Caffeine-free tea and anbutter monaka at Suwolgyeonghwa, Songjeong

This is a visit to Suwolgyeonghwa (水月鏡花), an ocean-view tea café I'd recommend for a Songjeong drive course in Busan. True to its name — 'the moon reflected in water, a flower reflected in a mirror' — it offers both the quiet elegance of a hanok and a wide-open view of the Songjeong sea, all at once.

Suwolgyeonghwa's location, hours, and parking

Suwolgyeonghwa is on the 4th floor of a building at 188 Songjeong-jungang-ro 6beon-gil, Haeundae-gu, Busan. It's across from the Gudeokpo underpass in Songjeong, behind Songjeongjip, in a red-brick building — just a one-minute walk from Songjeong Beach, so access is excellent.

• Hours: daily 11:00–23:00 (last order 22:30)
• Parking: free in the piloti lot on the 1st floor (double parking)
• When full, use nearby paid lots (e.g. Kakao Parking) — no parking assistance provided
• Amenities: birthday/anniversary perks, hand drip, sommelier on staff, organic menu, vegan menu, groups OK, reservations, Wi-Fi, takeout, separate restrooms, high chairs
• No pets allowed

Hanok interior and an ocean view with the beach train

Walking in, the grand wooden ceiling and pillars, traditional lattice windows, and neat furniture combine for a calm, old-fashioned atmosphere.

On one side, a large moon jar, a gayageum, and framed folk paintings add a Korean touch.

Through the wide floor-to-ceiling windows, the blue Songjeong sea unfolds in full view.

From the window seats, you can watch the colorful Busan Beach Train pass right by on the tracks below. It's a great photo spot with the sea and the beach train as your backdrop.

Suwolgyeonghwa's menu and how to order

Orders at Suwolgyeonghwa are placed at the kiosk beside the entrance counter. One menu item per person is required, and the dessert set also counts as one item.

1. Signature Tea (₩8,500 each)

• Jeju Breeze (caffeine-free — hallabong, tangerine, chamomile, lemon myrtle)
• Black Moon Hoji (low caffeine — roasted green tea, brown sugar, stevia)
• Spring Ripple (peach, cherry blossom aroma)
• Lemon Sunset (hibiscus, yuja, lemongrass)
• Red Yuja Ginger (black tea, yuja, ginger, red doraji)
• Melon Romance (melon-blended)
• Louis Velvet (vanilla, rooibos)
• Mint Shock (peppermint, cool mint aroma)

2. Traditional tea & drinks

• Ssanghwacha ₩9,800 (traditional herbal medicine, nuts, egg yolk)
• Sikhye / Sujeonggwa

3. Coffee & gabae

• Hoji Gabae ₩7,500 (nutty hojicha cream latte)
• Gabae ₩6,000 (Americano)
• Gabae Ore ₩6,500 (café latte)

4. Signature dessert set & single items

• Dalbodeure Box ₩13,000 — gamtae myeongnan financier, red bean anbutter monaka, ganache monaka, injeolmi skewer, black rice sulbbang
• Financier single item (gamtae myeongnan, etc.)
• Monaka single item (red bean anbutter, ganache)
• Injeolmi rice cake skewer single item

A tea-leaf scent corner and tea-set styling

In front of the counter at Suwolgyeonghwa, there's a scent zone where you can look at and smell various tea leaves, along with a shelf of packaged tea to enjoy at home. The counter also has a 'Tea of the Day' sign offering a discount, worth checking. Incense is lit around the space so it smells fragrant, and being able to smell the tea leaves made it a genuinely enjoyable time.

When you order tea, it comes neatly set with a pretty tea set, an explanation card, and a leaf-shaped lid placed over the cup. They told me the leaves on top of the cup were the steeped ones — just for smelling, not for eating.

Jeju Breeze and Black Moon Hoji: the two signature teas

🍃 Jeju Breeze (₩8,500): a caffeine-free blend combining the tartness of hallabong and tangerine with chamomile and lemon myrtle. Sweet and tangy with a refreshing finish, it pairs cleanly with dessert.

🍂 Black Moon Hoji (₩8,500): a low-caffeine tea balancing the nuttiness of roasted green tea with the gentle, clean sweetness of brown sugar and stevia. The deep, subtle aroma is calming.

The signature K-dessert set: Dalbodeure Box (₩13,000)

'Dalbodeure' is a pure Korean word meaning 'sweet and soft,' and this handmade Korean-style dessert set arrives in a wooden box. Everything was delicious, but personally the anbutter monaka was my favorite!

Gamtae myeongnan financier: a sweet-and-salty combo of savory gamtae seaweed, financier, and myeongnan (seasoned pollock roe).

Red bean anbutter monaka: a monaka (wafer sweet) combining gourmet butter, sweet whole red beans, nuts, and mochi.

Ganache monaka: the soft, rich taste of premium chocolate.

Injeolmi skewer: chewy mochi rice cake on a stick with bean powder, honey, and puffed brown rice.

Black rice sulbbang: a traditional steamed bread fermented with makgeolli, fluffy and mild.

Overall thoughts

This was a special tea café in Busan where you can enjoy hanok atmosphere, a wide-open Songjeong ocean view, and the beach train scenery all in one place. The tea and desserts were also well made, so I'd recommend it for a date, or for bringing your parents or guests along. Sit by the Songjeong sea, take your time, and enjoy a warm cup of tea with the Dalbodeure Box.