Jongno 3-ga bakery: nutty walnut bread tops milk cream bun, Munhwa

What did I buy at Munhwa Bakery (문화제빵) in Jongno 3-ga?

At Munhwa Bakery (문화제빵), a bakery in Jongno 3-ga, I took away three breads: milk cream bread, walnut bread and maple cream cheese bread. All three were tasty, but my top pick was the walnut bread, which was plainer and nuttier than I expected!!

I was in the Jongno area and got pulled into Munhwa Bakery by the smell of baking bread!! The second I stepped inside, the nutty bread aroma was so good, honestly..❤️ Every single bread looked delicious, so I spent ages trying to decide what to pick, haha.

Where is Munhwa Bakery and what does it look like outside?

Munhwa Bakery is about 199 m from Exit 7 of Jongno 3-ga Station, so it's a quick walk and easy to reach by public transport!! It's also a nice stop if you're wandering around Ikseon-dong or Changdeokgung Palace. The exterior is a little quiet and homey, and fits the feel of the Jongno side streets.

Through the glass window you can see the shelves packed with bread, so it's hard to just walk past... haha. I came looking for a Jongno 3-ga bakery, and the bread smell drifting out from the entrance got me excited!!

What is the inside of Munhwa Bakery like?

The inside of Munhwa Bakery is small, and you pick your bread and take it away. As soon as you walk in, the nutty smell of freshly baked bread rushes over you, which is just the best..❤️

The shelves had a wide range, from cream buns to sliced loaves and bagels, plus breads made with nutty traditional ingredients.

Everything looked so appetizing that choosing was honestly the hardest part, haha. The staff were also kind, so picking out bread was a pleasant experience.

What kind of bread is Munhwa Bakery known for?

There was plenty of variety, from soft cream-filled breads like milk cream bread and maple cream cheese bread to nutty ones like injeolmi (roasted soybean rice cake) bread, mugwort rice cake bread, black sesame bread and walnut bread. Many of them are the old-fashioned, homey kinds you rarely see in bakeries these days, so browsing was fun.

Munhwa Bakery also sells bread made the same day and, I heard, donates what's left over to people who need it. Picking out good bread already made me happy, and learning about this warm way of running the shop made Munhwa Bakery even more memorable.

What are the menu and prices at Munhwa Bakery?

Munhwa Bakery had lots of breads, including injeolmi bread, peanut bread, mugwort rice cake bread, black sesame bread, cheese bread, squid ink condensed milk bread, onion bagel, rice chestnut loaf, coffee bread and garlic bread. The prices of what I bought at the time of my visit were as follows.

• Milk cream bread ₩3,500
• Walnut bread ₩3,500
• Maple cream cheese bread ₩4,900

Prices and bread selection may change depending on when you visit, so keep that in mind!!

What I ordered: milk cream bread, walnut bread and maple cream cheese bread

We got milk cream bread, walnut bread and maple cream cheese bread at Munhwa Bakery and ate them! I picked a mix of sweet and plain breads, so it was a good combo to alternate between.

Is Munhwa Bakery's milk cream bread very sweet?

Even though there's a good amount of cream, Munhwa Bakery's milk cream bread wasn't too sweet or heavy. It's a soft, cozy cream bun just like its name, and the cream texture is kind of fluffy and soft, haha.

The milk cream melts in your mouth and goes well with the bread, so it's easy to eat. Highly recommended!!!! for people who like sweet cream buns but find very sweet ones too much. I can see why the milk cream bread is popular.

Why Munhwa Bakery's walnut bread became my top pick

Munhwa Bakery's walnut bread isn't overly sweet and is plain in a good way, and the nutty flavor of the walnuts comes through the more you chew. Honestly, at first I thought the cream-filled breads would taste better. But once I actually ate them, the walnut bread was the best!!

The walnuts you bite into here and there give it a great texture, and it isn't harsh, so I kept reaching for more. It's not a flashy flavor, but it's the kind you sneakily start craving, haha. If you're like me and prefer nutty, plain bread over very sweet bread, please try this walnut bread.... It really beat my expectations and it's my top pick!!❤️

Munhwa Bakery in Jongno 3-ga: final verdict

At Munhwa Bakery, a Jongno 3-ga bakery, the nutty bread smell the moment I walked in put me in a good mood. There was a wide variety, so choosing was fun, and the staff were kind, so buying was comfortable.

The milk cream bread was tasty because its fluffy, soft cream wasn't too sweet, and the maple cream cheese bread was sweet while still letting the cream cheese flavor come through. But my top pick, surprisingly, was the walnut bread!! It's plain and nutty, and it gets better the more you eat. I think I'd buy it again next time, haha.

If you're on a date around Ikseon-dong or Changdeokgung and looking for a bakery to grab takeout, do stop by. Among Jongno 3-ga bakeries, Munhwa Bakery had lots of variety and plenty of easy-to-enjoy breads, and if you like nutty bread, I highly recommend the walnut bread!!!! ❤️