Stroller-friendly café in Songdo outlet food court: kaimak, Wunder

It's gotten so hot lately that I keep going back to the Songdo Hyundai Outlet (nicknamed Songhyuna) and the Triple Street line, where you can shop and eat comfortably in one go, weekend or weekday. After wandering around for a while, my legs were aching and I was parched.

What's the best way to visit a café at Songhyuna with a stroller?

Using the shared seating in the B1 food court of the Songdo Hyundai Outlet was the answer. This time my friend and her adorable son (in the stroller) came along, and an ordinary standalone café felt a bit awkward because of getting the stroller in and the seating layout. So here's our smart solution: the shared space in the B1 food court!

In the Songhyuna basement you don't have to squeeze into a cramped, packed café. You can buy your coffee and enjoy it in the wide, open food court. Families with babies can park the stroller right beside them and relax without worrying about seats, so I highly recommend this route.

Where is Wunder Coffee Bar at Songhyuna, and what is it like?

Wunder Coffee Bar is inside the B1 food court of Hyundai Premium Outlet Songdo Branch. With the stroller parked neatly at the shared seating, I still didn't want just any random coffee. It's so hot these days that I was craving something like an espresso gato: bitter coffee topped with sweet, cold ice cream.

And what do you know, "Wunder Coffee Bar," the Gangnam spot famous for its affogato and handmade ice cream with lines out the door, was sitting there like a pop-up in Songhyuna! The moment we spotted it, my friend and I squealed and ran right over!

• Location: inside the B1 food court of Hyundai Premium Outlet Songdo Branch
• Features: a clean, hygienic open kitchen, friendly and quick staff, neat packaging

Wunder Coffee Bar set discount tip

At Wunder Coffee Bar, you get an extra discount when you buy a set of 2 Wunder coffees, Wunder Gatos or ice creams. I spotted it while glancing at the menu! If you're visiting with a partner or friend rather than alone, I'd definitely order as a set and grab the discount.

How were the hojicha Wunder Gato and the cream matcha?

We ordered one "Wunder Gato," Wunder Coffee Bar's signature, and one "Cream Matcha" for my friend, who can't drink coffee.

Wunder Gato lets you pick the ice cream flavor: I chose hojicha

First, the Wunder Gato I was looking forward to most! You can choose the ice cream flavor that goes in it, and we picked "hojicha" (roasted green tea).

And this one has a seriously surprising twist. It looks like espresso or milk tea, a light coffee-brown, right? But the moment I took a spoonful, a pleasantly bitter green tea (matcha) flavor spread softly through my whole mouth!

It's clean and rich green tea flavor with no dryness, and it totally hit my taste. The toasty aroma of hojicha and the deep taste of matcha mingled with the espresso shot, and it felt like this summer's heat just vanished. If you go to Wunder Coffee Bar, you have to pick the hojicha ice cream. Totally recommend it!

Caffeine-free cream matcha: don't mix it up with the Matcha Einspänner

The "Cream Matcha" my friend ordered is a smooth drink with a rich matcha base under soft, chewy cream. It's a non-coffee item, so even people sensitive to caffeine can enjoy the deep matcha flavor without worry.

By the way, if you choose "Matcha Einspänner" on the tablet, a coffee shot gets added, so check and tick the right one for your taste when ordering!

Kaimak cheese + ciabatta set at Wunder Coffee Bar: how was my first taste?

The kaimak cheese + ciabatta set at Wunder Coffee Bar was a ridiculously good combo that we'd have regretted skipping. Coffee alone felt a little light, and Wunder Coffee Bar happened to sell the trendy "kaimak cheese" (a thick, clotted-cream-style dairy spread) as a dessert, so half out of curiosity and half out of anticipation, I added a [kaimak cheese + ciabatta bread] set.

Honestly, both my friend and I were trying kaimak cheese for the first time in our lives, so we were super curious. One bite and we both genuinely gasped.

The texture is a bit like thick ricotta, but it melts in your mouth like soft fresh cream. There's none of that funky or sour note you get from ordinary cheese, just a hugely concentrated, rich, nutty milk flavor and soft cream. With plenty of sweet honey on top, spreading it on freshly baked bread was pure heaven.

The ciabatta served with it was especially good. Some places serve ciabatta so chewy it hurts your teeth, but the ciabatta at Wunder Coffee Bar was slightly crisp outside and fluffy inside, with a perfectly tender bite.

My friend, who had never had kaimak either, said, "Wow, is kaimak always this good?" and devoured it. It filled us up nicely, and it went wonderfully with the sweet-bitter Wunder Gato.

Verdict: a lifesaver break while shopping at Songhyuna in summer

The Songdo branch of Wunder Coffee Bar packed our order neatly without a mess, and every staff member was so kind even while busy that I felt good the whole time.

Above all, the biggest perk is that you don't have to play the seat-hunting game in a crowded big café. At the Songhyuna food court's open seating, you can bring the stroller and enjoy this high-quality Gangnam hotspot flavor comfortably, without worrying what anyone thinks.

If you're shopping happily at the Songdo Hyundai Outlet or Triple Street this summer and get tired and hot, and an iced Americano just won't cut it and you need a stronger sweet, cold recharge, I wholeheartedly recommend the Wunder Gato (hojicha flavor) and the kaimak cheese set at "Wunder Coffee Bar" on B1! I'm definitely going back for a revisit stamp! 💖