Daegu café with Dongchon Resort views and patbingsu: Hands Coffee

I was out for a walk at Dongchon Resort when it suddenly started raining, so I stopped by Hands Coffee Dongchon Resort Branch (핸즈커피 동촌유원지점). I visited with my baby, and it was a nice place to take a short break while looking outside through the large windows.

Where is this Daegu café, and are parking and visiting with a baby convenient?

The café is on a hill beside Haemaji Park in Dong-gu, Daegu. The posted hours at the time of my visit were 10:00–23:00, with no regular closing day. There were high chairs, but pets were not allowed inside.

The parking lot was spacious and shared with the restaurant on the first floor. There was no need to register my car separately.

In the four-story building, floors 2 through 4 were used by the café, and I ordered at the counter on the second floor. I was concerned about moving between floors with my baby, but the elevator made it easy. There were stairs as well.

What are the second-floor seats and ordering area like?

The second floor had both the ordering counter and seating for coffee. The antique atmosphere felt calm, and I could choose from several types of seats. It also looked like a pleasant place to drink coffee while looking out through the large windows.

What can you order besides coffee?

There was a wide range of drinks, including coffee, tea, and fresh fruit juice, as well as specialty hand-drip coffee. Dessert and meal options included bingsu (shaved ice dessert), brunch, waffles, and cookies, so it seemed like there were more choices than on my previous visit. We ordered an Americano, old-fashioned patbingsu (red bean shaved ice), and a soft jambon-beurre.

Which floor is best for resting with a Dongchon Resort view?

After ordering, I took the elevator and settled on the third floor. The wood-toned interior had sofas and regular chairs, and Dongchon Resort spread out clearly beyond the large windows. The rain outside added to the atmosphere. Since there was no ordering counter on that floor, fewer people came and went during my visit, so it felt calmer than the second floor.

I thought the fourth floor only had a rooftop, but on the way out I saw floor-seating tables and seats that looked good for groups. Since I was with my baby, I was disappointed that I had not known about the floor seating earlier; I think it would have been more comfortable for us to rest there. The view also felt more open from the higher floor, and I would like to try the rooftop when the weather is nice or the cherry blossoms are out.

It was also fun to look at the decor between the stairways. The restrooms were separated by floor: the men’s restroom was on the fourth floor, while the women’s restrooms were on the third and fourth floors.

How were the old-fashioned patbingsu and Americano?

While I waited on the third floor, our order came out. There was a pager, so I was about to go pick it up, but a staff member brought it to our table that day. I was grateful, wondering if they had been considerate because I was with my baby.

The old-fashioned patbingsu was generously topped with red beans, nuts, and soybean powder. With chewy rice cake added too, it had the familiar feel of old-style bingsu.

The sweetness of the red beans went well with the nutty nuts and soybean powder. Each ingredient had a different texture, which made every bite enjoyable, and I especially liked the addition of chewy rice cake.

The Americano was smooth rather than strongly acidic. Its clean finish suited my taste, and it also paired well with the sweet patbingsu.

How was the soft jambon-beurre I took home?

After the bingsu, I was too full, so I asked for the soft jambon-beurre to go. It was packed in a box, so I was able to bring it home safely.

When I ate it at home, the soft bread was generously filled with jambon and butter. The salty jambon went well with the rich, smooth flavor of the butter. I thought it would pair well with coffee too, so I was a little disappointed that I could not eat it at the café.

What stays with me from this visit is the time I spent resting on the third floor while looking at rainy Dongchon Resort. The parking lot and elevator also made getting around convenient. Next time, I would like to spend time in the fourth-floor floor-seating area that I discovered too late.