Mangwon café with pistachio tiramisu: PICT Roastery

Looking for house-roasted coffee in Mangwon-dong

After lunch in Mangwon-dong, I wanted a quick coffee. While looking through several cafés, I found out there was a specialty coffee shop that roasts its own beans, so I paid it a visit. Its name is PICT Roastery Mangwon Branch.

The café was in the semi-basement of a brick house, which felt refreshingly unusual in its own way. The interior was clearly visible from outside, so I could see the décor and how crowded it was. There was also one of those recently popular air-conditioner “power cooling” banners out front, which got me curious about just how cool it would be.

The café entrance was on the right side of the building. Just like a restaurant, the café had a waiting list: write down your number and they call when a table opens up. Since it was the weekend, I got in after waiting about 20 minutes.

An interior with regular and bar tables

Inside, there were two seating styles—regular tables and bar tables—with room for roughly 20 people. The interior was modern and warm without feeling overdone.

One side held the roasting area and equipment, and it immediately gave me that reassuring feeling: “Ah, this place is seriously devoted to coffee.”

Choosing from the menu after hearing about the beans

The menu was at the ordering counter. The drinks were kept simple, and there were three desserts in total; from other blog reviews, every one of them looked delicious. I simply ordered two Americanos and the pistachio tiramisu. The other desserts were sold out.

Next to the menu was an information sheet listing the bean varieties and their characteristics. The barista kindly explained each bean’s notes—acidity, body, sweetness, and more—so even people who do not know much about coffee could comfortably choose beans to suit their taste.

The Americano and pistachio tiramisu combination

After waiting about five minutes, our order arrived. The dark Americano smelled of coffee before I even took a sip, while the pistachio tiramisu was loaded with cream and pistachios, so I was excited.

As you would expect from a specialty café that roasts its own beans, the Americano was exceptionally well balanced. On the first sip, the beans’ distinctive bitter yet refined flavor spread across my palate, followed by a memorable clean finish without any unwanted notes. With just the right body and a clean profile that did not overpower, it was the ideal Americano to enjoy with dessert.

Unlike a regular mascarpone tiramisu, PICT Roastery’s version was topped generously with pistachio cream packed with nutty richness. Pistachio desserts have always been delicious lately, so naturally I had high hopes for this tiramisu too.

The tiramisu sponge was incredibly fluffy, cutting easily with just the slightest press of a fork.

The moment I took a bite, the deep, nutty pistachio flavor enveloped my whole mouth, and it paired perfectly with the moist, soaked sponge. It was not overly sweet, so it never became cloying and I kept reaching for more; its subtle pistachio aroma also went so well with the Americano. If you visit PICT Roastery Mangwon Branch, I strongly recommend trying this pistachio tiramisu.