Steak restaurant in Hongdae, Seoul: sourdough in the juices, MELA

This was a place where, even after finishing the steak, I wasn't ready to have the plate cleared away.

After eating the chuck flap steak, the plate was left with meat juices mixed with olive oil. I dipped the sourdough I'd ordered on the side deep into it, and it felt like I was finally enjoying the steak all the way through.

Since it's steak served at a brunch café, I went in expecting something fairly light, but I ended up more satisfied than I expected — this is MELA Hongdae, a Hongdae steak spot worth knowing about.

Where is MELA Hongdae, and what are the hours?

MELA sits in an alley between Hongik University and Mangwon stations, a little off the main drag.

You can walk there from either Hongik University Station or Mangwon Station — about 7 minutes from both, according to the store's own guide. It's set back a bit from the bustling main street of Hongdae, so it's a good pick if you want to eat at a slightly more relaxed pace.

Brunch café or restaurant? MELA Hongdae sits in between

MELA Hongdae felt quite different in atmosphere from a typical steak specialty restaurant. It has the character of a café for brunch and coffee, while also serving proper meal menus like pasta and steak.

The exterior is neatly styled, and stepping inside you notice tables of various shapes and an interior dressed up with little decorative pieces. On one side there's a display of baked goods like croissants, so even if you came for a meal, your eyes naturally drift toward the bread and desserts.

Since it opens at 9 a.m., it's great for brunch, but it also didn't feel out of place to visit for a proper steak meal, like I did. If you're looking for a Hongdae steak restaurant but prefer a more relaxed atmosphere, a brunch café setup like this seems like a solid choice.

MELA's chuck flap steak, 39,900 won

The main dish I ordered that day was MELA's chuck flap steak for ₩39,900. It's a menu item where MELA serves premium chuck flap with a house-made sauce, and the plate arrived with a thick cut of meat plus garnish — my first impression was less "brunch item" and more a proper main course.

Chuck flap is naturally a well-marbled cut, so there was real enjoyment in the juices that came out with every slice.

Why add the 2,500 won sourdough to the steak?

Partway through the steak, I tried dipping the sourdough into the meat juices and olive oil — and this combination turned out to be more to my liking than I expected.

The bread soaking up everything left behind on the plate after the meat let me enjoy the steak in a whole different way. After eating sourdough soaked in juice and olive oil, I'd go back for another slice of the chuck flap. At ₩2,500 for 4 pieces of sourdough, I personally feel it's a solid add-on if you're already ordering steak.

What I liked most was being able to enjoy even the leftover juices on the plate. If you're at a Hongdae steak restaurant and don't want to stop at just the meat, I'd suggest ordering the bread alongside it.

Finishing at MELA Hongdae with a 4,000 won chocolate chip cookie

I was reminded again that MELA is a brunch café after finishing my meal. They sell various breads including croissants, so after eating, your eyes naturally wander to dessert too.

Among those, I picked the chocolate chip cookie for ₩4,000. I ordered it thinking I'd just have a light taste after the steak, but the quality was better than expected, which was satisfying. After a filling meal of steak and sourdough, finishing with a sweet cookie made the whole meal feel neatly wrapped up.

That day in particular, I had to head back into my afternoon schedule after the meal. Having eaten a great steak and finished things off nicely with dessert, the way I felt going into the afternoon was completely different.

I originally went in just thinking I'd try a steak at a brunch café, but after actually eating, what stuck with me was being able to go from a main dish to bread to dessert all in one space.

In particular, the combination of dipping sourdough into the leftover juices and olive oil from the chuck flap steak is something I'd order again next time. If you're looking for a Hongdae steak restaurant tucked away in a quiet alley for a relaxed meal, MELA Hongdae is worth trying for the chuck flap steak and sourdough together.