Hanyang University café between plans: matcha Basque cake, Eojil In

Why I dropped into Eojil In at Wangsimni Station between appointments

Eojil In Wangsimni Station Branch (어질 인 왕십리역점) is a café right by Wangsimni Station, and it has a reputation as a go-to spot among Hanyang University students. Today I'm introducing a good café I found near Wangsimni.

A while ago I had one of those days: lunch with an acquaintance finished, and there was an awkward gap before my dinner plans. It was hot and I couldn't be bothered to go far, so I searched for a café right next to Wangsimni Station and ended up at Eojil In. It's practically a stone's throw from the station, so access is great. The place was tidy and full of the smell of sweet cake. Let me show you around.

Getting to Eojil In Wangsimni Station Branch, and parking

Eojil In Wangsimni Station Branch is about 35 m from Wangsimni Station Exit 6, a one-minute walk. For parking, use the nearby public parking lots.

The name Eojil In isn't English, it's from the Analects

The entrance of Eojil In is the kind where you think, "I've never seen an entrance like this." The owner must be a fan of the Analects (Noneo, the Confucian classic).

When I first heard the name I assumed it was English, so what a twist.

On the building's outer wall hangs a beige fabric projecting sign with the Chinese character 仁 and the word COFFEE.

What is the 1st floor of Eojil In like?

The 1st floor combines brightly patterned tile flooring with dark wood-toned furniture for a classic, cozy mood. White curtains at the windows and comfortable leather sofas give it a relaxed feel.

The ordering area has the kitchen right alongside it.

A large bookshelf filling one wall adds a calm, study-like feel, and soft indirect lighting on the ceiling wraps the space in warmth.

The 1st floor is decorated like a library.

The Basque cheesecake in the display case makes you look forward to something sweet.

The 2nd floor was full

The 2nd floor was completely full that day, so I ended up on the 1st floor. I went upstairs anyway, in case there was a better seat.

When I got upstairs...

it was totally full, so I came back down to the 1st floor.

Recommended menu and prices at Eojil In

The recommended items on the menu board include the signature Basque cheesecake at 5.9 and the Café Milk Bowl at 6.8 (in thousands of won, so ₩5,900 and ₩6,800). I copied the prices as written on the menu.

• Café Milk Bowl ₩6,800: organic milk ice cream from Sangha Farm, Paul Bassett and Baekmidang, with espresso and a milk coffee drink
• Signature Basque cheesecake ₩5,900: the signature, made with Philadelphia cream cheese and animal-fat fresh cream
• Dessert gift box ₩27,400: packed in a luxurious gift box so you can share your feelings with someone special, they say
• Einspänner ₩5,500: a short, strong espresso blended with chewy cream for a smooth finish, they say
• Americano ₩5,000: made with espresso from house-roasted beans
• Café latte ₩5,500: house-roasted espresso softly blended with milk
• Fresh lemon cake ₩6,900: a refreshing pound-cake-textured cake topped with lemon butter
• Classic financier ₩2,900: crisp outside, moist inside
• Financier ₩3,300: choose your taste (fig, Earl Grey, pistachio)
• Vanilla madeleine ₩2,900: moist, soft madeleine with a gentle vanilla scent
• Chocolate madeleine ₩3,500: rich chocolate, coated once more in chocolate on the outside
• Lemon madeleine ₩3,300: moist madeleine full of fresh lemon scent
• Strawberry cream croissant ₩7,900: croissant made with high-quality French flour paired with strawberry fresh cream
• Strawberry latte ₩5,800: sweet latte of fresh strawberries and milk
• Matilda choco ₩6,900: bittersweet cake with the deep flavor of rich dark chocolate

Milk tea, cocoa and matcha Basque cake: how did they taste?

At Eojil In I ordered milk tea, cocoa and a matcha Basque cake. The matcha Basque cake was small, but the sweetness was max.

Small in size, max in sweetness. A matcha expert tried it and said it passed, so...

it really is a tasty matcha Basque cake.

Verdict: a Hanyang University café for the gap between Wangsimni appointments

Thanks to Eojil In, a stretch of time that could have been boring between two appointments turned out sweet and well spent. Not just the coffee: the dessert lineup, from cakes to madeleines and financiers, is really showy, and choosing is half the fun.

It's right by the station, so it's super easy to get to, and I think I'll drop in like a sparrow to the rice mill (a Korean saying for someone who can't pass by a favorite spot) whenever I have plans in Wangsimni. If you're looking for a café near Hanyang University with a nice mood and tasty desserts, Eojil In seems like a decent choice.

Eojil In Wangsimni Station Branch basic info

• Hours: 09:00–22:30
• Last order: 22:00
• Location: 1F–2F, 18 Majo-ro 9-gil, Seongdong-gu, Seoul