Daegu café with Czech honey cake Malenka: Hands Coffee Dongchon

Today I visited Hands Coffee Dongchon Resort Branch, near Dongchon Resort in Daegu. There are quite a few cafés around Dongchon Resort, but this one stood out for its spacious layout and views over the Geumho River, making it a great spot for a relaxed cup of coffee. The building itself is pretty large, so it feels bigger than expected on your first visit.

• Hands Coffee Dongchon Resort Branch
• 📍 5-6 Hyodong-ro 6-gil, Dong-gu, Daegu, South Korea
• ⏰ Daily 10:00 – 23:00
• 🚗 Parking available

Where do you park at Hands Coffee Dongchon Resort Branch?

Hands Coffee Dongchon Resort Branch has its own parking space right in front of the café, and when it's full, you can also park on the street in front of the building. Since it's located on a hill near Dongchon Resort, it's a convenient café to visit by car.

There's dedicated parking space in front of the café, so it was easy to visit by car. Parking can be a bit of a hassle when looking for cafés around Dongchon Resort, so having a lot right at the store was a relief. Just park and walk straight into the café :)

If the lot inside the building is full, you can also park along the road in front. It's just a short walk from there, so you don't need to worry about parking before you visit.

The 'Bi·Ba·Chae' space concept behind Hands Coffee

The spatial theme of Hands Coffee Dongchon Resort Branch is 'Bi·Ba·Chae' — meaning emptying, wind, and filling. Hands Coffee has a fun backstory to its spaces that makes visiting even more interesting once you know it. Through a concept called 'Archin,' each Hands Coffee location tells a different story through its design.

'Archin' combines Architecture and Interior Design, meaning the two aren't treated separately but designed and built as one integrated space. Right at the entrance, you can find an explanation of the Archin concept behind this branch's 'Bi·Ba·Chae' theme.

Living in the city, we spend our days busy and rushed. So sometimes we need a moment to pause and empty our minds. This is a space where, from that emptiness, wind flows in, and it's filled again with something new — and through meeting people, our hearts are filled once more. That's the meaning built into this space.

You can simply enjoy it as a pretty café, but knowing the story behind the space lets you look at the interior and layout from a slightly different angle, which makes the visit even more interesting.

2nd floor: ordering counter, elevator and restrooms

Hands Coffee Dongchon Resort Branch uses floors 2 through 4 as café space, with ordering done on the 2nd floor. I took the elevator up to the 2nd floor and had no trouble finding a seat I liked. The 2nd floor has the ordering counter along with plenty of seating, and the space overall felt spacious — great for chatting with friends or visiting with family.

There's an elevator, so it's easy to get around. The women's restroom is on the 3rd and 4th floors, and the men's restroom is on the 4th floor — good to know before you go.

The moment I stepped out of the elevator into the café, I was struck by the warm, cozy atmosphere of the space.

3rd floor: Geumho River window seats and the U-shaped island table

On the 3rd floor of Hands Coffee Dongchon Resort Branch, you get a full view of the Geumho River through the windows. Coming up to the 3rd floor, the atmosphere felt clearly different from the 2nd floor. In particular, the open void space connecting the 1st and 2nd floors kept things from feeling cramped, giving it a more open, airy feel.

The seats are spaced comfortably, and by the window you can sip your coffee while taking in the view outside. There's also a U-shaped island desk on one side that looked great for reading alone or spending some quiet time.

During my visit, I saw all kinds of people — someone reading alone, pairs and groups of four, and larger groups chatting together. This relaxed atmosphere is probably one of the reasons people come to cafés around Dongchon Resort in the first place. Rather than grabbing coffee and leaving right away, it felt like a place made for lingering, chatting, or reading at ease.

4th floor: sofa seats and Geumho River views from the outdoor terrace

The 4th floor has an outdoor terrace where you can look down on Dongchon Resort and the Geumho River from up high. I'd been most looking forward to this floor, and sure enough, there was a variety of seating up there too — from cozy sofa seats to tables suited for groups, so you can pick a spot based on your mood.

On a nice day, it's great to step outside and take in the view at leisure. The view through the floor-to-ceiling windows indoors and the view from actually standing on the terrace feel completely different. If you visit on a clear day, I'd definitely recommend trying out the outdoor terrace seats along with the indoor options :)

I think this view might be the single biggest reason people come to Hands Coffee Dongchon Resort Branch. Being up high, you get a full view of the scenery around Dongchon Resort and the Geumho River, and on a clear day, time seems to fly just watching the view through the window.

Cherry blossoms in spring, lush greenery in summer, and autumn leaves in fall — the view will likely change with the seasons, so it seems worth coming back each time the season shifts to experience a different mood.

Menu: glutinous rice waffles and the branch-only Hands Brunch Set

The menu at Hands Coffee Dongchon Resort Branch goes well beyond coffee, with waffles, cookies, and brunch too. Hands Coffee is known for its coffee, but the sweet rice waffles are also a popular pick — there's a good variety of desserts, from the Häagen-Dazs ice cream waffle to the choco banana waffle and the blueberry cream cheese waffle.

Did you know there's a 'Hands Brunch Set' sold only at this branch? I'd already eaten lunch before visiting, so unfortunately I didn't get to try it myself, but I noticed quite a few customers ordering brunch during my visit. Especially on weekends, it seemed like plenty of people come by for a leisurely late lunch.

Enjoying just coffee at a café is nice, but being able to pair it with brunch while taking in the views of Dongchon Resort and the Geumho River felt like another appeal of this place.

Hands Coffee is known not just for its great design and spacious stores but for its coffee itself. Besides enjoying coffee on-site, you can also buy their Dutch coffee (cold brew). It comes in gift sets too, making it a nice present for someone special, and you can enjoy Hands Coffee's coffee at home as well :)

How the Malenka honey cake and soy cream latte tasted

I ordered a soy cream latte, an ice cream café latte, and Malenka. Malenka is a Czech-style honey cake — a dessert made by stacking thin honey-infused cake layers on top of each other.

One bite in, and the moist yet chewy, dense texture was really appealing. There was also a subtle sweetness of honey running through it, and I enjoyed it a lot. It's not a dessert you come across often, so it was better than I expected, and I'd definitely order it again on my next visit. As for the coffee — I probably don't need to explain that one, right?

Who should visit Hands Coffee Dongchon Resort Branch?

Today I introduced Hands Coffee Dongchon Resort Branch, near Dongchon Resort in Daegu. It's a spacious café with varied seating from the 2nd to the 4th floor, and above all, the view of the Geumho River from up high left a strong impression. If you're looking for a café near Dongchon Resort where you can sit back comfortably in a spacious setting, it's worth a visit. Especially on a nice day, be sure to enjoy the view from the terrace too!

• Anyone looking for a large café near Dongchon Resort
• Anyone looking for a café with Geumho River views
• Anyone looking for a Daegu café with parking
• Anyone who wants to chat comfortably in a spacious café
• Anyone looking for a family outing or date spot
• Anyone who wants to enjoy waffles and desserts along with coffee