Ulju café for sunset views and MUG lemonade: MUG

The weather has been so nice lately that it feels like such a waste to stay home! Since it was the weekend, I headed out to MUG (카페 먹), a new large café in Ulju, Ulsan that has been getting lots of attention lately, for a drive away from the stuffy city.

MUG hours and its spacious parking lot

Daily 10:00–20:00

There is a parking lot in front of this Ulju café, and it is huge haha. You really will not have to worry about parking~

As soon as I arrived at the entrance, a neat, modern black sign greeted me. MUG is open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Also, this Ulju café is not a no-kids zone—it operates as a Kids Care Zone!

There was a notice asking visitors with children to supervise them actively. Pets, outside food, and smoking are prohibited, so it would be good to check that before your visit.

A wood-toned interior with mountain views and a water feature

The moment I stepped into this large Ulsan café, full of excitement, I let out an involuntary wow. The interior felt far grander and more open than it looked from outside! Warm wood tones and modern décor came together to make the large space feel cozy and comfortable.

The rounded, sweeping ceiling design was lovely, and the tables were generously spaced, so I could chat privately without being distracted by nearby conversations. But above all, MUG’s real highlight is the enormous mountain view and water-feature area beyond the windows!

Through the café’s floor-to-ceiling windows, I could see lush mountains and palm trees. It honestly felt like I had come away to a resort.

What is more, the blue sky and clouds reflected perfectly on the water feature outside. The view was so beautiful that I stared at it absentmindedly for quite a while.

Every spot by the window was a photo-zone worthy of a perfect profile shot, so I lost track of time taking pictures.

On one wall and by the stairs, stylish drink-menu posters had been put up with such a lovely mood.

MUG drinks and bakery items

Here is the menu!!

There were bakery items, too!! The lineup was much more varied than I expected: fragrant cube pastries with all their flaky layers intact, tempting breads, and cakes in the display case. Looking at the square cake topped with a cute cherry and the rich-looking cheesecake, I spent ages deciding what would make people say I had eaten well~

We picked out a little bread, too.. hehe. Here is what we ordered~~~

• Avocado smoothie
• Plum ade
• Grapefruit ade
• MUG lemonade

On one side, cold-brew extraction tools were neatly displayed in a large dedicated refrigerated cabinet. Seeing that they had even properly equipped themselves with the tools made me think they were truly serious about coffee and drinks..!

The salt bread was crisp outside, savory inside, and full of fragrant buttery flavor!!! The cream bread was sweet and soft, and it paired so well with the drinks!

Drinks the four of us tried

And finally, the drinks we had been waiting for arrived! Since there were four of us this time, we ordered a variety to suit everyone’s tastes.

Avocado smoothie

Even its soft pale-green color looked so wholesome! One sip, and avocado’s distinctive nutty, smooth flavor melted across my mouth. It was not overly sweet, yet had such an appealing creamy texture—anyone who likes clean, nutty drinks will definitely be satisfied.

Plum smoothie

This drink had such a pretty, refreshing pink color. Rather than tasting like artificial syrup, it had a deep, tangy-sweet juice flavor, as if fresh plums had been blended right in! It was a pleasantly sweet drink that felt like it washed away summer thirst and fatigue.

MUG lemonade

As the signature drink with MUG in its name, this was the one I was most curious about! Its appearance had such an unexpected charm. A deep, weighty black layer sat at the bottom, while refreshing lemon, thyme, and red berries topped it, making it look luxurious from the start. Once mixed, it was wonderfully refreshing, with fizzy bubbles and bright lemon freshness.

Grapefruit ade

The combination of grapefruit’s distinctively bittersweet flavor and carbonation was so clean! It was the perfect choice for cleansing the palate after bread or dessert.

Also, if you join the receipt-review event, you can receive a lucky Squirtle keyring!!! I saw one on Hwangridan-gil and ㅠㅠ I love it so much. You should definitely join in and get one, too!

A beautiful sunset finale

The sunset was so pretty as we were leaving… ♥️ Sitting around a window table with soft sunlight streaming in, chatting over delicious drinks and bread, made me think: this is exactly what small but certain happiness feels like!!! If you are looking for a large café near Ulsan where you can unwind on a drive, make sure to stop by MUG at least once!