Suwon coffee shop near Ajou Univ for crumble-top egg tarts: Jo Hui-tak

That rich-but-not-bitter coffee flavor kept popping into my head, so I finally went back. Two Americanos, a fig cake slice, and an egg tart later, here's how it went.

Some days you crave a specific cup of coffee. Not a new café to discover — just that exact flavor you remember.

No need to look anywhere else, I headed straight for "Jo Hui-tak Coffee" in the alley near Ajou University.

It had been a while since my last visit, so I was curious what might have changed.

Bottom line: the coffee I remembered as an Ajou café favorite is trying even harder these days. What changed was the dessert side, and that wasn't a disappointing change — if anything, it was an upgrade.

• Name: Jo Hui-tak Coffee
• Address: 12 Ajuro 47beon-gil, Paldal-gu, Suwon-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea
• Hours: Daily 11:00–22:00
• Parking: Free for 1 hour at the Uman 2-dong public paid parking lot

Where to park for Jo Hui-tak Coffee, tucked down an alley

Jo Hui-tak Coffee isn't on the main road; you need to head one more alley deep near Ajou University. There's no dedicated parking right in front, but parking at the Uman 2-dong public paid lot gets you 1 hour free.

So first-timers might wonder "is this really it," but the alley isn't complicated, so you find it quickly. If you're driving, just know the parking situation ahead of time. Parking at the nearby public lot and walking over was way more convenient than I expected.

When parking stress kicks in, half the coffee experience flies out the window — but I could walk in without that worry.

What the inside of Jo Hui-tak Coffee feels like

The moment you open the door at Jo Hui-tak Coffee, the smell of roasted beans greets you first. That smell alone put me at ease.

The inside is much roomier than it looks from outside, so there's no cramped feeling at all.

The tables are spaced generously, so conversations from the next table don't spill over, and you don't feel awkward staying a while.

I expected mostly young customers given the location near Ajou University, but there were people reading solo, and pairs like us too.

Not too noisy, not so quiet it's awkward — right in that in-between temperature.

What's new in the dessert display case?

The Jo Hui-tak Coffee display case still has a huge variety of cakes like before, but this time a few breads and cookies had been added too. The moment I stood there to order, memories of my last visit came flooding back — the cake lineup was massive back then too.

This time again, there were still plenty of cakes, and now a few breads and cookies sat lined up alongside them.

The new thing that caught my eye was the seasonal cake — slices made with in-season ingredients.

None of the cakes here are overly sweet, so it doesn't stop at one slice — you feel like you could eat ten. Anyone genuinely into Ajou desserts and coffee will end up lingering in front of this case.

These breads weren't there on my last visit. So what we ended up choosing was two Americanos, a fig cake slice, and an egg tart.

• Coffee ₩5,500 × 2
• Fig cake ₩8,500
• Egg tart ₩4,000

At checkout I got some nice news — the sponsorship period was still active, so I got a discount. It's already a place I came back to because I couldn't stop thinking about it, and now this bit of luck haha.

I wasn't expecting it at all, so I just laughed and thought "still going on?" — it made the moment even nicer.

Is the Americano still as good as last time?

Jo Hui-tak Coffee's Americano has a bold aroma up front but leaves no bitterness after swallowing. The moment I took a sip at the table, my reason for coming back explained itself.

No heavy, muddled feeling either.

Strong coffee sometimes leaves your tongue feeling rough, but there's none of that here, so you just keep drinking. My cup emptied fast, and conveniently, this place gives you one refill of coffee per drink ordered.

It was the same system as before, and it's still going strong, so we both had a second cup each.

Why the crumble-top egg tart stole the visit

Jo Hui-tak Coffee's egg tart is ₩4,000, and it turned out to be the unexpected number one of this visit. Honestly, I ordered it as an afterthought — my expectations were on the fig cake. But the order got flipped.

The moment I bit in, the outside felt different right away. Not the usual pastry flakiness — more like a crumble topping. It melted away softly. That softness spread through my mouth not sweet but nutty, and the fun hit first.

The custard inside wasn't too sweet or greasy, so I kept reaching for more. Egg tarts often leave a greasy aftertaste, but this one left my mouth clean. Exaggerating a little, it's the best egg tart I've had, hands down.

The fig cake slice also had that crunchy "crack" texture from the seeds, earning its keep as a seasonal item.

Coffee without bitterness meeting desserts without excess sweetness — neither one overshadowed the other, and they went together beautifully.

Why one more cup went out as takeout after the refill

I figured the refill would be more than enough, but standing up to leave, I still felt oddly reluctant. In the end, I left with one more cup as takeout on my way out.

Sitting in the car and taking a sip, it finally clicked why I'd come all the way out here today.

What was good at Jo Hui-tak Coffee

• The coffee — rich but never bitter — was exactly as I remembered.
• The one-refill-per-drink policy was still in place.
• The egg tart's crumble-like exterior and not-too-sweet custard balanced beautifully, pairing perfectly with the coffee.
• Rolling out new seasonal cakes with each change of season shows this place is still serious about its cakes.

What could be better

• Since it's tucked in an alley off the main road, first-timers might get a bit lost finding it.
• No parking space in front of the shop, which drivers should double-check before heading over.