Gangneung bakery café with a tray rack in the elevator: Baegya Coffee

When you travel to Gangneung, isn't the best part enjoying coffee and good bakery goods while looking out at the cool blue sea? This time I visited Baegya Coffee, a large bakery café in Anhyeon-dong, Gangneung, near Gyeongpo Beach.

The wide-open view of Gyeongpo Beach, the insanely good bakery items and coffee, and the clean, thoughtful amenities for guests were all so satisfying that I really wanted to share an honest review — here it is!

How big is Baegya Coffee inside? Floor-to-ceiling ocean-view seats

The moment I stepped into Baegya Coffee, the first thing I felt was just how spacious and comfortable it is. Through the floor-to-ceiling windows, the blue sea of Gyeongpo Beach came into full view, so there was no stuffy feeling at all, and the spacing between seats was generous enough to chat and relax even when it's crowded. The clean, modern interior also meant photos came out really nicely.

The tray rack inside the Baegya Coffee elevator

One of the most impressive points at Baegya Coffee was, of all things, the elevator! Since it's such a large café spread over several floors, you have to carry drinks and bread up and down by stairs or elevator.

Surprisingly, there's a dedicated stand (table) inside the elevator just for setting down your tray! Normally, holding a tray full of drinks in both hands while trying to press the elevator button is more awkward and precarious than you'd think, but here you can set the tray down comfortably and press the button — I was completely impressed by the owner's thoughtful sense.

How do the kabocha pumpkin mini bread and chestnut pastry taste?

Since even a beautiful view can't compete with a good meal, I headed to Baegya Coffee's bakery zone full of expectation. Various breads came out golden-brown and the aroma alone was a work of art. After much deliberation, I picked the kabocha pumpkin mini bread and the chestnut pastry.

Kabocha pumpkin mini bread: cute in size, with a moist, chewy texture that was really charming. When I split it open, it was packed with a sweet, soft kabocha pumpkin filling, so every bite spread a nutty, natural sweetness through my mouth. It wasn't artificial sweetness but the pumpkin's own flavor shining through, so I never got tired of it — I just kept eating!

Chestnut pastry: inside the crisp, flaky pastry, you get the fun of biting into nutty, sweet bits of chestnut. It was a textbook example of crispy-outside, moist-inside, and the combination of rich buttery flavor and chestnut with every bite was fantastic.

Is the iced latte at Baegya Coffee any good?

Good bread needs good coffee! I ordered a cool iced latte to enjoy alongside it.

At large cafés, the coffee sometimes tastes ordinary or watered down with too much milk, but Baegya Coffee's iced latte had genuinely heavy, nutty espresso beans that, combined with the milk, delivered a truly rich, full body!

The nutty, deep bean flavor and smooth milk ratio were perfect, so with the first sip I couldn't help but say, "Wow, they really know their coffee here." Paired with the sweet, soft kabocha pumpkin mini bread and the crisp chestnut pastry, the coffee's nuttiness perfectly balanced out the dessert's sweetness, making for an endless, fantastic combo.

Verdict: worth adding to a Gangneung trip

An open ocean view for healing while gazing at the blue Gangneung sea, flawless nutty and rich coffee, delicious bakery goods, and thoughtfulness that even considers guests' movement through the space — everything about this café was perfect. If you're looking for a comfortable, great-vibe large bakery café while traveling in Gangneung, I strongly recommend a visit to Baegya Coffee!