Haenggung-dong café in Suwon for honey rusk cookies: Jeong Ji-young

There's one place that always comes to mind when you think of cafés in Haenggung-dong, Suwon. I finally visited the main branch of Jeong Ji-young Coffee Roasters, the hot spot so popular it's spawned several branches around Suwon. I'd been to other locations before, but this was my first time at the original in Haenggung-dong, which I visit often. Maybe it's just me, but the vibe and the coffee both felt even better here ☺️

A must-visit café in Haenggung-dong: Jeong Ji-young Coffee Roasters Haenggung Main Branch

Where is Jeong Ji-young Coffee Roasters Haenggung Main Branch, and what should you know before going?

Jeong Ji-young Coffee Roasters Haenggung Main Branch is at 42 Sinpung-ro, Paldal-gu, Suwon-si. Hours are 11:00–22:00 with last order at 21:50, and it opens at 10:00 on weekends and holidays.

• No-kids-zone
• Group visits and takeout available
• No outside food allowed
• No parking — use Jangan Public Parking Lot or Suwon Museum of Art parking

There are already three branches nearby in Haenggung-dong 🍵 that's how much this coffee spot is a certified favorite. Walking down the alley, the standalone building it has all to itself really catches your eye.

Floor by floor, from the basement counter to the 5th-floor rooftop

Jeong Ji-young Coffee Roasters Haenggung Main Branch uses the entire building on its own, from the basement all the way up to the 5th-floor rooftop, and the scale really is unusual.

B1 ordering / 1F roasting room / 3F academy / tables on 2F, 4F, 5F (5F is the rooftop)

Interestingly, you order coffee in the basement first, then carry your drink upstairs. There's a lot of stair climbing involved, so it's worth keeping in mind if you have mobility issues. That's also why the café runs as a no-kids-zone, for safety.

A tip: grabbing a table first, then heading down to order and waiting to bring your drink back up, seems like the least tiring way to do it 😅 It's a bit of a shame you can't bring kids, but on the flip side, it's the perfect place for adults to relax in a calm, grown-up mood.

Ordering in the basement: coffee goods and dessert case

The basement floor of Jeong Ji-young Coffee Roasters has no tables, it's order-only, but there are all kinds of goods on display, which made waiting for our order fun to browse. There were also plenty of desserts on hand, like cookies and cakes, so of course we grabbed one.

Jeong Ji-young Coffee Roasters has its own roasting space, so their care and attention to bean quality is a cut above, and the coffee itself is a proven favorite. I'd only ever had their popular coconut coffee, which has sold 1.11 million cups, but this time, on my friend's recommendation, I ordered a flat white instead.

Vintage decor and the climb to the rooftop

Heading up to the 2nd floor after ordering, the vintage yet hip little props placed here and there, and the casually stylish interior, were completely my taste,,

I tried to make it all the way up to the rooftop but gave up halfway, it was too much 😅 Still managed to grab a few photos on the way up. Wherever you point the camera, you can get a hip, atmospheric shot here.

We settled on the 2nd floor, and being the famous Haenggung-dong café it is, there were quite a lot of guests even on a weekday. The tables come in various sizes, so you can use the space whether you're alone or in a group.

How the two flat whites and the honey rusk cookie tasted

Two flat whites and a cookie 👍 Flat whites use less milk than a regular café latte, which lets the rich, weighty flavor of the coffee itself come through, so I could really taste the deep body of the espresso. There was no sweetness at all, just clean and straightforward, exactly to my taste.

If you like lattes but want to taste more of the espresso's richness rather than the milk, or you're after something smooth and not too sweet, I'd recommend this 🍵

The cookies came individually wrapped. Coffee alone felt like it needed something more, so we grabbed a honey rusk too, and the not-too-sweet nuttiness of the weighty flat white paired with the sweet cookie in a way that never felt heavy.

Is Jeong Ji-young Coffee Roasters a good Haenggung-dong date spot?

Starting from its main branch in Haenggung-dong, Jeong Ji-young Coffee Roasters has grown into a beloved café with several locations across Suwon, and this visit made me realize all over again why. It's not just about a good-looking interior, the bean quality and coffee itself are excellent, and the mood the space gives off is one of a kind. The main branch really is the main branch 👍 The weather being so nice that day probably made the atmosphere even better. I think it'd be really lovely to take it easy on the rooftop once the weather cools down more.