Cafe Transfer Rider · 157 stories

Cafés Between Stops

I write about cafés I visit around Seoul. · Writes about: Cafés · Restaurants · Hair & beauty salons · Shopping · Things to do

PlaceSeongdong, SeoulCafés

Spring Seoulsup café with my sister: 3 pm wait & madeleines, Notldun

Notldun is a dessert café known for madeleines and handmade cakes on Seoulsup 2-gil in Seongdong, Seoul, about 605m from Ttukseom Station Exit 8. During a spring outing to Seoulsup with her sister, the writer stopped at Notldun around 3 pm, waited briefly, had an iced Americano and a madeleine, and took four kinds of madeleines home for her daughter. Many desserts at Notldun sell out by the afternoon, so go early if you plan to visit on a Seoulsup walk.

Written Apr 23, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSeongdong, SeoulHair & beauty salons

Sindang hair salon keratin clinic a week after a perm: Salon de L

Salon de L is a hair salon in Seongdong, Seoul, on the 2nd floor of Tenzhill Mall on Majang-ro, where one designer handles each client from start to finish. One week after a setting perm, the writer walked over from Sindang Station on Line 2 and had the Tricyscore 3-step hair clinic, which took about 1 hour 30 minutes and came with lemon tea, cookies and a scalp acupressure massage. Salon de L is worth going back to for a careful, friendly hair clinic when perm damage is a worry.

Written Apr 27, 2026Sponsored
PlaceNamyangju, GyeonggiRestaurants

Jinjeop BBQ: frozen pork belly and roe rice balls, Dwaeji Ohyeongje

Dwaeji Ohyeongje Namyangju Jinjeop Branch is a large pork belly Korean BBQ restaurant on the national road near Gwangneung-nae in Jinjeop-eup, Namyangju, with a 1st-floor kids' playroom, a 2nd-floor trampoline lounge and a 70-car parking lot. On a weekend lunch, the blogger and her husband shared 3 servings of frozen pork belly (₩15,000 per 180g) and DIY flying fish roe rice balls, and liked the thin, odor-free slices grilled with kimchi and the clean self-serve bar. Dwaeji Ohyeongje Jinjeop is a good fit for family gatherings with kids or group dinners.

Written Apr 26, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJung-gu, SeoulRestaurants

Cheonggyecheon snack bar: autumn outing at outdoor seats

Hyeonseoni-ne Cheonggye Instant Branch is an old-school bunsik (Korean snack food) shop inside a clear vinyl tent near Euljiro 1(il)-ga Station Exit 3 in Jung-gu, Seoul. After errands in Jongno and an autumn walk along Cheonggyecheon with her older girlfriends, the writer sat in the pojangmacha-style outdoor seats at Hyeonseoni-ne and ordered the 25,000 won Hyeonseoni Combo (tteokbokki, sundae, fried snacks, gimbap and fish cake) at medium spice. Thanks to wheat-flour tteokbokki that tasted like her school days and sundae served with plenty of liver and lung, the writer says she will 100% return to Hyeonseoni-ne.

Written Nov 12, 2026Sponsored
PlaceNamyangju, GyeonggiRestaurants

Half kimchi, half meat dumpling hot pot brunch in Byeollae: Onjeongban

Onjeongban Shabu Kalguksu Namyangju Byeollae Main Branch is a Korean restaurant specializing in shabu-shabu and kalguksu (knife-cut noodles) on Siksong 1-ro in Byeollae, Namyangju. To beat the weekend lunch wait, the blogger's family arrived right at opening and ordered the 8-dish rolled dumpling hot pot for 3 (₩13,000 per person), half kimchi and half meat dumplings, then had kalguksu, porridge, the gondre rice self-serve bar, and orange slush with puffed-rice snacks for dessert. Verdict: Onjeongban is an easy shabu-shabu spot in Byeollae for family meals with kids or group gatherings, and a definite return visit.

Written May 2, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJongno, SeoulRestaurants

Rainy-day Korean BBQ date in Jongno 3-ga: pork neck, garlic, Tapgol

Tapgol Gongwon Jongno 3-ga Branch (탑골공원 종로3가점) is a Korean BBQ restaurant with outdoor seating under a vinyl tent near Exit 5 of Jongno 3-ga Station in Jongno, Seoul, across from the east gate of Tapgol Park. On a rainy evening, the writer and her husband ordered 2 portions of Grade 1 flash-frozen pork neck (₩19,000 per portion) and rice. Staff brought hand warmers and blankets, and the scallion kimchi, self-bar vegetables and grilled kimchi and garlic were all satisfying. With its atmosphere and friendly service, Tapgol Gongwon is a Jongno date-night Korean BBQ spot worth revisiting.

Written Nov 9, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSeocho, SeoulRestaurants

Gyodae Station gimbap shop: takeout to share with my daughter, Halls

Halls Gimbap Main Branch (홀스김밥본점) is a fusion gimbap (seaweed rice roll) and dakgangjeong (sweet crispy fried chicken) snack bar near Exit 1 of Gyodae Station in Seocho, Seoul, which changed only its sign and has kept the same owner, staff, sauces and flavor for 8 years. The writer took out the Halls + Double Cheese Set (12,300 won) and a half-and-half Halls Gimbap + Double Cheese Egg Gimbap (7,300 won) to share with their daughter, and especially liked the spicy dakgangjeong that stayed crisp even when cold and the egg-and-cheese gimbap. With pretty rolls and friendly service, Halls Gimbap Main Branch is a definite return visit near Gyodae Station.

Written Jun 19, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGwangjin, SeoulRestaurants

Holiday brunch galbitang near Achasan Station: Achasan Tong Galbitang

Achasan Tong Galbitang (아차산통갈비탕) is a galbitang (beef short rib soup) restaurant on Jayang-ro in Gwangjin-gu, Seoul, near Exit 2 of Achasan Station. Around 11 AM on a public holiday, the writer and her husband had a brunch of spicy galbitang (17,000 won) and the energy-recovery special galbitang (18,000 won), with self-bar doraji muchim (seasoned bellflower root) and radish kimchi, misutgaru and barley gangjeong for dessert, then a walk in Children's Grand Park. Big rib bones and tender meat make Achasan Tong Galbitang a guaranteed return visit.

Written May 5, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGwangjin, SeoulCafés

Gwangjin café: ₩500 Americano deal and red bean ice cream, Wonz Coffee

Wonz Coffee Children's Grand Park Main Branch is a specialty coffee café in Guui-dong, Gwangjin, Seoul, near Children's Grand Park. After a walk through the Children's Day crowds at Children's Grand Park, the writer and her husband stopped at Wonz Coffee for sourdough toast, a ₩500 Americano (new-menu event price) and red bean ice cream made with Sangha Farm ice cream. Even on a packed public holiday, Wonz Coffee's nutty coffee and brunch were satisfying enough to want to come back.

Written May 5, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSeongdong, SeoulHair & beauty salons

Wangsimni hair salon 1h10m root dye before a funeral: Uahan Meori

Uahan Meori Wangsimni Centras Branch is a hair salon on the ground floor of Wangsimni Centras Building H in Seongdong, Seoul, 501m from Exit 1 of Sangwangsimni Station. The writer arrived at 10:30 a.m. for a monthly root dye and mentioned a funeral visit later that day, so the salon finished the dye, shampoo and blow-dry within 1 hour 10 minutes and added a flat-iron styling, letting the writer head straight out. Thanks to the careful work and friendly service, the writer is 100% sure of returning to Uahan Meori Wangsimni Centras Branch.

Written May 6, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGuri, GyeonggiRestaurants

Half-cooked take-out chicken stew from Guri Market: Gangnam Dakhansang

Gangnam Dakhansang Guri Dolidari branch is a chicken restaurant near Guri Traditional Market in Guri, Gyeonggi, that serves only two dishes: dakdoritang (spicy braised chicken stew) and dakhanmari (whole-chicken hot pot). Around 3 p.m., the writer picked up a half-cooked dakdoritang for 2 (39,000 won) with wide glass noodles, cheese rice cakes and extra vegetables, then simmered it at home for 10 minutes for a family dinner; the portion was too big to fit in the family's pot. With no break time, Gangnam Dakhansang is a handy Guri spot for take-out chicken stew at off-peak hours.

Written May 12, 2026Sponsored
PlaceNamyangju, GyeonggiRestaurants

Wabu, Namyangju Korean BBQ lunch by a stream: 2002 Witch's Arpeggio

2002 Witch's Arpeggio (아르페지오) is a Korean BBQ restaurant specializing in tomato jang (tomato sauce) pork belly, tucked into the mountains on the road to Myojeoksa temple in Wabu-eup, Namyangju, Gyeonggi. Over lunch at the outdoor seats beside the stream, the blogger and a friend shared 2 servings of jar-aged cheese tomato jang pork belly and a potato pancake, and staff finished the pork with a torch and pizza cheese for a pork belly that was neither spicy nor salty. If ordinary pork belly feels stale, 2002 Witch's Arpeggio is a valley restaurant in Namyangju worth the drive.

Written May 15, 2026Sponsored