Mapo cocktail bar with rosé mac and cheese: Rosetta

Rosetta for a Hongdae date

After going for omakase on my birthday, I wanted to continue our date somewhere with a great atmosphere, so we found the cocktail bar Rosetta (로제타). The mood was wonderful, the staff service was lovely, and we had such a special time.

Rosetta is open daily from 18:00 to 05:00.

This cocktail bar was easy to reach too—about a 10-minute walk from Hapjeong Station and 15 minutes from Hongik University Station.

So many people take photos in this spot, so I tried it after we finished eating. With the lighting, exterior, and overall vibe, the photos come out so well 🤣

On a pleasantly cool day, I think it would be lovely to eat out on Rosetta's terrace. The atmosphere alone made me feel as if I were traveling through Europe.

A space inspired by 19th-century Europe

The atmosphere alone completely won me over to Rosetta's charm. It is distinctive as a cocktail bar inspired by famous paintings. It felt different from the cocktail bars I usually imagine, which made me excited.

Once we were shown to our table, basic snacks and water arrived, plus a candle to make the atmosphere even nicer, haha.

Rosetta's charm is not just its exterior—the interior is beautiful too. Even the restroom was clean and nice, which I loved. Women are touched by these thoughtful details, you know.

There is also a private space where you can enjoy yourselves. I thought it would be great for a Hongdae date, as well as an engagement gathering or group meet-up, haha.

The concept of this Hapjeong and Hongdae cocktail bar, Rosetta, is an elegant 19th-century European, French space. With comfort and sociability as priorities, it was a wonderful cocktail bar for a date too.

At Rosetta, you can also have a drink alone at the bar. You can sit and watch the cocktails being made, and I think drinking here would be nice too.

The space is comfortably divided up, so it was easy and pleasant to talk.

Even the inside of the place was so lovely that I took some photos too, haha.

The cocktails and food we ordered

• Rosé mac and cheese
• Cuttlefish ragù linguine
• Madame X
• The Gleaners
• Dream

Madame X

Madame X is 14% ABV and ₩23,000. It is made with ruby port wine, lychee, rose, hibiscus, and oak chips. They poured the port wine in front of us and sprayed edible perfume over it. The edible perfume is made with rose and hibiscus.

They sprayed the edible perfume before serving it, but also left it at the table so I could spray more whenever I wanted while drinking. I loved being able to enjoy the scent and slowly savor it.

The Gleaners

The Gleaners is 7% ABV and ₩22,000. It contains bourbon whiskey, coffee, burdock, miso, cashew cream, and black sesame soboro crumbs. My fiancé ordered this cocktail, and it was so petite and cute, hahaha. It really brought that image of the famous painting The Gleaners to mind, you know?? It was even more fascinating because it is a vegan dessert cocktail—and it was delicious!!!!

Cuttlefish ragù linguine

The cuttlefish ragù linguine is ₩24,000. It uses organic squid-ink linguine, and I could see why everyone orders it. The cuttlefish had a great texture and went so well with the tomato ragù.

Signature rosé mac and cheese

The rosé mac and cheese is ₩18,000. This signature mac and cheese comes with vodka rosé sauce and kimchi bugak (crispy fried kimchi). This combination is crazy, crazy... I immediately understood why it is the signature menu item. It is delicious. If you are wondering what to order, get the rosé mac and cheese first, then keep thinking about the rest, haha.

And the kick is the kimchi bugak. Kimchi bugak on mac and cheese??? How do they go this well together, hahaha. It is seriously delicious, so I highly recommend it.

Rosetta's cocktails are inspired by artworks that change each season, and there was delicious food too... I was so glad we came to Rosetta for this happy birthday cocktail-bar date in Hongdae.

One more drink: Dream

Dream is 10.7% ABV and ₩22,000. It contains peat, Haemieupseong strawberry wine, lemon, rooibos, mala spices, and chocolate. I chose Dream because I was reluctant to leave and wanted one more drink. I ordered it because the smokiness of peated whisky appealed to me, and the juicy strawberry wine was lovely too. Above all, the spice from the mala seasoning was unique.

Rosetta is a delicious place with a wonderful atmosphere. I recommend spending a comfortable, special time at Rosetta, the whisky and cocktail gallery, haha.