Gangneung café with kids: matcha latte and smoothies at Cafe Giwa

After lunch in Gangneung, I was wondering where to go next, and this time I headed to a café with a slightly special atmosphere. From the moment I arrived, it felt different from a typical café. The old hanok building had been preserved exactly as it was, and it looked so stylish that I was already getting excited before even walking in with the kids.

What makes Cafe Giwa's 130-year-old hanok special?

Cafe Giwa makes use of an old hanok, said to be 130 years old. The look of an old-style tiled-roof house has been kept intact, giving it a different feel from the newly built, prettily decorated hanok cafés you see these days. The building itself has such a strong atmosphere that it felt less like arriving at a café and more like visiting an old house at a folk village.

What I especially liked was the garden at the front of the café. Flowers were blooming beautifully, and I saw so many butterflies flitting around the garden. Since I visited with the kids, we ended up taking a full lap around the garden before even sitting down at the café.

Is parking easy at Cafe Giwa in Chodang-dong, Gangneung?

Parking was easy too. There's a separate open lot right in front of the café building, so we could park and walk straight in. Past the parking area, in the yard, there are also outdoor tables set up, which would be great for enjoying a cup of coffee while looking out at the garden on a nice day.

Inside Cafe Giwa: a hanok interior left intact

Walking inside, I really loved the interior atmosphere too. The hanok's wooden structure and flooring have been left intact, and old-fashioned frames, photos, and knick-knacks fill every corner.

It's quite different from the interiors you commonly see at cafés these days, so there was fun in just looking around. I especially liked the slight creak of the wooden floor as you walk — it actually suited the space well. It felt less like a newly built hanok and more like stepping into a genuinely old house. Maybe that's why I felt a little more relaxed just sitting there.

Cafe Giwa's signature drinks: matcha latte and fruit smoothies

Cafe Giwa has signature drinks that suit its hanok-café atmosphere well. You can also enjoy their own roasted coffee and hand-drip coffee.

• Pink Flower Latte
• Giwa Black Latte
• Mung Bean Flower Latte
• Giwa Drip Coffee

The Giwa Black Latte in particular is made with grain milk and espresso topped with black sesame cream, while the Pink Flower Latte blends strawberry milk with Dutch coffee.

A sweet, lazy Saturday afternoon at Cafe Giwa

Since we visited with the kids, we ordered blueberry and strawberry smoothies instead of coffee. Unlike other places, the fruit flavor came through strong, which I liked. The kids drank them easily and happily, and they were great for a cool drink after lunch. I ordered a matcha latte, which was neither too sweet nor too bitter, so I enjoyed it without any hesitation. Sipping my matcha latte slowly in the hanok atmosphere gave me a different kind of ease than what I usually feel at cafés.

Gateau chocolat for an afternoon sugar boost

Just drinks felt like not quite enough, so I ordered a slice of gateau chocolat too. It was a sweet chocolate cake, perfect for a sugar boost on a drowsy afternoon after lunch. Resting for a moment with a cup of coffee and cake while looking out at the hanok garden — that kind of pause in the middle of a trip was really nice. The mugwort injeolmi toast also looked delicious, and I definitely want to try it if I come back.

Is Cafe Giwa a good hanok café to visit with kids?

This visit to Cafe Giwa was a place where you can enjoy looking around the hanok building and garden. Being a 130-year-old hanok, the charm of an old tiled-roof house still remained, and with pretty flowers blooming and butterflies flying around the garden, it was great to slowly explore with the kids. Stepping inside, the antique props and old-feeling wooden floors create yet another atmosphere.

Looking for a different kind of café in Gangneung?

If you're looking for a café in Chodang-dong, Gangneung, this hanok café is worth a stop. Rather than the common large-scale cafés or the busy café street in Gangneung, if you want to relax in a slightly different atmosphere, an old hanok like this has quite a bit of appeal. Even visiting with kids, we got to look around the garden and enjoy tasty drinks and cake, making for a relaxing afternoon in Gangneung. Next time, I definitely want to come back to try the mugwort injeolmi toast I missed 😊

Business hours and menu items may change, so it's a good idea to check before visiting.