Anseong large café: tree-root ceiling & mango bingsu, Chat Baker

In this sticky, sweltering weather, the best way to recharge is a big café with blasting air conditioning and lots to look at, plus a cold bowl of bingsu (Korean shaved ice), right? Today I'm sharing my visit to Chat Baker (chat baker), a hot spot in Anseong that completely won me over with a jaw-dropping interior and a mango bingsu that's incredible value.

Chat Baker location and parking

Chat Baker Brunch & Bakery Café is a large bakery café at 4391 Seodong-daero, Gongdo-eup, Anseong, Gyeonggi. It's close to Anseong Farmland, so it's a really good stop after a day out. There's plenty of parking too, so even beginner drivers can visit comfortably.

This is the exterior that greeted us as soon as we arrived. It lives up to the title of big café in the Pyeongtaek–Anseong area: it's huge and imposing. A clean, modern building with a fresh green entrance that stands out from far away. The hip vibe from the entrance alone had my expectations soaring before we even went in.

The tree-root ceiling sculpture, seen from the 2nd floor

The moment I opened the door I couldn't help but say "Wow!" The first thing that grabbed my eyes was the huge tree-root sculpture hanging from the ceiling. It feels like stepping into the middle of a mysterious forest. Looking up from the 1st floor is great, but going up to the 2nd floor and looking down shows the detail and grandeur so much better. It was really cool.

The glass-wall waterfall and the LP shelves

Walk straight to the window seats at the back and there's another relaxing spot. Water flows coolly down the full-glass windows, and in this hot weather, just watching the sparkling stream felt so fresh and refreshing. Together with the big hanging-plant chandelier, it made for a perfect "water-gazing" session (mulmeong).

This place is also known as an LP café in Anseong. Walls packed with LP records and vintage audio equipment add a big dose of analog charm. The interior is so pretty everywhere that lots of people were taking photos like it was one big photo zone. I'd strongly recommend it as a date course in Anseong too.

The bread display and what we ordered

As you'd expect from a bakery café in Gongdo, Anseong, the long, glamorous bread display held so many kinds of bread that it was hard to choose. They're kept in hygienic showcases, and the doors open automatically when you press a button, so picking bread felt reassuring and fun.

At the pleasant, spacious counter we could see a range of drinks and the summer bingsu menu. After some deliberation we ordered the fresh coconut mango bingsu that many other tables were eating, an iced americano, and a Dubai chocolate salt bread whose looks I couldn't resist.

Fresh coconut mango bingsu: how big is it?

Our mango bingsu finally arrived! I'd expected it from seeing other people eat it, but the moment I got it, the sheer size surprised me all over again. Fresh mango is piled generously over a mountain of snowflake ice, with cube cheese and ice cream on top too. For this price range, the quality was beyond what I'd imagined. The sweetness melting in my mouth was the best!

Dubai chocolate salt bread and iced americano

Here are the iced americano and Dubai chocolate salt bread we ordered with it. Befitting a top salt bread spot in Anseong, the crisp, chewy salt bread was generously coated in sweet, crunchy Dubai chocolate, and the texture and flavor were perfect. The nutty iced americano cleanly cut through the sweet dessert, making a perfect pairing.

How are the seats?

Another plus of Chat Baker is that the place is huge and the seating is really good. Besides regular tables, there are floor seats where you can comfortably take off your shoes and sit, so you can pick whatever suits you. The openness of the big space let us relax without feeling cramped.

This visit was very satisfying from start to finish: a grand, detailed interior, a bakery where choosing is half the fun, and bingsu that nails both value and flavor. If you want a pleasant space where your eyes and mouth are both happy in the heat of summer, I highly recommend visiting Chat Baker, a new café in Anseong!