Hongdae roastery café: Guatemala drip vs Chelbesa taster, Central Site

Today I visited Central Site Yeonnam (센트럴사이트 연남점), a Yeonnam-dong café that anyone who loves brewed coffee should try at least once. Central Site is a roastery café that serves a wide range of brewed coffees made from specialty beans it roasts itself. It's also famous for its classic tiramisu, a signature item, so I tried that too. The official website introduces the beans and brewed coffees as well, so it's worth a look before you go.

Central Site Yeonnam location, hours and parking

Central Site Yeonnam is at 29-1 Yeonhui-ro, Mapo-gu, Seoul, about a 6-minute walk from Exit 3 of Hongik Univ. Station. It's open 08:00–22:00 on weekdays and 08:30–22:00 on weekends.

• Address: 29-1 Yeonhui-ro, Mapo-gu, Seoul, Central Site Yeonnam
• Hours: weekdays 08:00–22:00 / weekends 08:30–22:00
• Other: takeout / delivery / Wi-Fi
• Parking: a private parking lot 1–2 minutes away

Central Site Yeonnam's ground-floor brewing bar and choosing your beans

The first floor is a roastery space with a brewing bar, the second floor has comfortable seating, and the third floor is a rooftop, so you can pick the mood you want. Walk along the main street of Yeonnam-dong and you can't miss the black exterior.

I started by browsing the beans on the first floor. They sell many kinds of beans and drip bags too.

Central Site had far more kinds of brewed coffee than an ordinary café.

Several specialty beans, including Geisha, were on offer, and each had a detailed flavor description, which made choosing easy.

The barista explained things kindly too, so even someone who knows little about coffee could choose without pressure.

Brewing starts right after you order. You can watch the water being poured slowly over the dripper right in front of you, so the wait was fun.

The aroma rising as the coffee brewed was really lovely too.

What is the atmosphere on each floor of Central Site Yeonnam?

Then I looked around each floor. The first floor is built around a bar table, so you can watch the barista brew up close, and the beans and drip bags on display are fun to browse.

The second floor is relatively quiet, good for conversation, and from the window seats you can look down on the street of Yeonnam-dong, so it's a relaxing place to spend time.

The third floor also runs a rooftop, so on a nice day it would be great to have your coffee up there.

What I ordered: Guatemala Entre Volcanes washed and classic tiramisu

At Central Site Yeonnam I ordered a classic tiramisu (₩8,500) and the Guatemala Entre Volcanes washed (₩8,000).

For brewed coffee, I ordered two cups of the Guatemala Entre Volcanes washed.

A staff member brought the drinks and dessert to our table, and they had also prepared a small tasting of the Ethiopia Nordic Approach Yirgacheffe Chelbesa washed, so we could try that as well.

How does Guatemala Entre Volcanes washed taste? More nutty than sour

The Guatemala Entre Volcanes washed I ordered is a bean with hazelnut, butterscotch and milk chocolate notes.

When I actually drank it, the first impression was soft and nutty rather than sharply sour, and a gentle sweetness lingered toward the end, so it was easy to drink. If you prefer balanced coffee to strongly acidic coffee, I think you'd be happy with it.

Comparing it with the Yirgacheffe Chelbesa washed sample

The Ethiopia Nordic Approach Yirgacheffe Chelbesa washed sample was impressive too. It has bright aromas like jasmine, white peach and orange, so it felt quite different from the Guatemala. There wasn't much of it, but I liked being able to compare the two beans.

Central Site's classic tiramisu: does it go well with coffee?

The classic tiramisu I ordered with the coffee was satisfying too.

It was topped generously with cocoa powder and chocolate, and inside, moist coffee-soaked layers alternated with soft mascarpone cream. The cream was smooth but not very sweet, and the well-soaked sheets gave it a rich coffee flavor.

Eaten with the brewed coffee, the sweetness and coffee aroma blended naturally, a good pairing.

Verdict: a Yeonnam-dong café worth visiting if you love brewed coffee

Central Site Yeonnam is a Yeonnam-dong café worth visiting at least once if you love brewed coffee. I was impressed that you can choose from many specialty beans yourself and taste brewed coffee made right after you order. The classic tiramisu I ordered went well with the coffee, too. If you want to enjoy coffee in a quiet atmosphere, or you're looking for a Hongdae café or a Yeonnam-dong dessert spot, it's worth a visit.