Cheonggyecheon wood-interior café & caramel pecan scone: Lemangdoré

Where is Lemangdoré Gwanghwamun and what are the opening hours?

Lemangdoré Gwanghwamun is at 17 Mugyo-ro, Jung-gu, Seoul, and it's open every day from 8:00 to 21:00. It's near Cheonggyecheon, close to Gwanghwamun Station and City Hall Station, so it also works well as a date stop.

I was around Gwanghwamun and found a big three-story café that looked perfect for some time alone, so I stopped by Lemangdoré Gwanghwamun. It's really close to my old workplace, so I knew the way by heart.

Ordering at the kiosk or the counter

At Lemangdoré Gwanghwamun you can order at a kiosk or directly from the staff. Honestly, I didn't even notice the kiosk and went straight to the counter! The staff were lovely and friendly.

What desserts and pastries does Lemangdoré Gwanghwamun sell?

There was quite a lot of pastry. The scones were closest to me and looked so good that I decided on a scone right away.

After I'd ordered, the pistachio caught my eye and I thought, I'm coming back for that next time. They also seemed to have the Dubai one in limited quantities, and since I'm still a Dubai fan, that's another reason to return, haha.

Heart-logo merchandise for an easy small gift

Lemangdoré's heart logo is so cute, right? They had all kinds of products using it. They're serious about coffee too, with drip bags, cold brew, tumblers and mugs, so it'd be easy to pick up a light gift.

A wood interior with a different mood on every floor

What I liked most was that the interior was totally my style. I really love the warmth of wood, and Lemangdoré Gwanghwamun was the most my-style café I've been to lately.

Second floor: the most seats, including window seats

It's a fairly big café with three floors, so it's fun to explore how the mood changes a little on each one. The 2nd floor has the most seating, and there are window seats too, so people coming alone can stay comfortably.

Others were already in the window seats, so I sat on a sofa, but next time I'm definitely taking a window seat! Just sitting there watching the trees sway was total healing.

With so many offices nearby, I wondered if that's why there's so much space. I went on a weekday afternoon, and many people seemed to be there on a Cheonggyecheon café date; I'd guess office workers fill it at weekday lunchtime.

Third floor: cute décor down to the small details

The 3rd floor is very, very pretty too. Every single prop is lovely. I don't like that stiff, straight-lined feel big cafés sometimes have, but this place feels warm, so a big thumbs up.

Coffee of the day: good even if you dislike acidic coffee

I ordered today's coffee and a caramel pecan scone. It came on a clean cup and plate, so the photos turned out beautifully, and I was happy.

The cup has the heart logo on it too. I quickly turned it around to shoot it! The day's coffee I picked was really fresh and bright, with nothing muddy or harsh, just crisp, which amazed me! I don't normally like acidic coffee, but this was so good and matched the weather so well that I felt I'd chosen right.

Today's coffee was explained on the menu board, but there was also a cute paper describing what the coffee is, which made it fun to read.

Caramel pecan scone: nutty and not too sweet

The caramel pecan scone has finely crushed pecans, so it's nutty, soft and not very sweet. I'm not a big caramel fan, but I love pecans, very, very much. And with that look, with sugar crystals studded all over, how could I possibly skip it?

I picked this dessert because I thought it would go well with coffee, and I was right. The pecans seemed crushed small enough not to get in the way, and they added nuttiness and a crisp texture.

It isn't hard either; it's soft, so it's easy to eat. And it's not very sweet, which is even better. It paired so well with the light today's coffee that I finished the plate in no time.

Is Lemangdoré Gwanghwamun good for reading or working?

It isn't very loud, so I think it would be good for reading or working. I brought nothing, so I just watched the trees swaying in the wind outside and had a proper rest, but next time I want to bring something and stay longer.

It felt like finding a place I really love, and it was a happy time. It's quite big, and neither the coffee nor the desserts fall short, so if you like cafés, do give it a visit!