Gwanghwamun café for French apple pie & drip tasting: Lemangdoré

What is chausson aux pommes?

Chausson aux pommes is a classic French apple pastry. In French, chausson means slipper and pomme means apple.

Apple purée or apple compote goes into thin pastry dough, which is folded into a half-moon shape and baked golden. Layers of crisp pastry meet a soft, moist apple filling, with the apple's natural tartness, a gentle sweetness and buttery richness. Paired with coffee, the sweet and fresh flavors get even richer.

Wondering what dessert to have at a Gwanghwamun café? Lemangdoré Gwanghwamun has you covered! A 1st floor, then a 2nd floor on top, then a 3rd floor on top of that? It's a Gwanghwamun café close to both Gwanghwamun and Cheonggyecheon where you can really relax. So what to eat? No more agonizing!

What did I order at Lemangdoré Gwanghwamun, and for how much?

At Lemangdoré Gwanghwamun I ordered the coffee of the day, a pistachio cream croissant and a chausson aux pommes, and the total came to ₩20,300. I've copied the menu descriptions as they're written in the store.

• Coffee of the day ₩5,200 — Enjoy Lemangdoré's bright, well-balanced beans, which change every day, lightly and quickly.
• [NO.1] Pistachio cream croissant ₩8,800 — Lemangdoré's most loved croissant. The rich, elegant nuttiness of pistachio, generously given.
• Chausson aux pommes [apple pie] ₩6,300 — French-style apple pie. Elegant, with apple purée that isn't too sweet and house salted caramel.
• Total ₩20,300

Everyone, do you like chausson aux pommes? I really like pistachio croissants too. Let me give it a try!

Where do you order at Lemangdoré Gwanghwamun?

You order on the 1st floor at Lemangdoré Gwanghwamun. And wait, there's a drip coffee tasting too! No way I could resist a taste before ordering the drip coffee~!

What is the 3rd floor of Lemangdoré Gwanghwamun like?

The 3rd floor of Lemangdoré Gwanghwamun is a space in collaboration with Fritz Hansen, mostly with seats for 2–4 people. So if you're dining solo, I'd recommend the 1st and 2nd floors.

After ordering, I dashed up to the 3rd floor first. Because of the Fritz Hansen collab, every single piece of furniture and lighting had so much atmosphere!

How did the chausson aux pommes apple pie taste?

I sat in a corner seat on the 2nd floor of Lemangdoré Gwanghwamun and started with the chausson aux pommes, of course! I cut it neatly with the knife it comes with, and the apple jam came oozing out, wow~!

A pie packed with sweet jam? How could it possibly not be good? Open wide!

What does the pistachio cream croissant taste like?

Lemangdoré's pistachio cream croissant is a croissant filled with pistachio cream both inside and out. If a plain croissant feels boring, how about this one piled high with pistachio?

The outside is crisp and crunchy, and the inside is sweet with a nutty crunch you can chew on. I haven't seen this dessert at other cafés yet, so I highly recommend it as a Gwanghwamun café dessert!

Does the iced coffee of the day at Lemangdoré have acidity?

I had the coffee of the day iced, and even though it isn't drip coffee, the acidity makes its presence known on the tip of the tongue. After all, coffee is what makes a café, right?

If the iced one is this good, what about hot...? Next time I'm definitely going hot!

After finishing everything: the empty plate proof

Deeeeelicious!

I was taught that proof of a great eatery is an empty dish!!

Is Lemangdoré Gwanghwamun good for a Gwanghwamun café tour?

At Lemangdoré Gwanghwamun, the 1st floor, 2nd floor and 3rd floor each have their own personality! Perfect for a Gwanghwamun café tour, I'm telling you!