Gangneung hanok café with a neon photo zone and lemon tea: Cafe Giwa

What kind of café is Cafe Giwa in Chodang-dong, Gangneung?

Cafe Giwa, Chodang-dong

After sightseeing at Gyeongpodae and Gangmun Beach in Gangneung and eating at Chodang Sundubu Village, I stopped by this hanok café in Chodang-dong called Cafe Giwa. It's a large hanok café with full parking — the exterior is an elegant, quietly dignified hanok, but the inside is decorated in a hip, relaxed style. It's a great-vibe café, with every corner styled differently, perfect for photos!

They have signature black sesame latte, strawberry milk latte, mung bean latte, and plenty of other handmade drinks to pair with cake for a sugar boost. Even though it's tucked in a narrow alley, the parking lot is spacious and relaxed, making it a good spot for group gatherings in Chodang-dong. I'll give you a thorough review of the drink menu, dessert lineup and the café's atmosphere. Let's go~

Cafe Giwa location, opening hours and pet policy

• Hours: 10:00 AM–9:00 PM
• Last order: 8:30 PM
• Closed every Wednesday
• Pet-friendly, private parking lot

This pet-friendly hanok café in Chodang-dong sits in a quiet residential block below Chodang Sundubu Village, in front of Gangneung High School. If you want a calmer, more relaxed café away from the crowds right next to the busy sundubu village, I recommend this quiet Chodang-dong spot! Over the wall you can spot a hanok café that looks like a palace — the serene atmosphere is honestly insane..🥹

The tiled-roof hanok building is huge, with a central garden out front and terrace seating around it, so there's a lot to look at. The central garden also has pretty flowers planted, making it a Chodang-dong café your parents would love too.

Is parking easy at Cafe Giwa?

A lot of people traveling around Gangneung will be driving, and right behind Cafe Giwa there's a private parking lot, spacious enough to park comfortably. The lot is as big as the café itself, so I parked with ease even on a busy weekend.

Inside Cafe Giwa: hanok rooms, bar table and the neon sign photo zone

While the exterior carries the understated grace of a traditional Korean hanok, the interior is decorated in an antique style. It feels like a modern, trendy reinterpretation of a hanok space.

Soft indirect lighting and various coffee pots give it an exotic feel.

Toward the back there's a group room separated from the main hall, a bar table facing the central garden, and more — great whether you're visiting with a group or traveling alone in Gangneung, this Chodang-dong café is a good place to rest anytime. Every single table has a different, pretty look.🥹

With flashy lamps and neon signs, corners of the café are photo zones everywhere..🥰 I got plenty of pretty shots.

Cafe Giwa drink menu and signature lattes

This Chodang-dong hanok café sells signature drinks like the Giwa Black Latte, Mung Bean Flower Latte and Pink Flower Latte. Besides the signature lattes, Cafe Giwa is also a Gangneung drip-coffee specialist, so you can try drip coffee brewed in-house along with their own Giwa and Chodang Flower coffee blends. Summer seasonal menu items like Black Sesame Patbingsu and Bean Powder Patbingsu are on offer too. I ordered one of the signature lattes and the handmade lemon tea.

Cafe Giwa dessert lineup and prices

Here are the sweet desserts to pair with the drinks. The cake slices aren't made in-house — they're brought in from a bakery run by a well-known pâtissier in Gangnam, apparently.

• Gateau Chocolat ₩7,500
• Mugwort Injeolmi Gateau ₩7,500
• Green Tea Triangle ₩7,500
• Pure Milk Roll Cake ₩7,500
• Tiramisu Roll Cake ₩7,500

When cake feels like too much, they also sell two relatively simple handmade cookies. Double Choco Cookie ₩3,000, Cinnamon Peanut Cookie ₩3,000.

When the buzzer went off, I picked up today's dessert spread! It matches the upscale café interior so well.🥹 Let's go through them one by one!

What the Giwa black latte tastes like

The Giwa Black Latte is made with nutty grain milk, robust espresso, and Cafe Giwa's signature black sesame cream. The odd color that comes from mixing espresso with grain milk really suits the serene café atmosphere. And the most important part — the taste — is exactly what Koreans love: nutty, sweet, fragrant, not overly sweet, a delicious black sesame latte!

Compared to a typical black sesame latte, the natural nuttiness of real black sesame comes through more strongly here — maybe because of the grain milk, the latte feels even nuttier and smoother. The espresso blends well into the black sesame too, so even people who dislike bitter coffee can enjoy it, since the black sesame's nutty flavor covers the bitterness rather than sweetness just masking it. I'd recommend this signature Giwa Black Latte even without dessert — it's delicious on its own!

What the handmade lemon tea tastes like

The handmade lemon tea is also not too sweet, which makes it delicious. On top of the tangy-sweet lemon flavor itself, you get a subtle, natural lemon aroma. Made with homemade lemon syrup, it's also nice that it has actual fresh lemon pieces in it.👍

What the pure milk roll cake tastes like

The "Pure Milk" Roll Cake tasted exactly like what its name promises. A moist, soft castella roll, packed inside and out with pure white milk cream.

It's not whipped cream but real milk cream! Instead of whipped cream's typical rich nuttiness, this cream leans more toward a fresh, light milk flavor that melts smoothly. When it melts in your mouth it doesn't leave a slick residue — it literally disappears cleanly, so I ended up inhaling it.

It's not too sweet, so you can also taste the castella's nuttiness, giving it the feel of a premium roll cake dessert.

Is Cafe Giwa worth a stop in Gangneung?

I had a happy tea time with tasty drinks and desserts plus a beautiful café atmosphere, so I'd recommend this Chodang-dong café in Gangneung, Cafe Giwa! Of course the drinks and desserts are delicious, but the exterior and interior atmosphere are on another level..🥹 I also liked that it's less known than the hotspot cafés in Chodang Sundubu Village, so it's less crowded and quieter. If you're visiting Gangneung and thinking, "I want somewhere quiet instead of crowded and hectic now," I recommend this quiet, beautifully styled hanok café in Chodang-dong, Gangneung — Cafe Giwa~