Namyangju café with coffee museum and desserts: Waltz and Dr. Mahn

A Bukhangang River café stop after a Water Garden date

While out around Namyangju's Bukhangang River, I stopped by Waltz and Dr. Mahn (왈츠와 닥터만). It seemed like a great place for anyone looking for a quiet cup of coffee after a walk or date around the river, such as at Water Garden, or for couples celebrating an anniversary or another special occasion.

There are seats overlooking the Bukhangang River, plus hand-drip and roastery coffee to try. With wine pairings and course meals as well, it looked like a nice place to visit for an anniversary or a slightly special day.

Free parking beside the café

At the Bukhangang River café Waltz and Dr. Mahn, there is a parking area right beside the building, so it was convenient to park and head in.

A red-brick building and Bukhangang River terrace

As I walked from the parking area toward the café, the red-brick-style building and the green trees surrounding it made for such a pleasant atmosphere. Plants were arranged around the building, and I could see an outdoor terrace with seating. Above all, the Bukhangang River was right in front of me, so the relaxed mood set in before I even entered.

A terrace with a Bukhangang River view

You can look out over the Bukhangang River from the outdoor terrace. On a nice day, it would be lovely to spend time at an outside table. With the café building, green trees, and the river right in front of you all in view, it felt like a nice space for having coffee while taking in the scenery.

Bukhangang River scenery from indoors, too

Inside, the wall of windows meant I could see the Bukhangang River scenery from indoors as well. I liked that on a hot or cold day, you can comfortably look at the river without sitting outside. It seemed especially suited to a date spent chatting slowly together.

Comfortable sofa seating

There is sofa-style seating, too. Rather than a café brightly lit throughout, it had gentler lighting and lots of warm wood details, so it felt better suited to sitting and taking your time than quickly having a noisy coffee and leaving.

Hand-drip roastery coffee

When I visited, Waltz and Dr. Mahn felt more like a place that would suit the evening, thanks to its subdued lighting, than a bright, flashy large café. That made me think it would be nice for slowly talking with your partner or spending special time together on an anniversary.

A coffee museum to explore alongside the café

Waltz and Dr. Mahn has a coffee museum as well as the café. If you love coffee, it could be nice to look around the coffee-related space during your café visit. I am not especially knowledgeable about coffee, but I was impressed that, unlike an ordinary café, this was a space where you could focus a little more on coffee itself.

A menu from coffee to course meals

Scroll right for more menu options! The menu included not only coffee but a wide variety of fresh fruit juices, tea, beer, desserts, and more. There were several course meals, too, so there was a broad range of choices.

For an anniversary or special day, you can enjoy everything from a meal to dessert and coffee in one place, and it seemed especially well suited to anyone wanting a slightly more formal atmosphere.

An ice cream platter with tiramisu and fruit

The ice cream platter came with tiramisu cake, seasonal fruit, and ice cream. It looked so pretty from the start that I ended up taking several photos, haha.

Ice cream that was not overly sweet

The ice cream was not as intensely sweet as I expected. It had a smooth texture and a slightly yogurt-like note, which worked especially well with the tiramisu and fruit.

The platter included orange, kiwi, grapefruit, blueberries, cherries, and other fruit. Alternating between the ice cream and fruit added a fresh flavor, so it felt like enjoying one dessert in several different ways. I personally prefer sweet fruit to tart fruit, and the fruit served that day was overall sweet and delicious.

Honoré en Chevalier, my favorite item

And my favorite thing that day was Honoré en Chevalier. The name was a little unfamiliar, but as soon as I saw it, I understood why it is called a signature menu item. Dutch coffee and ice cream came together, topped with a macaron and seasonal fruit, making it pretty to look at, too.

Honoré en Chevalier was a drink where the slightly bitter taste of Dutch coffee and the smooth sweetness of ice cream came through together. I find it hard to keep drinking coffee that is too bitter, or drinks that are too sweet in the opposite direction, but the ice cream softened the coffee's bitterness a little, making it easy to drink. With the fruit and macaron as well, it felt like having a small dessert set.

With fruit and a macaron, too

A macaron and seasonal fruit were placed on top. It was nice for taking photos on a date, and I liked that even with one menu item, you could share and enjoy several flavors. It was such a photogenic menu item that it put me in a good mood, haha.

A special time spent slowly by the Bukhangang River

Waltz and Dr. Mahn had a charm a little different from the bright, flashy large cafés you see so often these days. You can drink coffee in a space overlooking the Bukhangang River, and there was so much to experience within the café, from the coffee museum and hand-drip coffee to wine, course meals, and desserts.

I tried the ice cream platter and Honoré en Chevalier that day, and Honoré en Chevalier stayed with me the most because I could enjoy sweet dessert and coffee at once. If you are planning a date around Water Garden or the Bukhangang River, I think Waltz and Dr. Mahn would be worth visiting.