Island Tray Hopper · 17 stories

Warm Tray, Jeju-Seoul/Gyeonggi Cafes and Restaurants

Writes about cafes and restaurants across Jeju, Seoul, and Gyeonggi, one visit at a time. · Writes about: Cafés · Restaurants

PlaceSeocho, SeoulCafés

Breakfast café at Gyodae: buckwheat salt bread, drip bags — Mini Male

Mini Male Coffee Roaster Gyodae Court Branch is a Nordic-style roastery café in Seocho, Seoul, 1–2 minutes from Gyodae Station Exit 7. Before a friend's birthday party, the writer skipped breakfast and stopped at Mini Male for a Helsinki Latte, buckwheat salt bread, a fresh cream scone and a baton financier, then bought a ₩1,400 drip bag. Both the coffee and the desserts at Mini Male were satisfying, and the buckwheat salt bread was the standout.

Written Oct 23, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJeju, JejuRestaurants

Jeju Korean restaurant after car rental pickup: Jongdal Sudatteul

Jongdal Sudatteul (종달수다뜰) is a second-generation Jeju home-style Korean set-meal restaurant on Yongnunioreum-ro in Gujwa-eup, east Jeju, right on Olle Trail Route 1. Straight after picking up a rental car on arrival in Jeju, the writer had a late 13-dish lunch there with mom and aunt: the dombe-gogi (sliced boiled pork), grilled hairtail and mackerel braised with kimchi were all delicious, and the older relatives especially loved the unlimited refills of namul (seasoned vegetables), kimchi and ssam (lettuce wrap) greens. Jongdal Sudatteul is a great set-meal restaurant in east Jeju for taking your parents.

Written Oct 23, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJeju, JejuCafés

Jeju Dongmun Market snack shop: barley gwajul with Mom & coffee

Cheongchuni Oranda Dongmun Market Main Branch Tapdong is a dessert shop near Gates 2 and 9 of Dongmun Market in Jeju, selling handmade oranda (grain-and-nut clusters) and gwajul (crisp Korean rice snacks) made the same day. On the last day of a Jeju trip, the writer and Mom followed a sweet smell into Cheongchuni Oranda and bought a gwajul set (Udo peanut, brown rice, white rice, buckwheat and steamed rice) plus bulk nut oranda, then finished everything with coffee in Seoul within a week. Not too sweet and fun to chew, Cheongchuni Oranda is worth recommending as a Dongmun Market snack and gift.

Written Oct 19, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJung-gu, SeoulRestaurants

Japanese steak restaurant at Seoul Station after a work trip: Ichigyu

Ichigyu Seoul Station Branch (이치규 서울역점) is a gyukatsu and steki (Japanese-style steak) restaurant in the basement food court of the LG Seoul Station Building, right by Seoul Station Exit 10 in Jung-gu, Seoul. Arriving at Seoul Station by train one evening after a business trip, the writer had dinner there with a younger sibling: hot-plate Stamina Steki, striploin steki and a mini curry, with the steaks grilled on a mini brazier. The striploin steki, cooked to their liking on a personal brazier with melted Isigny butter, was the highlight of the Seoul Station dinner.

Written Jun 12, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSeongdong, SeoulCafés

Seoulsup cake café after the garden expo: No. 1 mille-feuille, Notldun

Notldun is a cake and dessert café on Seoulsup 2-gil in Seongdong, Seoul. After touring the international garden expo at Seoulsup and taking a walk, the writer had the Pistachio Festival and the Salty Caramel Mille-feuille (₩12,500 each) with 2 hot Americanos at Notldun. Verdict: Notldun's Salty Caramel Mille-feuille is the writer's number one dessert of late.

Written Jun 19, 2026Sponsored
PlaceUijeongbu, GyeonggiRestaurants

Uijeongbu Station pork galbi for a working-holiday send-off: Manpo

Manpo Galbi Uijeongbu Main Branch (만포갈비 의정부본점) is a pork galbi (Korean BBQ ribs) restaurant in the new town across from Uijeongbu Station in Uijeongbu, Gyeonggi. For a daytime send-off with a friend leaving on a working holiday, the writer ordered 2 servings of raw Korean pork (Handon) galbi, added 1 serving of the handmade marinated galbi, and got the house-made naengmyeon (cold noodles) that comes free with meat orders. With the clean-tasting raw galbi, the fruit-based marinated galbi and free naengmyeon that beat expectations, Manpo Galbi made for a satisfying farewell meal.

Written Jun 27, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJongno, SeoulRestaurants

Burger shop near Anguk Station: avocado vs chimichurri at Downtowner

Downtowner Anguk is a handmade burger shop in an alley off Bukchon-ro in Jongno, Seoul, near Exit 2 of Anguk Station. After a Bukchon walk, the writer stopped by around 2 p.m. and shared the signature Avocado Burger (₩12,700) and the new Chimichurri Avocado Burger (₩12,900); the chimichurri sauce alone made the second burger noticeably tangier. The Downtowner Anguk burgers don't look big but are filling thanks to the avocado, which makes Downtowner Anguk an easy stop on a Bukchon walking route.

Written Jun 25, 2026Sponsored
PlaceNowon, SeoulRestaurants

Hagye Station seiro-mushi, early dinner premium course with Mom: Hana

Hana Shabu Shabu Junggye Main Branch is a shabu-shabu and seiro-mushi (cypress-steamed hot pot) restaurant in the Brownstone Junggye building between Hagye Station and Junggye Station in Nowon, Seoul. After an outlet visit, the writer and her mother had an early dinner before 5 p.m. They ordered the dinner brisket and sirloin premium seiro-mushi course, and the meal continued lightly with complimentary tataki, mentaiju (pollock roe rice bowl), marinated shrimp and ube pudding. With no break time, Hana Shabu Shabu Junggye Main Branch is an easy Junggye-dong shabu-shabu spot for a clean, tidy course meal.

Written Jul 3, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangnam, SeoulRestaurants

Rice soup restaurant near COEX for a hangover lunch: Bokdeurim Bokguk

Bokdeurim Bokguk (복드림 복국 콩나물국) is a pufferfish soup, bean sprout rice soup and handmade pork cutlet restaurant on Samseong-ro 100-gil in Gangnam, Seoul, between COEX and Samseongjungang Station. After visiting the Seoul International Book Fair at COEX, the writer took friends nursing hangovers to Bokdeurim Bokguk for squid bean sprout rice soup and a half plate of fried pufferfish; the broth was spicy, refreshing and clean, and the fried pufferfish was crisp outside and moist inside. Bokdeurim Bokguk is a good pick when you want a light hangover lunch near COEX.

Written Jun 30, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangnam, SeoulCafés

Yeoksam Station café to beat the heat: two Dunkel coffees, Mini Male

Mini Male Coffee Roaster Yeoksam Branch (미니말레 커피뢰스터 역삼점) is a Nordic-style roastery café tucked into a side street 3–4 minutes on foot from the Yeoksam Station intersection in Gangnam, Seoul. The writer stopped in to escape the heat while running errands in Yeoksam and ordered a Helsinki latte and an iced Americano, both made with Dunkel beans, alongside an original handmade New York cookie. With nutty, clean coffee and a gently sweet latte, Mini Male is a coffee spot worth coming back to.

Written Jul 1, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJeju, JejuRestaurants

Staff-grilled black pork lunch special in Aewol, Jeju: Nopo Dwaeji

Nopo Dwaeji Aewol (노포돼지 애월점) is a Jeju black pork restaurant near Gwakji Beach in Aewol-eup, Jeju. After a short look at the sea at Gwakji Beach, the writer arrived before 2 p.m. for the lunch special of black pork geun-gogi (thick-cut pork), stew and kelp rice. The writer was very pleased with the aged pork neck and belly, which staff grilled from start to finish, and with the doenjang (soybean paste) stew made with a whole Jeju yellow crab. For a black pork lunch near Gwakji Beach, the Nopo Dwaeji Aewol lunch special is a good choice.

Written Jul 7, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSeogwipo, JejuCafés

Andeok forest bookshop in Jeju: tea and solo meditation at Egatot

Egatot Library is a bookshop and tea house in the forest of Andeok-myeon, Seogwipo, Jeju, where guests brew their own tea while looking out at nature and spend time alone with books, journaling or meditation. The writer booked the 3 p.m. tea ceremony on Naver, learned how to brew tea, chose hojicha (roasted green tea) and spent 1 hour 50 minutes at a solo seat. Egatot Library is strongly recommended for anyone who wants quiet time just for themselves in Jeju.

Written Jul 7, 2026Sponsored