Seochon date bakery café: Balmuda-warmed pumpkin ciabatta at Respire

A weekday afternoon date in Seochon, with alleys packed with tourists

It's been a while since I had such a fun date around Gyeongbokgung in Seochon. I went on a weekday afternoon and Seochon was absolutely swamped with tourists. Every alley was lined with hanbok (traditional Korean clothing) rental shops and makeup shops, and the foreign tourists all had gorgeous K-idol makeup done and were all in hanbok.

After a lovely beef meal at a hidden-gem beef restaurant tucked into the alleys, I headed to Respire Bakery Cafe Seochon (레스피레베이커리), a bakery café with that Seochon charm.

Delicious bread and coffee in Seochon

What does the outside of Respire look like?

Even from far away, Respire's bright yellow awning has a European color that stands out from everything else. Inwangsan mountain in the distance is impressive too. People were giggling and taking photos. It feels like Europe, or some alley in France.

How do the pumpkin ciabatta and basil tomato ciabatta taste?

I ordered the pumpkin ciabatta and the basil tomato ciabatta at Respire, and they're so good T_T.....!!!!! The coffee is excellent too. It's a great space for bread and coffee as brunch, and also for salt bread and coffee as a dessert after a meal. Respire, the Seochon bakery café worth knowing.

The pumpkin bread even rivals Jouffroy's pumpkin campagne (country bread), which every Jamsil local ranks number one!!!!!!!!

Pumpkin bread on a par with Jouffroy!!!!!

Maybe it's the low lighting that makes the mood so nice. Respire is a place I liked at first sight. The drink menu is varied too.

A spot for salt bread and ciabatta

What are the bread display and the 1st- and 2nd-floor seats like?

When you walk in the door of Respire, the breads are lined up on the right. There are some sweet ones, but most are not sweet, which I like even more.

A space full of greenery, fresh and comfortable inside

Respire has a 1st and a 2nd floor. The 1st floor has only a few seats. It's perfect for sitting face to face, heads close together, whispering.

Such delicious ciabatta, a perfect place to come for brunch

2nd-floor view of the wall by Cheongwadae and ciabatta warmed in a Balmuda toaster

The 2nd floor of Respire looks out on the wall of Cheongwadae Sarangchae. It's fresh and green with the trees. Both ciabattas, the pumpkin and the basil tomato, are warmed in a Balmuda toaster, the kind that can revive even dead bread. How can freshly warmed bread taste this good? It's like it just came out of a wood-fired oven.

The warm pumpkin ciabatta has big chunks of pumpkin studded all through it. The mashed parts are soft~~~ and the chunks dance in your mouth with a satisfying chew. So delicious haha

It's a bread flavor we all know, yet it's not easy to be this satisfied, and the bread is so so good haha I went there stuffed after a meal,,,,,,, and I'm happy because the bread and coffee are so good.

Where is happiness, you ask?? Happiness is on the table, shared with someone you love and like, I tell you.

Delicious coffee that goes well with bread

How is the coffee at Respire?

At Respire the hot Americano is good, and the iced latte is good too.

Good to know before you go: narrow, steep stairs

The stairs down from the 2nd floor of Respire are narrow and steep. Careful~~~~

I look at it once more on my way out. I like the color of the outer wall and I like the awning. Having found one more place I love, I'm happy with my day.