Sokcho café 3rd-floor window seat for Neorae Pudding: Cafe Neorae

I had something to pick up at Sokcho's Jungang Market, and I always pass through Misiryeong Tunnel getting from Inje to Sokcho. Today Ulsanbawi Rock looked so clear that I couldn't just drive past it. So I stopped by Cafe Neorae, a Seoraksan café where you can take in the full Ulsanbawi view. I hadn't planned on going there at all, but sitting down for a bit at a café on a day this nice is my little happiness.

Picking bread on the 2nd floor first

When you walk in, you order on the 2nd floor first. There were more kinds of bread than I expected, so I took my time browsing the display.

Everything was laid out so neatly it was easy to pick one by one.. this time I went with mont blanc and soboro chestnut bread.

Wood tones, rattan, and a calm café mood

After picking the bread and finishing the order, I finally got to look around properly — the calm atmosphere here never gets old. The green scenery through the windows and the rattan chairs and wood-tone interior blend together so naturally that even a short stay feels settling. The weather was especially good that day, so the view outside looked even prettier.

The greenery-filled plant styling is so pretty too — a Seoraksan café that never disappoints, no matter when I come.

The 3rd-floor window wall with Ulsanbawi Rock straight ahead

Our seats were on the 3rd floor, where Ulsanbawi is best seen, so we headed up — and honestly, even the stairs on the way up have a nice feel to them, don't they?

The moment I stepped onto the 3rd floor, the view through the huge window wall was so good. "Ah.. glad I came" was exactly what I thought. Especially on a clear day, the Seoraksan ridgeline spreads out wide through the window, perfect for sipping coffee and zoning out. It being a weekday, there weren't many people, and once you sit down, Ulsanbawi comes straight into view — it's far more striking in person than in photos.

A hanok view from the opposite window

And when you turn to the opposite window, a hanok (traditional Korean house) village view opens up instead. The window facing Ulsanbawi is striking, but the mood on this side is completely different. Green trees mixed in among the quiet hanok rooftops make it feel like you're looking at an old village exactly as it is. Add the rattan chairs by the window and it all suits the café's mood perfectly — there's something fun to look at outside no matter where you sit.

Since Ulsanbawi was so clearly visible today, I settled into a seat where it was fully in view. Rattan chairs, that green atmosphere — the inside of the café has plenty of wood-tone and rattan seating, so overall it feels warm and comfortable. Sunlight pours in through the big windows and there are plants everywhere, which is why this Seoraksan café in Sokcho is one I keep coming back to, even alone.

Neorae Pudding: banana pudding topped with chocolate chip cookies

This is the Neorae Pudding I ordered instead of coffee that day. Sweet, soft homemade banana pudding sprinkled with chocolate chip cookie topping — it's really delicious. I hadn't planned on coming here so I'd already been sipping a takeout coffee on the way, so I went with the sweet pudding this time, and it was a great call.

So soft it basically disappeared in seconds!!

Eating this with that view in front of me, how could it not taste amazing? If you're looking for an Ulsanbawi-view café in Sokcho, this is a genuinely great value spot you won't regret.

The pudding really did vanish fast.. was the portion small? Or was it just my appetite? Right about the moment I was wondering that..

Mont blanc and soboro chestnut bread

It's fine. I still had bread left. The mont blanc is round with a dusting of powdered sugar on top — isn't it almost too pretty to photograph? It suddenly made me think of Siwoo and I couldn't quite bring myself to eat it.. And then the soboro chestnut bread. The name alone is exactly the combination I love, so I picked it right away — and there's a generous amount of soboro (crumble topping) piled on top.

Crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, and really tasty. I hadn't eaten breakfast, so the soboro chestnut bread tasted even better.

If you love bread, it's worth browsing slowly on the 2nd floor and picking your own. The weather was so nice today that I stopped by completely on a whim, but once I sat down on the 3rd floor looking at Ulsanbawi, I felt oddly relaxed. With delicious desserts in front of me too, that's a small but big joy for me. If you're looking for a Seoraksan café in Sokcho, I'd say visiting Cafe Neorae, a Sokcho café with Ulsanbawi views, is a no-brainer recommendation.