Hanok café in Gwangju for black sesame cream lattes: Hoyang Horim

A hanok café tucked into a Yangnim-dong alley

I came across Hoyang Horim (호양호림) while looking for a café with a lovely atmosphere in Yangnim-dong, Gwangju 🤎 It is a hanok café tucked into a quiet alley, so the mood was already so nice before I even stepped inside.

It was especially the kind of place to visit when you want to relax over dessert in a pretty space like this. The calm character of the hanok and the café’s own vibe blended so well, and it was great for photos too.

Hoyang Horim is in a quiet alley, and the hanok feeling came through properly from the exterior alone. Being just a little removed from the busy main road made it feel even more relaxing, I think.

There were tables outside too, and I would have loved to sit outdoors if the weather had been cooler. It was still hot during the day, though, so sadly I gave up on an outdoor seat. Once it gets a little cooler, having a coffee outside would be lovely!!

A quiet interior that preserves the hanok layout

Once inside, there were more tables than I expected. The space had been arranged as a café while retaining the structure and atmosphere of the hanok, making it easy to settle in comfortably, and it felt quiet and calm overall. With all the wood tones and greenery, it felt even warmer and fresher somehow ..🍃 It was just completely my style, honestly.

That is why I think it would suit anyone looking for the atmosphere of a hanok café in Gwangju’s Yangnim-dong. Rather than feeling like one of the many cafés around these days, it had the special character that comes from the hanok space itself, so it stayed with me even more!

Traditional desserts that pair beautifully with coffee

And desserts are something you cannot leave out at Hoyang Horim! They have a range ready to enjoy, from Gaeseong juak, a traditional fried rice-cake snack glazed in syrup, to candied walnuts and cheesecake.

They were also selling their house-roasted coffee beans in one corner.

What I ordered

First, the black sesame cream latte is Hoyang Horim’s signature cream latte, combining a cream made with nutty 100% black sesame and fragrant house-roasted coffee 🤎 The distinctive nuttiness of black sesame went so well with the coffee, so I think it would be right up your alley if you already love black sesame. Tasting it with the cream brought a sweet, nutty flavor that paired nicely with dessert.

The vanilla bean cream latte lets you enjoy the sweet, smooth flavor of vanilla bean alongside coffee. Its gentle sweetness made it easy to drink without feeling too heavy. Since the cream is sweet, it balances the coffee beans’ bitterness well, making for a smooth sip.

I was curious about the mugwort injeolmi waffle too, so I ordered it. The fragrant mugwort paired with the nutty flavor of injeolmi, chewy rice cake, and it went well with coffee. It had both a chewy texture and that distinctive waffle texture, so it made a great dessert. It also came generously topped with vanilla ice cream, which went so well with the chewy injeolmi.

And then, Gaeseong juak! Gaeseong juak is a traditional snack made by mixing glutinous rice flour and wheat flour with makgeolli, a Korean rice wine, into a thick dough, shaping it, frying it in oil, and coating it in syrup. It came with candied walnuts too, so I could enjoy it sweet and nutty.

The traditional desserts and hanok setting suited each other so well that I feel like I got to properly experience the atmosphere of a hanok café in Gwangju’s Yangnim-dong. If you would like coffee and dessert together, Hoyang Horim would be a nice place to look up for a café with a lovely hanok atmosphere in Yangnim-dong, Gwangju. It was a café made for spending unhurried time in a hanok tucked inside a quiet alley :)