Uijeongbu café tea time with Basque cheesecake: Forerest

Forerest, a forest café in Uijeongbu near Seoul

A forest café in Nogyang-dong, Uijeongbu, visited with my mother-in-law

The day I visited my in-laws in Uijeongbu. My mother-in-law and I headed out for a rare little date together. After happily digging into charcoal-grilled dakgalbi (spicy stir-fried chicken) at a great restaurant in Yangju, we decided to make our second stop a dessert café for tea time. So off we went to Forerest, a forest café in Nogyang-dong, Uijeongbu, not far from my in-laws' house!

• Address: 181 Nogyang-ro, Uijeongbu-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea
• Hours: Daily 11:00–24:00 (open year-round)
• Parking: Parking lot available in front of the café

The café was slightly out on the outskirts, away from the busy downtown area. It looked a little difficult to reach by public transit, but there was plenty of parking right in front of the building, so parking did not seem like it would be an issue if you drove. Since we visited on a weekday, the lot was quite quiet too, and we parked comfortably before heading in!

Forerest has a warm exterior that looks like a converted house.

The entrance to the café. The floor was prettily finished with a wooden deck.

Forest views through picture windows and classic vintage interiors

The first things that caught my eye as soon as I entered were the calm wood-toned tables and the lovely chandeliers on the ceiling. The café was generally decorated with a vintage feel.

Especially, the lush green trees visible through these picture windows made it feel as if we had stepped into a garden in the forest. Guests who had arrived before us had already claimed these prime forest-view seats and were enjoying their coffee time.

Here it is in a lively video, too~

Unlike the new cafés that seem to be popping up everywhere these days, this space was dressed up with a thoroughly classic, old-fashioned feel.

The wood-toned tables and lighting went beautifully with the trees.

There were several separate spaces that I assume had once been rooms in a home, and each had its own distinctive interior and atmosphere.

Ordering chocolate and matcha Basque cheesecake

Forerest's menu. The desserts here are confidently focused on just one thing: Basque cheesecake. We ordered one latte, one cappuccino, plus chocolate Basque cheesecake and matcha Basque cheesecake.

Our drinks and desserts arrived. The cheesecakes were prettily presented on wooden plates and trays. A warm cappuccino dusted with cinnamon, which my mom loves, and my iced latte—I insist on iced drinks even if I freeze to death.

Even at a glance, the Basque cheesecakes looked wonderfully dense and rich!

The chocolate Basque cheesecake looked as though it would be extremely sweet, but its sweetness was not overwhelming, which I liked. I am not particularly fond of matcha's signature bitterness either, but this café's matcha Basque cake suited my taste quite well.

A rare outing had my mom in high spirits too!

The view from the terrace

The view from the terrace beyond the picture-window doors. There were outdoor tables here too, and it looked like a great place for guests with dogs to relax freely and comfortably. We actually saw a guest visiting the café with a dog while we were there, so it seems this may be a dog-friendly place. After a lovely time with my mom at the forest café Forerest, it was time to head home...!

The exterior wall of the café, showing off its vintage charm to the fullest. Rather than for those seeking a modern, polished café, this felt like a place better suited to anyone wanting a quiet, restorative moment in a lush, nature-friendly space away from the city.