Gwanghwamun, Seoul study café with tarts: Center Coffee

Center Coffee Gwanghwamun on the lower level of SFC Mall

Center Coffee Gwanghwamun is located on B1 of SFC Mall.

Enter the building shown in the photos, head down to the basement, turn left, and walk straight ahead—you'll find Center Coffee Gwanghwamun right there!

Since it's inside SFC Mall, it was nice that it was easy to get to even on a bad-weather day. More than anything, I was surprised by how large the café was! It looked like a good option for anyone looking for a Gwanghwamun study café. I visited on a weekday evening, and there were quite a few people working alone on their laptops.

So I’d also recommend it to anyone looking for somewhere to work comfortably over a cup of coffee :) I noticed Blue Ribbon plaques near the entrance, too! Seeing so many of them made me think this must be a Gwanghwamun café known for good coffee, so I was even more excited to try it.

There was a nice variety of seating inside, too. On one side were counter seats that were great for sitting alone, while tables for two or three were set up in front of the counter.

Further back, there were also four-person tables arranged in rows, so it looked good whether you came alone or with friends or coworkers. Overall, the spacing between tables felt less cramped, and the café itself was spacious, creating a relaxed atmosphere for spending time in Gwanghwamun.

Center Coffee Gwanghwamun menu and prices

You order at the kiosk next to the counter. There was such a varied menu, from coffee and tea to non-coffee drinks and desserts, that it was fun to browse through everything.

Coffee, tea, and non-coffee drinks

• Espresso ₩5,400 / Americano ₩5,400 / Coffee of the Day (batch brew) ₩5,000 (available until 15:00)
• Flat white ₩5,500 / café latte ₩6,000 / vanilla latte ₩6,500 / Orange Bianco ₩7,000
• Geisha cold brew ₩7,500 / decaf cold brew ₩6,500 / mugwort latte ₩6,500
• Pear lemonade ₩6,500 / Better Than Choco ₩6,000 / Flower Garden ₩6,000 / Citrus Love ₩6,000

Desserts and food

• Plain Greek yogurt ₩3,300 / Greek yogurt bowl ₩6,000 / ham and cheese panini ₩8,500
• [SET] Greek yogurt bowl + Coffee of the Day ₩9,500 (available until 15:00)
• [SET] Ham and cheese panini + Coffee of the Day ₩12,000 (available until 15:00)

If you’re looking for specialty coffee, there were plenty of choices to suit your taste, from hand-drip and batch brew to cold brew made with Geisha coffee. We spent ages deciding what to have, then ordered drinks and dessert together :)

And Center Coffee sells a wide range of items that can be ordered for delivery, not just enjoyed at the café! If you’d like to have Center Coffee at home too, it could be nice to browse its beans and other products online. I also loved that you can enjoy at home a coffee you tried and liked at the café :)

Better Than Choco, Flower Garden, and Earl Grey lemon tart

We ordered an iced Better Than Choco (₩6,000), a hot Flower Garden (₩6,000), and an Earl Grey lemon tart (₩10,200).

Iced Better Than Choco

It felt a little different from an ordinary chocolate drink! Perhaps because it is based on pu-erh tea, a subtle tea-like aroma came through amid the chocolate’s sweet, rich flavor. It wasn’t overly heavy or thick with chocolate, and finished cleanly, so it worked nicely with dessert. Served iced, it was cool and sweet—easy to keep sipping without feeling too much :)

Hot Flower Garden

Just like its name, this black tea had delicate floral notes and a sweet muscat-like aroma. The fragrance came through even more when it was hot, leaving a lovely floral scent with every sip, while the finish was clean enough to pair well with dessert. A great choice for a day when you feel like fragrant tea instead of coffee!

Earl Grey lemon tart

It looked pretty from the start, and the flavor combination was wonderful too. The tart brought together bright lemon freshness and Earl Grey’s fragrant, delicate character. The lemon came through first, followed by a subtle lift of Earl Grey, so it was clean rather than rich. I also loved the contrast of the tart’s crisp texture and smooth filling; its sweetness and lemony tang made it just right with coffee or tea.

I’d recommend it as a lovely place to enjoy pretty desserts alongside specialty coffee!

Would I visit again?

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5 / 5

Center Coffee Gwanghwamun is a great place to enjoy delicious coffee and desserts together in Gwanghwamun. With its large space and varied seating, I was also happy with it as a Gwanghwamun study café where you can visit alone and work at a relaxed pace. I think I’ll return to Center Coffee Gwanghwamun next time to try more specialty coffee and desserts :)