Yadang Station café in Paju for misugaru and financiers: Pound Coffee

In September the midday sun is still hot, but there's a bit of autumn in the wind, isn't there? On days like this, I just want a cold drink in front of me and a place to sit for a bit. My mom and I went out to Paju and stopped by Pound Coffee near Yadang Station in Unjeong. It's known for its baked goods, so we tried the financiers too.

Pound Coffee Unjeong Main Branch: hours, parking and location at a glance

A cup of coffee and a plate of baked treats — Pound Coffee Unjeong Main Branch

Pound Coffee Unjeong Main Branch has no separate break time, so you can drop in at an odd hour and still enjoy drinks and baked goods. That said, last order is 19:30, so if you're heading over in the evening, it's worth checking the time before you go.

Since the store sits on the ground floor of a mixed-use building, you can park right out front.

Inside Pound Coffee: seating, terrace and the dog water station

This Paju Unjeong café sits on a corner of the alley, with floor-to-ceiling windows on two sides that keep the whole place bright.

The sign with the café's name isn't big, but it's tasteful, and the interior is calm — white tones paired with wood furniture.

Before you even step inside, the outdoor terrace catches your eye. There's a marble table and black chairs on a wooden deck, surrounded by plants and trees — a nice spot to sit and breathe some outside air. At the terrace entrance there's a dog water station, with a water bowl and dish set beside a sign that reads 'Dog is free.' It's a great Paju Unjeong café to stop at with your dog on a walk near Unjeong Lake Park.

Inside, there's a counter where the coffee is made, and this is where you'll find the range of baked goods. The buttery scent drifts through the whole space, so once you've picked a drink, your eyes naturally wander to the pastries.

The tables are spaced generously and vary in size, so it's comfortable whether you're solo with a book or catching up with a neighborhood friend. It's a small neighborhood café, but the ceilings are high and the windows are full of trees, so once you sit down, the outdoor scenery fills the view — it felt easy to sit there for a long while.

Pound Coffee menu and prices: americano, misugaru, financiers

True to its name, Pound Coffee centers on coffee paired with baked goods. The display case has financiers of every kind — plain, hazelnut chocolate, matcha soboro, salty caramel, and more, so there's fun in choosing. Besides coffee, there are grain drinks like misugaru too, so it's easy to find something for non-coffee drinkers as well.

• Americano ₩4,500
• Misugaru ₩6,000
• Financiers (plain, hazelnut chocolate) ₩2,900, ₩3,500

A hearty combo — a cup of nutty misugaru with financiers full of buttery aroma!

How did the misugaru and americano taste?

Whenever there's misugaru on a café menu, my mom orders it at least once. The grain aroma comes through strong but goes down smoothly, without feeling heavy. Best of all, it's not too sweet, so it pairs well with baked goods and fills you up nicely. If you stir it before the ice melts, you get the nutty grain that's settled at the bottom too.

The americano wasn't very acidic. They also give you a card with the bean info, which shows they're serious about their coffee. Coffee and dessert need no introduction — it cleaned the palate nicely and went well with the financiers.

Plain vs hazelnut chocolate financier: which one wins?

I eat financiers often, so I picked both the plain and hazelnut chocolate to compare. The plain one is baked to a deep golden color, firm at the edges with a moist, textured crumb inside. You can see the streaks of browned butter running through the batter — the buttery aroma hits first when you bite in, followed by the nuttiness of almond. A no-frills, classic flavor done right.

The hazelnut chocolate financier is dark chocolate-colored batter from the start, topped with a whole hazelnut. There's a line of chocolate running through the middle too, so every bite brings nutty richness along with it. It's not too big, so it's easy to hold in one hand with a sip of coffee in between. We ordered both kinds and split them, my mom and I, and it was fun comparing the two very different flavors.

Is Pound Coffee near Yadang Station worth a stop?

This Paju Unjeong café is the kind of place where you end up enjoying the baked goods along with your coffee, not just drinking a cup and leaving. There are non-coffee drinks like misugaru too, so there's no need to fuss over the menu when you're with older family members. Tucked into a neighborhood storefront between Yadang and Unjeong stations, it's a solid spot to sit quietly instead of heading to a busy, oversized café. Next time I'll pick up a matcha soboro and a canelé too and take home a whole box.