Yeonnam-dong bakery mugwort bread and the last pretzel: Mandong Jegwa

I went too~~ the Yeonnam-dong bakery Mandong Jegwa~~ Isn't this supposed to be a must-stop on the Yeonnam-dong bakery pilgrimage?😍

Where is Mandong Jegwa Yeonnam Branch? 446m from Hongik University Station

Presence radiating~~😆

Anyone can tell it's a bakery~😍😍 Even I, with terrible eyesight, spotted it from way far away~😆😆

Turns out this place first opened back in November 2017. In Yeonnam-dong's fast-changing commercial strip, just holding down the same spot for that long while staying beloved is basically a guarantee the taste is good~

(Can't wait~~)

📍32 Yeonhui-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, South Korea (446m from Hongik University Station Exit 3) ⏰Daily 11:00 ~ 21:00

Mandong Jegwa Yeonnam Branch sits in a spot that blends perfectly with the warm, cozy vibe unique to the Yeonnam-dong alleys~ The first thing that catches your eye is this emotional exterior~ Dark-toned brick building with warm wooden doors and window frames, so charming~

Afternoon shelves and free tasting samples at Mandong Jegwa

The moment I excitedly pushed open the wooden door and stepped inside, the air was full of that nutty, sweet bread smell~~ Being a takeout-only bakery, the space itself isn't huge, pretty cozy and small, but fresh breads baked fresh every morning were lined up on wooden shelves.

Visiting in the afternoon, I saw quite a few empty trays.. customers kept streaming in so I picked quickly~😆

The reason I, someone with major decision-making struggles, could pick fast.. was that a staff member offered me tasting samples of the bread~~

Wow~ every single one was delicious, but the one that stole my heart was..

The four breads picked at Mandong Jegwa Yeonnam Branch

Ssukttok-ssukttok (mugwort rice cake bread), the top pick

Mugwort rice cake bread!!!! The mugwort fragrance was amazing, plus with bean powder(?) and almonds it was super nutty~ Anyone with an old-fashioned palate like mine will totally fall for it, I bet? 😆 And it's huge, too~🥰 So satisfying~

Emmental cheese bread

Emmental — I tasted this one too and then took it home~ The cheese flavor is insane!! Salty and nutty~~👍👍

Jalapeno ciabatta

Jalapeno ciabatta — I was curious about the combo of jalapeno and ciabatta, so I grabbed one~

Pretzel, the last one on the shelf

Pretzel — there was exactly one left on the tray, so I grabbed it before anyone else could.😁

Every single bread is huge, right? The value for money seems really great too~

I packed 4 breads and the bag was pretty heavy.😁

On the way home.. my friend kept saying she couldn't stop thinking about the Emmental sample she'd tried at Mandong Jegwa, so I gave her mine.😆😆

🥛 A bread party at home with cold milk

The mugwort rice cake bread with milk doubles the nutty flavor~~ For the jalapeno ciabatta I'd been curious about, the mayo sauce softens the spicy jalapeno nicely~ The pretzel had a salty cheese exterior with a cream cheese filling inside, so the sweet-and-salty charm really came through~

Is Mandong Jegwa Yeonnam Branch worth a visit?

Mandong Jegwa Yeonnam Branch has held down its Yeonnam-dong alley spot since 2017, and the taste proved it's not just hype. There's real fun in picking according to your preference, and the kindly offered tasting samples meant I got to properly take home flavors I actually love, no guesswork — that made it an even happier trip. If you love bread, be sure to stop by when you're passing through Yeonnam-dong~