pleasant walk, we wanted to end the day perfectly with a sweet, soft dessert and fragrant coffee, so we headed to 5to7 Seongsu Main Branch, the Seongsu-dong spot everyone talks about for soufflé pancakes.

Once we stepped into the alley, 5to7’s atmospheric sign immediately caught my eye, glowing softly and warmly against the red-brick exterior.

Even the stone steps leading up to the café had that distinctly Seongsu antique-meets-hip mood, so my anticipation was already building before we went in.

An interior and terrace that felt deeper at night

Following the stairs and opening the door, we entered a space filled with a calm, romantic nighttime feeling quite different from its lively daytime character. Rattan lights, wooden furniture, and fresh potted plants throughout came together to create a cozy, comforting hideaway-like atmosphere.

Other influencers’ reviews often praised 5to7 as a place with amazing atmosphere, and once I visited myself, I instantly understood why everyone said the same thing.

Especially at this late-evening hour, the lighting came alive even more richly, making it an absolutely perfect space for an intimate date with my wife.

Ordering fresh fig soufflé and coffee

Looking over the menu at the counter, we found a neat selection of different soufflé pancakes and specialty drinks. There were plenty of tempting choices—pearl crème brûlée, tiramisu, matcha, and more—but we chose the fresh fig soufflé, said to be the most popular while figs were in season, as our main dessert. To balance its sweetness, we also ordered a chilled iced Americano and a warm café latte.

Because the soufflé batter is whipped and baked to order, it took a little time to prepare with care. But the nutty, sweet aroma filled the café, making even the wait feel happy.

Wanting to feel the cool night breeze, we settled into an outdoor terrace seat. The view of green trees after dark and the soft mood lights together were truly a work of art.

Before long, the fig soufflé and beautifully presented coffees arrived at our table on a large wooden tray.

Fig soufflé that melted like snow

The moment I saw it, a “wow” escaped without thinking—it looked that gorgeous and luminous. Thick, freshly baked soufflé cakes sat on a ceramic plate, with a generous cascade of soft fresh milk cream flowing over the top.

Perfectly ripe fresh figs were generously arranged all around and on top of the cakes, without a gap in sight. Just looking at it made my mouth water.

The instant I touched it with my fork, I could feel its bouncy, fluffy, pudding-like wobble right through my fingertips.

I took a big bite with cream and a slice of fig, and the moment it hit my mouth, it melted away like snow before I even had time to chew. There was not even the slightest eggy smell typical of soufflé—only a nutty, clean flavor. The refined sweetness of the milk cream and the bright juice of the fresh figs made an incredible combination.

Honestly, I have had quite a lot of soufflés at supposedly famous dessert hot spots around Hongdae and Yeonnam-dong, but 5to7’s soufflé was genuinely far softer and more delicious than any well-known soufflé I had eaten there. My wife kept exclaiming with every bite, calling it easily the best soufflé she had ever had.

Latte and Americano that suited the dessert

The coffee served after the sweet dessert was excellent too. The warm café latte, topped with a tidy heart of latte art, had finely steamed milk with a velvety softness that gently settled the stomach.

Its nutty beans and full body made it a perfect match for the sweet dessert, while the iced Americano’s crisp, clean acidity refreshed the palate and kept us reaching for another forkful without getting tired of it.

The second-floor view that made me want to go upstairs

While we were eating, we saw people coming down from the second floor, so we went up to take a look...

It was the kind of interior and view that made me think we should have eaten upstairs from the beginning... Feeling the quiet romance of the night all around us, sharing excellent dessert and coffee became a great comfort that washed away the day’s stress. If you want a truly memorable dessert near Seoul Forest, or you are planning a romantic night-date course with someone you love, I wholeheartedly recommend 5to7 Seongsu Main Branch without hesitation.