Mountain views instead of the sea at Sokcho bakery café Cafe Neorae

When I go to Sokcho, I usually end up chasing ocean-view cafés, but this time I wanted something a bit different — coffee with a mountain view instead.

What kind of café is Cafe Neorae in Haksapyeong soft tofu village?

Cafe Neorae is a large bakery café in Sokcho's Haksapyeong sundubu (soft tofu) village with views of Seoraksan and Ulsanbawi. I figured it'd be worth going just for the view, but once I got there, the space was bigger and the interior prettier than I expected — I really liked it.

The coffee was especially good too, so out of all the Sokcho cafés this trip, this one stuck with me the most :)

Cafe Neorae's exterior and parking

Cafe Neorae is located in the Haksapyeong sundubu village area of Sokcho.

It's a great spot for a Sokcho itinerary where you eat sundubu and then head straight to a café before continuing toward Seoraksan.

There's a parking area in front of the building, so it's convenient if you're driving.

Inside Cafe Neorae: interior and bakery display

Walk in through the entrance and you're greeted right away by the counter and bakery area. There's a variety of bread displayed next to the ordering counter, so even though I came just for a drink, I naturally ended up picking out a bread too haha

The bread was neatly laid out so you could see it all at a glance while ordering at the counter, and the whole entrance had a clean, warm atmosphere.

Cafe Neorae didn't feel like your typical big Sokcho café with just spread-out tables — the counter, bakery, and seating all felt like one cohesive space. The self-service bar was well stocked too, with forks, knives, takeout containers, and even a microwave to warm up the bread :)

Different seating on each floor and the bamboo-stair photo zone

I was surprised by how big the space was from the moment I walked in. True to a large Sokcho café, the seating is split into several areas, with a slightly different mood on each floor, so it was easy to pick whichever seat suited us.

Instead of just rows of tables, plants and wood-toned materials gave the whole place a warm feel, and there were photogenic spots here and there, so it was fun to look around while waiting for our drinks. Even the staircase area wasn't just a passageway — it was styled like a photo zone with bamboo-inspired decor and stone.

So if you're the type who looks for a big Sokcho café that's also pretty enough for photos, I think you'd like it here. Personally, I've noticed that some cafés with a great view can be a bit disappointing on the inside, but here, Cafe Neorae's own interior felt like it had gotten a lot of care too — which I liked.

How did the sua da einspänner and tissue bread taste?

What we ordered:

• Sua da einspänner
• Americano
• Tissue bread

I'd originally planned to order a condensed milk latte, but while looking at the menu, the signature sua da einspänner caught my eye, so I switched to that. Honestly, I walked in with zero expectations since it's a tourist-area spot, but both the Americano and the bread were good! I never got to try tissue bread back when it was trending hard, so finally getting to have it here felt like a proper welcome...

The sua da einspänner is einspänner-style coffee made with Vietnamese condensed milk. On top there's soft cream, plus cinnamon and a Neorae cookie. Basically, think sweet Vietnamese condensed milk coffee with soft cream added on top! I ordered it expecting something like a condensed milk latte, but it felt more like a dessert coffee. The soft cream and rich coffee came through together, with that distinctive sweet condensed-milk flavor layered on top — it was delicious.

Was the mountain view worth it instead of a Sokcho ocean view?

When looking for a café in Sokcho, ocean view is usually the first thing that comes to mind, but this time, sipping coffee while looking at the mountains had its own charm. More than anything, Cafe Neorae isn't just about the view — the interior is pretty and the space is spacious, so it was easy to settle in and relax. The floor-to-ceiling windows showing Seoraksan and Ulsanbawi were definitely a highlight!

If you want a large Sokcho café that combines spacious rooms, pretty interior, and a mountain view all at once, this place would suit you well. And if you like sweet coffee, I'd also recommend the sua da einspänner I ordered instead of the condensed milk latte. If you're passing through Seoraksan or Ulsanbawi during your Sokcho trip, Cafe Neorae is a great spot to stop by for a coffee and enjoy the scenery :)