Uijeongbu bakery: blueberry Wakppu and 11-min parking, Byway Bakers

The crispy texture of the Wakppu salt bread is what won me over! I visited Byway Bakers (바이웨이 베이커스), a Uijeongbu bakery known for its financiers. It has several branches, and the one I went to is the Cheongsa Main Branch.

I'm usually a fan of bread and desserts. This time, instead of a regular salt bread, I wanted to try the Wakppu salt bread, which you get to crack apart yourself.

I picked up not just salt bread but also financiers (small buttery almond cakes) and a fig pistachio tart. Here's a rundown of how they tasted and felt to eat, the gift sets, and a parking tip worth knowing before you go.

Where is Byway Bakers Cheongsa Main Branch?

Byway Bakers Cheongsa Main Branch is a salt bread and financier bakery on the first floor of the Gyeongnam Building on Cheongsa-ro 5beon-gil in Uijeongbu. Since Byway Bakers has several branches, it's a good idea to check which one you're heading to.

I visited the main branch and took my bread to go. Maybe because it's a takeout-only shop, the drink prices weren't a burden either. An americano is ₩2,000!

I'd already finished my coffee for the day, so sadly I skipped it. With so many kinds of desserts, though, it looked like a good place to pair a drink with something sweet.

What does Byway Bakers' Wakppu salt bread taste like?

The item I was most excited about this visit was Byway Bakers' fresh blueberry yogurt Wakppu salt bread.

The Wakppu salt bread flavors left when I visited were Shine Muscat, fresh blueberry yogurt, and peach. Flavors seem to change with the season, so picking a new one each visit could be fun.

I went with the fresh blueberry yogurt one. Honestly, I really wanted to smash this salt bread myself, haha.

The packaging bag was pretty too, so I was excited before I even opened it at home. Breaking the salt bread by hand gave a satisfying crack, and I liked the sound so much I kept wanting to break more.

What to watch out for when cracking Wakppu salt bread

When I cracked the fresh blueberry yogurt Wakppu salt bread, white chocolate came tumbling down. I figured that in a warm place the floor could get quite messy. I ate it in slightly chilly weather, so cleaning up was relatively easy.

Inside were blueberries, white chocolate and blueberry jam, and best of all, the fresh blueberries were nice and big.

Are Byway Bakers' financiers and fig pistachio tart good too?

Byway Bakers' financiers were crisp outside and moist inside, and the caramel macadamia one suited my taste better.

Byway Bakers is also known as a financier hotspot, right? Leaving with only salt bread felt like a waste, so I picked two kinds of financiers and a fig pistachio tart too.

Salty financier vs caramel macadamia financier

The salty financier blends savory and sweet. If you like a hint of salt rather than a dessert that's only sweet, it's worth a look.

My personal favorite was the caramel macadamia financier. You can taste that nutty macadamia flavor, and it suited me better.

How to enjoy the fig pistachio tart

I was curious about the fig pistachio tart, so I bought it too. It's a tart-style dessert with fig on top and what looked like a pistachio-based sauce inside.

The way I enjoyed it most was eating the fig first, then the pistachio and tart together in one bite. The combination worked better together than separately. The flavor wasn't intense, just a mild, nutty taste.

What do Byway Bakers' gift sets look like?

Byway Bakers Cheongsa Main Branch also sold salt bread and financier gift sets. You can get several kinds of desserts in neat packaging, so they looked good for gifts.

For financiers you can choose a salty set or pick the kinds you want, which seems handy for matching the recipient's taste. If you want a light dessert gift, or something for a friend who loves bread, the sets are worth a look.

Note that the prices are what I saw when I visited, so they may change depending on when you buy.

Parking at Byway Bakers Cheongsa: is there a charge for a quick stop?

The Byway Bakers Cheongsa Main Branch building has a parking lot, but do check the grace period and parking registration. I stayed 11 minutes without registering and was charged ₩1,000.

Since the building has a lot, I assumed a quick stop would cost nothing, so I didn't ask for parking registration. The problem was the grace period. I figured about 10 minutes would be free, but my actual parking time was logged as 11 minutes, and I was charged ₩1,000. Haha. A one-minute difference cost me, which was a bit disappointing.

Even if you plan to grab bread and go like I did, check first whether parking registration is possible. Even a short stay can cost money depending on the exit record, so keep this in mind.

Who would I recommend this to?

• Anyone looking for a great salt bread spot in Uijeongbu
• Anyone curious about the taste and texture of Wakppu salt bread in Uijeongbu
• Anyone planning a visit to Byway Bakers Cheongsa Main Branch
• Anyone who wants to try different flavors at a Uijeongbu financier spot
• Anyone looking for salt bread or financier gift sets

What I picked at Byway Bakers

My picks at Byway Bakers Cheongsa Main Branch this time were the fresh blueberry yogurt Wakppu salt bread, the caramel macadamia financier, the salty financier, and the fig pistachio tart.

After trying all four, what stuck with me about the Wakppu salt bread was the fun of cracking it and the big fresh blueberries, and among the financiers, the nutty caramel macadamia suited me best.

For the fig pistachio tart, I liked eating the fig and pistachio together. If I go again, I definitely want to try the peach Wakppu salt bread I missed this time. And if flavors change with the season, I'm curious what else will be on offer next time.

When you eat salt bread, which do you prefer: the plain kind, or one filled with sweet cream or fruit?