Pair of Cups · 62 stories

Two Cups in Jangwi

Notes on small restaurants and cafes around Seoul, jotted down after each visit. · Writes about: Cafés · Restaurants · Bars

PlaceSeocho, SeoulCafés

Yangjae café worth a 15-min wait: mocha & levain cookie, Mini Male

Mini Male Coffee Roasters Yangjae Main Branch (미니말레 커피뢰스터 양재본점) is the first Mini Male café, near Yangjaesiminuisup Station in Seocho, Seoul, serving coffee alongside handmade desserts. After a weekend lunch and a walk along Yangjaecheon Stream, the writer waited about 15 minutes, then ordered an iced Helsinki latte (5,400 won), a café mocha (5,600 won), two financiers and the Original Levain Cookie (4,500 won), calling the Helsinki latte a 'latte of a lifetime' and the levain cookie 'ultra awesome'. Mini Male Yangjae is a great coffee-and-cookie stop to pair with a Yangjaecheon walk.

Written Nov 15, 2026Sponsored
PlaceYongsan, SeoulRestaurants

Yongridan-gil craft burger outing: Dumb Burger set + BLT, Deombeogeo

Deombeogeo Yongsan (덤버거 용산점) is a chain craft burger shop in the middle of Yongridan-gil in Yongsan, Seoul. On a Yongridan-gil outing, the writer ordered the signature Dumb Burger set (18,900 won) and added a B.L.T. Chicken Burger (10,800 won), and both the 200g patty and the crispy whole-thigh chicken were satisfying. Deombeogeo Yongsan is the kind of Yongridan-gil burger shop where you end up eating a whole burger even when you're not hungry.

Written Nov 12, 2026Sponsored
PlaceDongjak, SeoulRestaurants

Noryangjin ramen shop off-peak: ₩1,000 mini beer, futomaki at Chome

Chome is a Japanese ramen restaurant near Noryangjin Station in Dongjak, Seoul. Visiting at a quiet hour between mealtimes, we tried Chome's cho ramen, mazesoba (soupless ramen), salmon futomaki (thick sushi roll), gyoza, karaage and a ₩1,000 mini beer, and even a friend who doesn't eat salmon said Chome's futomaki was delicious. Verdict: Chome is a great-value Japanese spot in Noryangjin, with a Japanese ramen-shop interior, unlimited noodles and rice, and friendly prices.

Written May 2, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJongno, SeoulCafés

Jongno 3-ga bakery after Seosunra-gil: peanut & mugwort buns, Munhwa

Munhwa Bakery (문화제빵) is a takeout-only bakery on Donhwamun-ro in Jongno, Seoul, near Ikseon-dong and Seosunra-gil. After walking Seosunra-gil, the writer picked up a peanut bun (₩3,800), a milk cream bun (₩3,500) and a mugwort rice cake bun (₩5,700) and shared them with family at home after dinner. The nutty, mild peanut bun and the chewy, mugwort-scented rice cake bun made Munhwa Bakery especially worth the stop.

Written Nov 9, 2026Sponsored
PlaceYeongdeungpo, SeoulRestaurants

Yeouido burger pub for Bass Lager and chili mozzarella: Bass Burger

Bass Burger Yeouido is a made-to-order burger pub on basement level 1 of the Yulchon Building, across from IFC Mall and The Hyundai Seoul in Yeouido, Seoul. On a hot day the writer came in craving draft beer and ordered a Bass Lager with chili mozzarella (3,700 won), a companion had the Original Bass Burger set, and a receipt-review event added mozzarella chicken bites (7,200 won for 2 pieces). Bass Burger Yeouido works well as a daytime beer stop: one burger set and one cold glass of beer.

Written May 6, 2026Sponsored
PlaceCheonan, ChungnamCafés

Cheonan roastery café: big latte and financier at Black Hood Coffee

Black Hood Coffee is a small café in Sinbu-dong, Cheonan, that roasts its own beans, located in the food alley across from Shinsegae. After lunch at Shinsegae, the writer tried a hot Americano, a café latte, a financier and a lemon madeleine, and preferred Black Hood Coffee's café latte, with its deep nutty flavor and full body, to the Americano. With minimal décor and a friendly owner, Black Hood Coffee is a Sinbu-dong café worth revisiting for the coffee alone.

Written May 12, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangnam, SeoulRestaurants

Post-checkup tonkatsu with Mom in Irwon-dong: loin katsu sets, Sioldon

Sioldon Irwon Branch (시올돈 일원점) is a 72-hour aged pork tonkatsu restaurant at the entrance of the Irwon-dong food alley, across the street from Samsung Seoul Hospital in Gangnam, Seoul. After a health checkup, the writer and her mom ordered the premium pork loin katsu set (₩14,900) and the pork loin katsu set (₩12,900) with a mini yubu udon (fried tofu udon, +₩3,000), and her mom, who doesn't usually enjoy tonkatsu, finished her whole plate. Thanks to odor-free aged pork and rice milled the same day, Sioldon Irwon Branch is a tonkatsu spot near the hospital that's easy to recommend for picky parents.

Written Nov 6, 2026Sponsored
PlaceYongsan, SeoulCafés

Itaewon vegan café date: nutty pistachio bingsu at Bbangeoniseuta

Bbangeoniseuta (빵어니스타, Pan Honesta) is a vegan café in an alley across from the Hamilton Hotel at Itaewon Station in Yongsan, Seoul, baking breads and desserts with rice flour and coconut sugar instead of wheat flour, sugar or eggs. On a public holiday date, the writer and a partner shared Bbangeoniseuta's pistachio bingsu (shaved ice) for 19,000 won, made with soy milk ice topped with a pistachio base and pistachio spread. Not too sweet and richly nutty, it is the best bingsu the writer has ever eaten.

Written Jun 3, 2026Sponsored
PlaceYongsan, SeoulRestaurants

Hannam burger joint after break time: first in at 5 pm, Downtown

Downtown Burger Hannam is a handmade burger restaurant on Daesagwan-ro 5-gil in Hannam-dong, Yongsan, Seoul. The blogger arrived during the 2:30–5 pm break time, left, then lined up first from 4:50 pm to order a Double Cheese Truffle burger (₩12,400) and a Downtowner Double set. With fair prices for handmade burgers, juicy patties and fries crisp outside and fluffy inside, Downtown Burger Hannam is a satisfying burger spot in Hannam-dong.

Written Jun 4, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJung-gu, SeoulRestaurants

Myeongdong Korean BBQ after Japan: yukgyeopsal & salad, Yuktongnyeong

Yuktongnyeong Myeongdong Main Branch is a Korean BBQ restaurant on Myeongdong 8na-gil in Seoul specializing in aged pork belly, ogyeopsal (skin-on pork belly) and yukgyeopsal. Back from Japan and craving pork belly, the writer went for lunch, waited about 15 minutes on Catchtable and ordered 2 servings of omija-aged black pork yukgyeopsal with tojok doenjang stew (country-style soybean paste stew). Thick yukgyeopsal grilled by staff, a tangy salad and a meat-based doenjang stew made Yuktongnyeong a satisfying Myeongdong lunch.

Written Oct 26, 2026Sponsored
PlaceYangcheon, SeoulCafés

Flagship egg tart bakery in Mokdong with salt bread: Yours Bake Shop

Yours Bake Shop Mokdong Main Branch is the flagship Belem egg tart bakery in the Hibellas building in Mokdong, Yangcheon-gu, Seoul. After tasting the egg tarts at a Hyundai Department Store pop-up, the writer visited Yours Bake Shop Mokdong Main Branch and took away Belem egg tarts (3,500 won), salt bread, scones and an iced Americano. With large, fully filled egg tarts and salt bread that is crisp outside and soft inside, Yours Bake Shop is a bakery the writer plans to become a regular at.

Written Jun 6, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangnam, SeoulCafés

Garosu-gil café: cappuccino & levain cookie at Butter & Shelter

Butter & Shelter Gangnam-Sinsa is a baked-dessert café on Garosu-gil in Gangnam, Seoul, focused on butter sands and levain cookies. After lunch, the writer had an extra-shot cappuccino, original and crème brûlée butter sands and an original levain cookie in the café, then took Dubai chewy cookies and butter rice cake to go (deal price ₩2,900). The coffee is rich and nutty too, making Butter & Shelter a good Garosu-gil café for enjoying dessert and coffee together.

Written Jun 7, 2026Sponsored