Window Mug Regular · 13 stories

A Window Mug in Mangwon

Writes about neighbourhood cafes around Seoul, one cup at a time. · Writes about: Cafés · Restaurants

PlaceGangnam, SeoulCafés

Gangnam Station patio café, banana cream tart: Upper and Under

Upper and Under is a bakery café that occupies an entire three-story building on Gangnam-daero 102-gil, near Gangnam Station and Sinnonhyeon Station in Seoul. The writer, who lives in Gyeonggi Province, stopped by with a friend after a meal and had a salted caramel drink, an iced milk tea, lemon cake and a banana cream chocolate tart at the 2nd-floor outdoor tables. Verdict: Upper and Under is a good Gangnam Station café for cream-topped drinks and photogenic desserts enjoyed outdoors.

Written Jun 18, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangnam, SeoulCafés

Sinnonhyeon café after samgyetang, corn scone: Something About Coffee

Something About Coffee (썸띵어바웃커피) is a three-floor dessert café on Gangnam-daero 102-gil in Gangnam, Seoul, on the hillside street between Sinnonhyeon Station and Gangnam Station. Arriving full from a samgyetang (ginseng chicken soup) lunch, the writer shared a Chodang sweet corn cream cheese scone, a Yangzhi Ganlu (mango pomelo) cheesecake, a matcha cold brew and a grapefruit ade in the antique-style seating on the 3rd floor. Despite a full stomach, all four items at Something About Coffee were finished to the last bite, and every pick was a hit.

Written Jun 17, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSeongdong, SeoulRestaurants

Seoulsup Italian brunch date, first guest at opening: Billadeubeulleu

Billadeubeulleu Seongsu (빌라드블루 성수) is an Italian brunch and casual dining restaurant near Seoulsup Station in Seongdong, Seoul, themed on Italy's Amalfi coast. The writer walked in as the first guest at the 11:00 weekend opening, ordered aligot cheese lasagna and polpo mambo (octopus) by QR code, and planned a dinner return after spotting a butter-sizzling T-bone steak at the next table. Billadeubeulleu Seongsu is a recommended Seoulsup date spot for anyone who wants an exotic atmosphere and a cheese-waterfall lasagna together.

Written Jun 20, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSeongdong, SeoulCafés

Seoulsup café with easy-to-miss 2F entrance: strawberry soufflé, 5to7

5to7 Seongsu Main Branch (5to7 성수본점) is a café between Seoulsup and Ttukseom Station in Seongdong, Seoul, known for drip coffee and soufflés. From 6 soufflé options, the writer chose the fresh strawberry soufflé with a Dutch americano and a passion fruit ade, then waited about 10 minutes in the spacious, wood-toned café. Topped with whipped cream, fresh strawberries and fresh blueberries, the 5to7 soufflé looks as good as it tastes and is worth a coffee-and-dessert stop.

Written Jun 22, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSeongdong, SeoulCafés

After-lunch Ttukseom café: 4 soft serves & layered mango, Mellows

Mellows is an ice cream café near Ttukseom Station in Seongdong, Seoul, that serves Sangha Farm (상하목장) milk soft serve with toppings such as mango, strawberry, peach and matcha. On a hot day, two friends skipped coffee after lunch and ordered all four of those toppings, two each, and the mango cup, with fresh mango layered at the bottom and on top, was the favorite. Because the same milk ice cream tastes different with each topping, Mellows is a dessert stop near Ttukseom Station worth recommending.

Written Jun 22, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangnam, SeoulCafés

Gangnam Station café with color-coded tiramisu gifts: Selected Nicks

Selected Nicks is a five-floor café and tiramisu specialist about a 5-minute walk from Gangnam Station in Seoul. The writer browsed Selected Nicks' tiramisu, packaged in a different color for each flavor, along with financiers, salt bread and candy, then had a choco banana tiramisu and an Americano on the 3rd floor while a companion drank a yuja (Korean citron) vitamin drink. Verdict: Selected Nicks is a Gangnam Station café where finding a seat is no worry and picking out dessert gifts is easy.

Written Jun 29, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangnam, SeoulRestaurants

Gangnam Station pasta lunch at opening time, squeaky bunny toy: Brivit

Brivit Gangnam Station is a European-style pasta and Western restaurant on Gangnam-daero 102-gil near Gangnam Station in Seoul. The writer arrived for the 11:30 opening and had mushroom soup with Yorkshire pudding, bunny pasta topped with a mozzarella rabbit, and the signature scallion cream corn gnocchi. Brivit Gangnam Station suits anyone looking for an atmospheric pasta lunch or a date near Gangnam Station.

Written Jun 29, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangnam, SeoulCafés

Sinnonhyeon bakery café after a meal: London Fog sand, Bakerist Brown

Bakerist Brown is a large bakery café in a red brick building near Sinnonhyeon Station in Gangnam, Seoul, spread from the basement to the 3rd floor. After a meal with a friend, the writer stopped by for round two and tried salt cream coffee, grapefruit ade and 6 Gangnam Sand cookies, one of each kind. The favorite was the London Fog, an Earl Grey and white chocolate pairing, and Bakerist Brown is recommended for anyone looking for a bakery café with great desserts near Sinnonhyeon Station.

Written Jun 28, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangnam, SeoulRestaurants

Gangnam Station ramen shop: 11am opening queue and tori paitan, Oreno

Oreno Ramen Gangnam is a chicken-broth ramen shop on the 2nd floor of a building on Teheran-ro 1-gil near Gangnam Station, Seoul. The writer joined the line before the 11am opening, ate the tori paitan, tasted a friend's spicy kara paitan, and added tsukune chashu, a soft-boiled egg and rice in the leftover broth. With free refills of noodles, broth and rice plus bar seating, Oreno Ramen Gangnam is a solid pick for eating alone near Gangnam Station.

Written Jun 27, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSeocho, SeoulCafés

Sinnonhyeon café: grapefruit honey black tea and patbingsu, Cafe Ssum

Cafe Ssum (카페썸) is a small café and dessert shop in an alley near Sinnonhyeon Station in Seocho, Seoul. After a weekday lunch, the writer skipped coffee for a grapefruit honey black tea and a peach iced tea, then shared patbingsu (red bean shaved ice) topped with milk ice, red bean, condensed milk and roasted soybean powder, with extra condensed milk poured on top. Cafe Ssum's patbingsu is a simple summer dessert that never gets boring.

Written Jun 28, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSeongnam, GyeonggiRestaurants

Migeum chicken hot pot, hidden induction and free parking: Sugyeokok

Sugyeokok Bundang Migeum (수계옥 미금본점) is a dak hanmari (whole chicken hot pot) restaurant a 5-minute walk from Exit 4 of Migeum Station in Bundang, Seongnam. Two friends shared chicken neck scorched rice porridge, dak hanmari and kalguksu (knife-cut noodles), and because staff set the heat and timer on the induction hidden in the table, they could focus on conversation. With free parking in the building, Sugyeokok Bundang Migeum is an easy dak hanmari stop near Migeum Station, even by car.

Written Jul 23, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSeocho, SeoulRestaurants

Chicken noodle shop in Gangnam for a high-protein lunch: Yujinok

Yujinok Gangnam (유진옥 강남점) is a chicken noodle restaurant on Gangnam-daero in Seocho, Seoul, that moved from the City Hall area and opens only for weekday lunch. The reviewer tried the perilla oil chicken noodles, the stir-fried chicken noodles with rice swapped in for the noodles, and a side of tangpadak (sweet-and-sour chicken), and found the chicken portions generous enough for a protein-focused diet. With its fast service, Yujinok Gangnam is an especially good pick for office workers short on lunch time.

Written Jul 29, 2026Sponsored