Songjeong tea café, Beach Train window and hoji latte: Suwolgyeonghwa

Which Songjeong café lets you see both the sea and the Beach Train?

Suwolgyeonghwa (수월경화), right in front of Songjeong Beach in Busan, is a tea café where one window shows you both the sea and the Beach Train. I visited this time. There are quite a few spots in Songjeong where you can watch the Beach Train go by, but if you want a café with the sea and the train in one view, I'd recommend Suwolgyeonghwa.

The ocean view outside the window is lovely, and if your timing is right you can even watch the Beach Train slowly pass, so it's a great place for photos too. +_+

What is the atmosphere at Suwolgyeonghwa?

Suwolgyeonghwa sells coffee too, but it's a tea café first, so the mood is a little different from an ordinary café. From the name to the atmosphere, the Korean feel is strong, and the moment you open the door, a faint scent of tea greets you.

3rd or 4th floor: which seat is better?

The building runs on the 3rd and 4th floors, so there's plenty of seating. The sea opens up widely on each floor, so the view was good wherever I sat.

The window seats, in particular, are clearly worth competing for.

Interior like a hanok café

What I liked most about Suwolgyeonghwa was the interior. It naturally felt like sitting in a hanok (traditional Korean house) café, haha.

The wood-toned interior and traditional props blend together nicely for a refined mood, and there were lots of family travelers who'd come with their parents. It's good for quietly sipping tea and resting, and it suits a little breather during a trip.

Floor seating where you take off your shoes

There's floor seating too, which gave a different kind of atmosphere. Sitting comfortably with my shoes off and looking at the sea, time felt like it was flowing more slowly.

Does the Suwolgyeonghwa menu have coffee or tea?

There are coffee drinks like americano and café latte, but also a variety of herbal teas, traditional teas, and signature drinks that mix coffee and tea.

Even people who usually only drink coffee might like to try something new here.

After ordering I got a buzzer and sat down, and when it buzzed I went to pick up the drinks and desserts.

What I ordered was the Dalbodeure box, Melomance and Hojigabae.

What desserts come in the Dalbodeure box?

The Dalbodeure box (달보드레 상자) is Suwolgyeonghwa's signature Korean dessert box, with a seaweed and pollock roe financier, red bean butter monaka, black rice sulppang (steamed rice-wine cake) and an injeolmi (roasted soybean powder rice cake) skewer. You get to taste several desserts in small amounts, so it's the one I'd most recommend on a first visit.

• Seaweed and pollock roe financier: salty roe and a faint seaweed aroma blend together. It felt nothing like a typical financier, so it stuck with me.
• Red bean butter monaka: whole red bean paste and gourmet butter sit between crisp wafers.
• Black rice sulppang: the fermented makgeolli smell isn't strong, so anyone can eat it comfortably, and it was moist enough that I kept reaching for more.
• Injeolmi skewer: roasted soybean powder and honey come together for a sweetness that's familiar and pleasant.

With so many desserts on one tray, it was fun to look at, and the photos came out really pretty.

What does Melomance taste like?

Melomance (멜롱망스) is a tea with the sweetness of muskmelon and the faint aroma of oolong tea. The Melomance I ordered alongside goes really well with the Dalbodeure box desserts~

It isn't just sweet; the finish is clean, so it was really nice on a hot day. The yellow color is pretty too, and it felt like a very summery drink.

Is Hojigabae coffee or tea?

Hojigabae (호지가배) feels somewhere between coffee and tea: a smooth latte topped with hoji cream (roasted green tea cream). It was personally the most memorable item at Suwolgyeonghwa, and the hoji cream on the latte was seriously nutty.

The toasty flavor typical of hojicha comes through strongly yet blends naturally with the coffee, so it was easy to enjoy. If you like lattes, I'd recommend trying it at least once.

The moment the Beach Train passes the Suwolgyeonghwa window

While looking at the sea from Suwolgyeonghwa, the moment the Beach Train passed, my eyes were just stolen. The view outside the window felt like a travel itinerary in itself. Thanks to that, my tea time stayed in my memory as something more special.

This Songjeong ocean-view café seems to suit both days when you want to properly rest in a quiet mood and days when you want to enjoy a Busan-style sea view :)

Looking for an ocean-view café near Songjeong Beach? I recommend Suwolgyeonghwa, where you can enjoy not just coffee but a variety of teas and Korean desserts together!