Matcha vs Earl Grey Basque taste test at Uijeongbu café Forerest

Forerest, a large café in Uijeongbu That forest-lodge feeling in Nogyang-dong, done right plus Basque cheesecake

I had errands in Uijeongbu and was looking for somewhere to grab coffee and rest, and I remembered Forerest, where I'd visited once before on my own dime. I loved how quiet and comfortable it felt, like stepping into a forest lodge, so I went back — and once again came home feeling healed.

Forerest basics: parking, hours and pet policy

Forerest is located at 181 Nogyang-ro, Uijeongbu-si, Gyeonggi-do, and is open daily from 11:00 to 24:00. Parking is free, and the lot is huge, so don't worry about that at all. There are even more spaces behind what you see in the photos!

• 📍 181 Nogyang-ro, Uijeongbu-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea
• ⏰ Daily 11:00 – 24:00
• 🚗 Parking available / free
• 🐶 Pets welcome (both dogs and cats can join)
• 👶 High chairs available

Since Forerest stays open until midnight every day, it's a great choice not just during the day but for a late-night café run too!

Forerest's exterior: a forest lodge from the outside

Forerest feels quite different from the big cafés you find right in the middle of a city. From the moment you're on the path leading in, there are so many trees and everything is so green that the second you park and start walking, you feel like you've entered a forest.

I felt this last time too, but this is a place where you enjoy the surrounding nature along with the café itself — just looking at it is healing.

Inside Forerest: bigger than it looks

Walk through the entrance of Forerest and you land in the main ordering area, with several more spaces leading off it further in. It's divided into many rooms, almost like a big mountain lodge, and each room has its own charm. There are seats with green trees visible through the window, and there are also cozier spots further inside. These days, with the weather so nice, I'd sit by the window — and once it gets colder, move toward the inner rooms, haha.

Forerest's menu and the five Basque cheesecake flavors

Another highlight at Forerest is moda? No, it's the range of Basque cheesecakes 🍰 Besides the original, there's matcha, black sesame, chocolate, and Earl Grey. They're made in-house and aged in the fridge for 16 hours — artisan-grade Basque, they say. There are people who've never tried it, but no one who's tried it only once — I love this dense, rich Basque cheesecake so much...

This time I ordered as follows.

• ☕ Iced caffè latte
• ☕ Iced Americano
• 🍵 Matcha Basque cheesecake
• 🍰 Earl Grey Basque cheesecake

Last time I tried the chocolate and black sesame, so this time I picked some different flavors.

What does Forerest's matcha Basque cheesecake taste like?

Forerest's matcha Basque cheesecake is ₩8,000, and it pairs the Basque style's signature dense texture with matcha's bitter, nutty flavor. Unlike the chocolate Basque, where sweetness hits first, this one has matcha's characteristic bitterness, which made it easier to enjoy in a calmer way.

You get the rich, deep flavor of the cheese together with the matcha, and the finish is cleaner than I expected, so it paired really well with coffee too. If you like matcha desserts, you're guaranteed to love this!

What does Forerest's Earl Grey Basque cheesecake taste like?

Earl Grey is much softer than matcha. The dense cheesecake is layered with Earl Grey's fragrant aroma, so a subtle black tea scent rises up as you eat it. Rather than heavy sweetness like the chocolate, it's closer to a dessert you enjoy for the aroma.

• Matcha leans bitter and nutty, Earl Grey leans fragrant and soft
• Rich green tea flavor → matcha
• Fragrant black tea → Earl Grey
• Go with whichever suits your taste

Iced caffè latte and iced Americano at Forerest

For drinks, I ordered an iced caffè latte for ₩6,500 and an iced Americano for ₩5,500. The latte is smooth to drink, and when paired with the cake, it softly balances out the dessert's sweetness. The iced Americano was great for cleaning up your palate after the cake, so it was easy to pick between them depending on your mood.

Since the desserts here — matcha and Earl Grey Basque cheesecake — have such strong aroma and character, a smooth, unobtrusive drink like an Americano or latte is essential to get the most out of the cheesecake!

Forerest's outdoor seating on a clear day

One thing you can't skip at Forerest is the outdoor space. There are lots of green trees around the café and plenty of outdoor tables, so on cool, clear days like these, it's wonderful to sit outside, catch the smell of the grass and the sound of the breeze, and have a coffee while unwinding.

Looking for a large café in Uijeongbu?

Forerest turned out to be defined by three things rather than just being a large café: the forest atmosphere, the spacious layout, and the Basque cheesecake. It suits sitting down for a while, chatting, and enjoying dessert more than it suits a quick coffee and out.

If you're planning a Uijeongbu date course or a drive-course café near Seoul and want somewhere with a different kind of vibe, this is worth a visit.

Forerest: the verdict

• ✔️ A large Uijeongbu café with spacious indoor and outdoor areas and varied seating options
• ✔️ The forest-lodge atmosphere and green forest views are Forerest's biggest strength
• ✔️ Matcha Basque leans bitter and nutty; Earl Grey leans fragrant with a black-tea note
• ✔️ Iced latte confirmed at ₩6,500, iced Americano at ₩5,500
• ✔️ Matcha Basque cheesecake confirmed at ₩8,000, original Basque cheesecake at ₩7,500
• ✔️ Free parking confirmed, along with an outdoor terrace, high chairs, and pets welcome