Yeonnam-dong bakery salted soboro ₩3,600 that won me over: Mandong

If you love bread and hang out around Yeonnam-dong in Hongdae, you've probably heard of Mandong Jegwa, the famous Yeonnam-dong bakery haha. I've stopped by often too, whenever I'm craving bread after work or hanging around Yeonnam-dong. This time I visited again!

This time... whoa. I don't usually like soboro (crumble-topped bread) so I always avoided it, but the salted soboro at Mandong Jegwa is so popular that I finally picked one up, and it was seriously delicious...

Even someone who doesn't really eat soboro can enjoy this incredibly good soboro... you should definitely try it! Let me leave a review haha!!

Where is Mandong Jegwa Yeonnam Branch, and what are the hours?

Mandong Jegwa Yeonnam Branch is at 32 Yeonhui-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, near where Yeonnam-dong connects to Yeonhui-dong. It's open daily from 10:00 to 21:00, mostly for takeout, with samples provided, and there's no seating on-site.

• 📍 32 Yeonhui-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, South Korea
• ⏰ Daily 10:00–21:00
• Takeout / samples provided / no seating on-site
• Seating available at Ediya Yeonnam-dong branch (with one drink per person)
• Naver reservation pickup service!
• 💰 Cappuccino (soft coffee bread) ₩5,600 / Basil tomato crunch ₩6,200 / Garlic baguette ₩7,000 / Salted soboro ₩3,600

Outside and inside Mandong Jegwa: is there a wait?

The shop is located near where Yeonnam-dong connects to Yeonhui-dong. The sign really catches your eye, so it's fairly easy to find even on your first visit. Depending on the time of day, crowds can form and you might have to wait, but I went at a slightly off-peak weekday time so I could buy bread right away with no wait.

If you're doing a Hongdae bakery tour hopping between bread spots, it might be worth using Naver reservations before you go.

Once inside, you'll see all kinds of bread displayed in two rows.

Normally you use tongs and a tray to grab the bread yourself, but for the famous ones with a yellow tag, you just tell the counter how many you want and they'll prepare them right away. These are usually some of the ones in the middle! Let me introduce my favorites and the famous menu items one by one.

What bread does Mandong Jegwa bake?

The bestseller: garlic baguette, ₩7,000

Of course, the first thing that comes to mind with Mandong Jegwa is the garlic baguette... yum. It's ₩7,000! I loved it so much again this time that I bought two. The garlic cream is packed all the way into the center of the bread, so with the first bite you get a huge hit of garlic flavor plus sweet, soft cream.

I had good memories of eating it before, so I picked it again without hesitation this time, and it was just as satisfying. If it's your first time visiting Mandong Jegwa, this is personally my number one recommendation!!!

For coffee lovers: cappuccino bread, ₩5,600

Next up, the cappuccino bread!

It felt a bit softer and fluffier than a mocha cream bread. If you like bread with a subtle coffee aroma, I'd recommend this one too!!

Fig campagne at Mandong Jegwa

It has a good amount of fig packed in, so if you like the combo of plain bread with sweet fig, this should suit you well.

Cucumber baguette at Mandong Jegwa

One of Mandong Jegwa's more unique items is the cucumber baguette. If you like refreshing, crunchy cucumber, it might be worth trying at least once.

Basil crunch and cream cheese bagel

The cream cheese bagel in particular is great to freeze and then eat with coffee in the morning — I'd personally recommend it.

Salted soboro ₩3,600: the bun that won over a soboro skeptic

Mandong Jegwa's salted soboro is ₩3,600, and this is the item I tried for the first time this visit!!! To be honest, I'm not really a fan of soboro. I especially don't love soboro with a strong peanut smell, so this time I bought just one to test it out.

But after eating it, I regretted not buying more... should have gotten another one, ugh. The salty flavor and sweet soboro coming together in that salty-sweet combo was so, so good. Think of it as a salt bread base with sweet crumble layered softly on top!!

Also on the shelf: maple bread and eongdeongi bread

There's a wide range of nutty, savory breads haha

Gift boxes and eating your bread at Ediya next door

At Mandong Jegwa you can also buy insulated bags, ice packs, gift boxes and paper bags in addition to the bread, so it's great for gift-giving too!

There's also an Ediya Coffee right next door, so you can order coffee to enjoy alongside your bread. I stopped in briefly too, and the inside of the Ediya was clean and pleasant, making it a good spot to enjoy bread and coffee together. It'd make a nice course for a date or hangout with friends in Yeonnam-dong — grab bread to go and enjoy it with coffee.

What I liked about Mandong Jegwa Yeonnam Branch

From garlic baguette to salted soboro, this is a Yeonnam-dong bakery-tour spot worth stopping at if you love bread!

• The popular garlic baguette loaded with garlic cream — always delicious no matter when you eat it...
• The salted soboro, which even I, someone who doesn't like soboro, enjoyed...
• Easy to access from Hongik University Station
• Naver reservation and pickup available
• Lots of packaging options like insulated bags and gift boxes
• A good stop for a Yeonnam-dong bakery tour
• Can enjoy it with coffee at Ediya next door!

Who should visit this Yeonnam-dong bakery?

• Anyone looking for a local Yeonnam-dong bakery and Hongdae favorite
• Anyone planning a Hongdae bakery tour
• Fans of garlic bread and mocha bread
• Anyone looking for bread that pairs well with coffee
• Anyone who wants to buy bread as a gift
• Anyone looking for a spot to stop by on a Yeonnam-dong date
• Anyone who prefers a bakery with personality over ordinary bread
• Anyone looking for a famous Hongdae spot in Yeonnam-dong