Gangneung café with lemon ginger tea and gateau chocolat: Cafe Giwa

In the middle of a trip packed with beach visits and restaurant hopping, we headed to 'Cafe Giwa' looking for a moment to catch our breath and slow down. You know how a travel schedule can wear you out and make you crave rest? A cup of coffee under a quiet hanok roof, looking out at a lush green garden — just thinking about it feels like a comma dropped into your day. 🌿

Is parking easy at Cafe Giwa in Chodang-dong?

Cafe Giwa has a spacious private parking lot right in front of the café. As a hotspot in Chodang-dong, I worried about parking before arriving, but even as a novice driver I was able to park with total ease. Nothing starts a trip off better than skipping the parking stress!

Stone wall path and wooden gate: Cafe Giwa's entrance photo spot

After parking, following the signs leads you down a stone-walled path that feels like entering a secret garden. The entrance is full of fresh wildflowers, which instantly lifted my mood.

Walking along the path, you come to a stately old wooden gate — through this weathered timber gateway, a neat tiled-roof house quietly reveals itself. It was the perfect photo zone for a moody shot.

Passing through the gate into the yard, a picturesque scene unfolds: the quiet tiled roof, beautiful hydrangeas, and wildflowers I honestly couldn't name, all blending together in harmony. The refined charm of a traditional hanok combined with the lush greenery — I immediately understood why so many travelers seek out this Gangneung hanok café.

Scattered around the yard, antique metal chairs and vintage props blended naturally into the garden landscaping. Just wandering slowly through the carefully tended flower beds felt like it washed away all the trip fatigue.

Walking on the neat flagstones across the yard, we approached the entrance of the main café building. The floor-to-ceiling windows and old wooden window frames worked together beautifully, giving off both the warmth unique to hanok and a sleek, modern feel.

Cafe Giwa's three signature lattes and what we ordered

Cafe Giwa's signature is a trio of house-made lattes. The Giwa Black Latte topped with black sesame cream, the slightly bitter Nokdu Flower Latte made with mung bean cream, and the sweet strawberry-milk-based Ggotbunhong Latte — all eye-catching from the moment you see them!! All three signature drinks are distinctive and pretty, and it's genuinely fun picking the one that suits your taste. We ordered the ggotbunhong latte, plus lemon ginger tea since the weather had turned a bit chilly.

At the counter bar, glass jars of fresh coffee beans were neatly lined up. A hand-drip coffee lineup that shows the barista's care!

Dessert showcase at Cafe Giwa: Maman Gateau cakes

The dessert showcase was neatly filled with premium cakes from Maman Gateau. From the gateau chocolat to the mugwort injeolmi gateau and the pure milk roll cake, every single one looked luxurious — after much deliberation, we ordered the rich, dense gateau chocolat.

Ggotbunhong latte at a lattice window seat

Our order arrived neatly arranged on a wooden tray. Sitting at a prime spot where a lattice window looked out onto the green yard, just gazing at the drinks and dessert felt like healing in itself. The signature ggotbunhong latte, which drew gasps just from its looks, had the sweetness of strawberry milk paired perfectly with the deep, subtle flavor of dutch coffee. I loved it even more because it's a drink you can't find at other cafés. Pretty to photograph, healing to look at, and healing again in taste!

How dense is the gateau chocolat?

The rich, dense gateau chocolat had a really excellent deep chocolate flavor. A sugar recharge is essential on a tiring travel schedule! The moment the fork pressed into it, the dense texture gave a satisfying weight, and once in the mouth, deep, slightly bitter cacao flavor spread and melted away. It wasn't overly sweet — more of a refined sweetness — so I enjoyed it happily down to the last bite.

Worth a stop during a Gangneung trip?

Sipping signature coffee in the antique hanok atmosphere, enjoying a rich dessert, and taking in the carefully tended garden — it all added up to a perfect moment of rest. If you're looking for a Chodang-dong café with mood, taste, and comfort all in one, definitely make a note of this place! ☕