Tea Hour Guest · 11 stories

Tea Hour in Ikseon-dong

Writes about cafes and small restaurants tucked into Seoul's older neighborhoods. · Writes about: Cafés · Restaurants · Bars

PlaceGangnam, SeoulRestaurants

Yangjae Exit 4 salad shop: grilled flank steak poke, Yeongyeong Salad

Yeongyeong Salad Dogok is a poke, salad and curry shop in Gangnam, Seoul, about 300 m (a 4-minute walk) from Yangjae Station Exit 4, in an alley behind the new wing of Gangnam Peter Hospital. The writer ordered 2 grilled flank steak poke bowls at the kiosk and found the fresh, clean-tasting ingredients plus flank steak made a light meal that still felt filling. For a hearty salad lunch near Yangjae Station, the grilled flank steak poke at Yeongyeong Salad Dogok is a safe choice.

Written Nov 11, 2026Sponsored
PlaceYongsan, SeoulBars

Namsan-view wine bar in Haebangchon: rooftop seats for 3 at Cove Bar

Cove Bar is a rooftop wine and cocktail bar with a Namsan view on the 3rd floor of a building on Sinheung-ro in Haebangchon, Yongsan, Seoul. Three friends sat on the Cove Bar outdoor rooftop with a heart-topped cocktail and a butter bar with ice cream, watching the sunset turn into the Namsan night view. The outdoor tables are set for 2, but Cove Bar adds extra chairs, making it a good pick for groups of 3 to 4 or a Haebangchon date.

Written Jul 6, 2026Sponsored
PlaceMapo, SeoulRestaurants

Hongik Univ. Station ochazuke restaurant on a diet: John Dory, Ochaya

Ochaya Yeonnam (오차야 연남점) is an ochazuke (rice in tea or broth) restaurant on the 2nd floor of a building near Exit 3 of Hongik Univ. Station in Mapo, Seoul. Missing the ochazuke she had eaten in Japan, the writer ordered the basic Matou Dai Tazuke (John Dory) and felt like she was on a trip to Japan, thanks to the large piece of fish, the nutritious mixed rice and the perfectly seasoned broth. Ochaya Yeonnam's John Dory ochazuke is a clean, filling meal that won't weigh you down on a diet.

Written Jul 12, 2026Sponsored
PlaceMapo, SeoulCafés

Hongdae dessert café for matcha terrine and vanilla latte: Jitheunsan

Jitheunsan (짙은산) is a terrine cake dessert café in Yeonnam-dong, Seoul, about a 14-minute walk from Exit 3 of Hongik Univ. Station. On a weekday visit to Jitheunsan the writer had matcha terrine cake, an iced americano and a vanilla latte, and liked the dense, chewy texture enough to take a sweet potato terrine home, then box up one more. Jitheunsan is a Yeonnam-dong dessert spot worth visiting at least once if you love dense, fudgy cake.

Written Jul 11, 2026Sponsored
PlaceMapo, SeoulBars

Hongdae bar in Seoul where matching MBTI gets a free drink: Woo Woo

Woo Woo is a solo drinking bar in an alley off Wawusan-ro, between Sangsu Station and Hongik Univ. Station in Mapo, Seoul. The writer arrived with a friend right at opening, checked in by QR code, ordered several signature drinks and crackers, and broke the ice with the next table over game cards and a guestbook — then got a free drink for matching MBTI with another guest. For anyone after a Hongdae bar that isn't the usual scene, Woo Woo is the answer.

Written Aug 11, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGapyeong, GyeonggiRestaurants

Gapyeong baby octopus grill with pine nut makgeolli: Paldang Jikhwa

Paldang Jikhwa Bul Jjukkumi is a flame-grilled jjukkumi (baby octopus) restaurant on Hanseo-ro in Seorak-myeon, Gapyeong, Gyeonggi. The table ordered three servings of grilled octopus with pork belly and steamed egg, plus a handmade pork loin cutlet, rice and Gapyeong pine nut makgeolli, and Paldang Jikhwa Bul Jjukkumi also has a self-serve bar with tteokbokki and fried snacks, baby chairs and kids' tableware. A good fit for a group meal with a spicy kick near Seorak IC.

Written Aug 18, 2026Sponsored
PlaceWonju, GangwonRestaurants

Wonju City Hall hot pot restaurant: yukgaejang jeongol at Yukdaejang

Yukdaejang Dangye Musil-jeom is a 24-hour Korean restaurant on the second floor of a roadside building at 8 Roanoke-ro in Wonju, Gangwon, near Wonju City Hall. On this visit the group shared a full plate of hanbang bossam (herb-boiled pork with wraps) and a yukgaejang jeongol (spicy beef hot pot) with added cha-dol brisket and fresh noodles; the bossam was moist with no gamey smell, and the hot pot stayed spicy and generous as it simmered at the table. Yukdaejang Dangye Musil-jeom works for a full meal or drinks, and the writer plans to come back for the yukkal-myeon.

Written Sep 20, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSeocho, SeoulBars

Signature course for two at Flat Nine, a Sinnonhyeon jazz bar

Flat Nine is a live jazz bar and course dining restaurant on the 5th floor of a building in the alley between Gangnam Station and Sinnonhyeon Station in Seocho, Seoul. A 3pm reservation for the signature course for two brought an aperitif, amuse-bouche, bread and salad, lasagna, steak and dessert in order, and live jazz followed from 4pm. Flat Nine is worth recommending as a Sinnonhyeon date course for anyone who wants dinner and a show in one place.

Written Sep 17, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSeocho, SeoulRestaurants

Sinsa-dong BBQ restaurant: three aged pork cuts at Sansol Sinsa

Sansol Sinsa Main Branch is an aged pork Korean BBQ restaurant in an alley between Sinsa and Jamwon stations in Seocho, Seoul. We ordered three cuts at once — Sansol aged pork belly, Sansol aged skirt meat and jin flower short rib — to compare texture and flavor, and the staff grilled everything at the table. Between the three-cut comparison and the downward ventilation that keeps smoke off your clothes, Sansol Sinsa Main Branch is an easy Seoul Korean BBQ pick.

Written Sep 16, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSeongdong, SeoulCafés

Pick-your-own-bean americano and cheesecake at Seongsu café T Coffee

T Coffee is a quiet basement café in Seongsu, Seoul, about a 7-minute walk from Seongsu Station Exit 2, on the first basement floor of a building on Achasan-ro. The order was an americano with a choice of coffee beans and a cheesecake with a rich milky flavour, and even underground, T Coffee's open layout and well-spaced tables made it easy to read or work on a laptop alone. If you want somewhere calmer than Seongsu's busy main street, T Coffee is the answer.

Written Sep 14, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSeongdong, SeoulRestaurants

Spicy cheongyang mayo bulgogi burger in Seongsu, Seoul: bd Burger

bd Burger Seongsu Station Yeonmujang-gil Lunch & Dinner is a handmade burger restaurant on the 2nd floor of a building about a 5-minute walk from Exits 3 and 4 of Seongsu Station in Seongdong, Seoul. The order was a cheongyang mayo bulgogi burger set with an extra patty (eggplant and mushroom fritters plus sparkling water) and butter garlic fries, and the sweet-salty bulgogi patty with the sharp kick of cheongyang mayo tasted clean rather than greasy. One burger per person is required and ordering runs through a table tablet with a self-serve bar, so bd Burger works well as a filling meal on a Seongsu date.

Written Sep 15, 2026Sponsored
You've reached the end · 11 stories