Gluten-free café in Seogwipo with Jeju lemon rice madeleine: Forest

Where is Forest Jeongbang, and what are its hours?

Here's a Seogwipo café recommendation with a Jeongbang Waterfall view — Forest Jeongbang. It's located at 9 Chilsimni-ro 214beon-gil, Seogwipo-si, Jeju, open daily 09:00-19:00 (last order 18:30), and has its own dedicated parking lot.

• Gluten-free menu available / takeout possible
• Suitable for groups / kids' seats available

I was looking for a café to rest at near Jeongbang Waterfall and ended up at Forest Jeongbang. It's right by the waterfall, so it's a good stop after sightseeing — and it's a Seogwipo café where you can see the ocean along with your coffee, so I'd recommend it.

First-floor counter and group tables at Forest Jeongbang

The exterior looked clean and fairly sizable. Once inside, there was a separate ordering area on the left side of the first floor — you order your drinks and desserts there, then sit wherever you like, either in the seating area on the right or upstairs, and staff bring everything to your table.

The seating area on the right is a comfortable spot to eat, and there was more group seating than I expected. There were several tables, so it seemed like a fine place to visit with family or a group of friends.

You could see the scenery outside clearly through the windows too, so it didn't feel stuffy at all sitting there.

Second-floor ocean-view seats and terrace

I went up to the second floor, and honestly, this was my favorite part!! ✨

It's an ocean-view café with a wide-open view of the sea toward Jeongbang Waterfall, so it was great to sip a drink while taking in the Jeju coastline. There was plenty of seating too, so it was easy to sit back and relax ~~~

There were seats on the terrace as well, but it was so hot the day I visited that I gave up on the terrace right away ...🥹 On a cooler day, sitting on the terrace with a breeze while looking at the ocean would probably be nice too.

What's on the menu: gluten-free rice desserts

The menu had a good variety of drinks — Jeongbang Waterfall latte, Udo peanut latte, fresh-pressed juices, and more — plus desserts like sandwiches, madeleines, and croffles, so it seemed fine to stop by for a light meal too.

While browsing the showcase, I also spotted some cake!! I thought it was just a regular cake, but it turned out to be a handmade gluten-free rice cake!!! I can't pass up a rice-based dessert ~~ so I picked one out of curiosity!!

How the Jeongbang Waterfall latte and rice desserts tasted

First, the Jeongbang Waterfall latte is full of Jeju vibes right from the name 🩵 The bottom is done in a deep blue sea color with coffee layered on top, so the visual was really pretty. In particular, the pistachio cream on top was smooth and nutty, tasting almost like pistachio ice cream — it was delicious 🤤 Not just a pretty menu item, but a tasty one too!

The Jeju lemon rice madeleine (제주 레몬 쌀마들렌) had a subtle, refreshing lemon aroma that went well with coffee. Being made with rice, it had a different feel from a regular madeleine.

The Valrhona chocolate rice cake had a rich chocolate flavor along with the soft texture unique to rice cake, making it a great dessert. If you like chocolate, you'll definitely love this one!! 🤎

Forest Jeongbang is also worth a look for anyone searching for a dog-friendly café in Seogwipo. Many people travel around Jeju with their dogs, so if you're looking for a dog-friendly Seogwipo café, I'd recommend checking the available spaces and specific policies before visiting.

Is Forest Jeongbang worth a stop near Jeongbang Waterfall?

If you're looking for a café to rest at near Jeongbang Waterfall, how about Forest Jeongbang ~~~ The ocean view from the second floor was especially nice for relaxing over a drink, and the plentiful group seating made it easy to visit with several people. If you're looking for a café near Jeongbang Waterfall, or want to enjoy dessert somewhere with a sea view, this could be a good addition to your Seogwipo café list!! Like I did on a hot day, cool off inside — or on a nice day, enjoy the Jeju ocean from the terrace :)