Suwon café lunch with ciabatta sandwiches: Caffeine Focus

I visited Caffeine Focus (카페인포커스), known as a Suwon Hwaseong fortress-wall-view café, on a weekday. As I walked along the fortress wall trail, the building exterior and sign caught my eye even from far away. It looked wonderfully tranquil among the surrounding scenery.

When I arrived, I saw that the building was quite large. I hurried inside beneath the sign reading Caffeine Focus. Maybe because it was early on a weekday, I got in right away. Luckily, I could settle into a seat without waiting.

Caffeine Focus hours and parking

15 Changnyong-daero 80beon-gil, Paldal-gu, Suwon-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea (경기 수원시 팔달구 창룡대로80번길 15)

• Hours: Monday–Sunday, 11:00 AM–8:00 PM
• Regularly closed every Tuesday
• Parking: Use Changnyongmun Public Parking Lot, a 3–5 minute walk away

Green plants and cute little pots were set out at the café entrance. The information board almost felt as though it were welcoming visitors. There were plenty of potted plants throughout the café, giving the space a fresh feel. Every interior detail looked thoughtfully placed. Passing the sign near the entrance, I looked around to see which seat might be nicest. It was fun wandering about and taking in every corner.

Ciabatta and dessert menu

• Levain plain ciabatta ₩4,800
• Levain cheese olive ciabatta ₩5,300
• Levain cheese squid ink ciabatta ₩5,300
• Vanilla bean Basque cheesecake ₩8,000
• Egg scone ₩4,500
• Banana muffin (vegan) ₩3,800

Once inside, the warm lighting and interior created a calm atmosphere. It was a space that felt relaxed from the entrance onward. I looked over the menu, wondering what to have. Coffee and a variety of desserts were available. The drink prices seemed reasonable, too. I chose what suited my taste and finished ordering. I went for the ciabatta sandwich (₩14,000) and ube cream matcha latte (₩7,500).

The display case held house-baked ciabatta. There were different kinds of bread, which made choosing fun. They also said that ciabatta bread is sold as usual on Wednesdays.

A café spread across three floors

The café uses all three floors, so each one has its own mood and sense of space. This photo is from the second floor, where I enjoyed seeing works by David Hockney. The large floor-to-ceiling windows were lovely, and the carefully arranged tables and chairs made it comfortable. Framed art and potted plants worked beautifully together in the interior.

The self-service station was well stocked with a water pitcher and napkins. The heating and air conditioning were on, keeping the temperature pleasant. I also spotted shelves with interior accessories. You could feel the care given to even the smallest details. If you take part in a Naver receipt review, you can receive 50 g of handmade cardamom granola~

Suwon Hwaseong fortress walls from the third-floor veranda

After looking around every floor, my favorite was the third floor, especially the veranda and fortress-wall view. Once I stepped onto the terrace, the scenery outside the window opened up at a glance. I loved the airy feeling of the plants and tables together. The restroom is also on the third floor, and it is very clean. A gentle breeze came through as I spent a little time there. The wide-open view made all my stuffiness disappear.

As I went up the stairs, I looked at the wall tiles. Potted plants and lighting brightened the stairway. The interior changed slightly from floor to floor, so there was never a dull moment on the way up. Moving between the floors was part of the fun.

The fortress-wall view through the window was wonderful. Beyond the parking lot, the sky and scenery looked like a painting. There is a huge moon model on the third-floor veranda, and it really stands out. I think this space would be even prettier at night~

Ube cream matcha latte and sandwich by the window

I set the ube cream matcha latte and ciabatta sandwich on a window seat. I photographed them with the fortress-wall view behind them, and the mood was so lovely. The house-baked ciabatta sandwich looked delicious. The view from the window made it taste even better.

The neat plating made it great for photos, too. A peaceful afternoon moment~ The ube cream matcha latte has two distinct flavors, so I recommend it if you want to enjoy both bitterness and sweetness at once.

Looking at the ciabatta sandwich cross-section, it was packed with tomato, ham, cheese, and vegetables. You could see the fresh ingredients. When I tried it, everything tasted fresh and wholesome. It was plenty filling for lunch. I joined the Naver receipt review and got 50 g of granola~😁 It was my first time in this neighborhood, and it was very quiet around here—totally my kind of place. I definitely want to come back next time.