Seochon café for a fig sandwich and lemonade: Respire Bakery Cafe

Now that the weather's getting nicer, it's seriously the perfect time for a Seochon outing!!! I went to Seochon for the first time in a while and stopped by Respire Bakery Cafe Seochon (레스피레베이커리 서촌점) for brunch :)

To get straight to the point: the 2 sandwiches I ate were both so, so good,,,♥️ If you're looking for a good Seochon restaurant or a Seochon brunch, this one is worth saving, so here's my review!

📍 Respire Bakery Cafe Seochon 40-7 Hyoja-ro 13-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul There's a parking lot right in front but it can't be used; use a nearby public parking lot! ⏰ Hours Weekdays 08:30 - 18:00 Weekends 09:00 - 19:00

Respire Bakery, found in a Seochon alley

This place is originally famous as a Seochon spot for sogeum-ppang (salt bread), but once I actually went, it turned out they have quite a varied brunch menu beyond the salt bread, with sandwiches, toast and more! You just walk straight up from Gyeongbokgung Station along the Seochon alleys, and it's close to Cheong Wa Dae (the Blue House) too, so in weather like this it's perfect to bundle into a Gyeongbokgung–Seochon day out! And above all, the exterior alone is so pretty!!! Respire's vintage feel goes so well with Seochon's signature quiet, serene atmosphere that I took tons of photos before even going in, lol

There are floors 1 and 2 plus a terrace space, so there were more seats than I'd expected, and on a nice day it'd be lovely to eat outside.

Inside the Respire Seochon branch

The 2nd floor has a cozy, attic-like feel with a white + wood interior.

The 1st floor is full of wood vibes and has outdoor seats too, and the weather is getting so nice now >.< I'd totally go for the outdoor seats!!!

Ordering the fig sandwich and basil jambon sandwich

Respire Seochon branch menu

There was so much I wanted to eat, but I came with a friend and my baby, so this is what we ordered!

• Season Sandwich (fig) ₩10,500
• Basil Jambon Sandwich ₩10,500
• Lemonade ₩6,500
• Lychee Chamomile Tea ₩7,000

The menu was displayed like this, and it just looked too delicious!! Plus, figs are amazing right now. No way I could skip a seasonal fruit sandwich!!!! I'd been craving a fig sandwich anyway, haha

True to its reputation as a Seochon salt bread spot, there's a huge variety of bread! The first thing that catches your eye as soon as you walk in is, of course, the bread!! Respire's signature is salt bread made with French gourmet butter, and the basic salt bread is ₩3,000. All sorts of other baked goods are lined up on display too, and I honestly wanted to grab one of each,,, lol

Sweet and refreshing seasonal fig sandwich

Our order arrived! Season Sandwich (fig), ₩10,500. This is the seasonal item that's just right to eat these days ♥️ It's a sandwich on toasted ciabatta with fig, ricotta cheese, fig jam, granola and arugula, and wow, this was way tastier than I expected!!!

I wondered whether the fig would make it feel like an overly sweet dessert, but with the ricotta and arugula in there, the balance of sweet + nutty + fresh was just right! And the granola crunching here and there gives it texture, so it doesn't feel like your typical sandwich either! If you like figs, definitely try this once before the season ends, lol

Savory and filling basil jambon sandwich

Basil Jambon Sandwich, ₩10,500. The second thing we ordered was the basil jambon sandwich! It's a ciabatta sandwich with basil pesto, jambon (French-style ham) and ricotta cheese, and this one was really delicious too.

If the fig sandwich is sweet and refreshing, the basil jambon is a bit more savory and filling! The basil aroma hits you right away, and the salty jambon goes so well with the ricotta, so ordering the two together was a total success, lol

If you told me to pick just one,,, I don't think I could, lol. The flavors are completely different, so if two of you go, I recommend ordering one each and splitting them half and half ♥️ We had the ade with these too, and it was so refreshing that it paired nicely with the sandwiches.

On the current menu the lemonade is ₩6,500, and it was just right to drink alongside brunch. Overall the space is pretty, but above all the food is delicious, which is why Respire won me over!

There are so many pretty cafés in Seochon these days, but when you actually want a proper Seochon brunch, it can be hard to decide where to go. What I liked here is that it's not just a coffee-only café: you can enjoy everything from sandwiches to French toast, brunch plates and bakery items in one place.

I came with my baby, and I carry a portable baby seat around. It fit perfectly and the baby played comfortably >.< If you're looking for a good Seochon restaurant and don't want to give up on atmosphere either, I recommend it :)

• For a date near Gyeongbokgung Palace and Cheong Wa Dae
• When looking for a Seochon brunch with a nice atmosphere
• When you want a seasonal fig sandwich
• When looking for somewhere to get Seochon salt bread to go

The fig sandwich and basil jambon sandwich I had that day were both so good that next time I'm going to properly try the salt bread too, lol. A walk around Seochon and then a delicious brunch: this is exactly the joy of a Seochon outing,,,♥️