Sinnonhyeon bakery: black sesame latte and bear loaf, Bakerist Brown

Why I stopped at Bakerist Brown near Sinnonhyeon Station on an autumn afternoon

The autumn sky is so high. Walking along, I noticed the sun up there is still burning hot. Maybe it's the gap between daytime and nighttime temperatures, but my tiredness keeps piling up. I wondered where to rest, and ended up walking into Bakerist Brown, a European-feeling bakery café near Sinnonhyeon Station.

Bakerist Brown location, hours and facilities

Bakerist Brown is at 21 Gangnam-daero 102-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, and it uses all four floors: the basement and floors 1 to 3. It is open 11:00-22:30.

• Groups welcome
• Takeout available
• Wi-Fi
• Separate men's and women's restrooms

What breads does Bakerist Brown have, and what's the mood?

All the trendy breads of the moment are gathered in one place at Bakerist Brown. Salt bread, pastries and more: it's a Gangnam Station bakery where choosing is half the fun.

I was passing through Gangnam when the terrace looked so pretty that I walked in. Bakerist Brown uses all four floors of the building.

They say they use only French Elle & Vire butter even when butter prices go up, and the breads all taste premium. The terrace is lovely too. On a nice day, sitting there at leisure feels like being on a trip to Europe.

I couldn't believe there's such a huge bakery café in Gangnam! The moment I walked in, the breads looked gorgeous, and I was surprised all over again by the variety of fig desserts, all so pretty. A beautiful dessert café in Gangnam~

Will you find a seat at Bakerist Brown when it's busy?

At Bakerist Brown, orders sometimes back up and customers stand in line, and some people go upstairs first to claim seats. Still, people leave and arrive quickly, so the turnover is good.

The bread keeps coming out too. As soon as shelves empty, they get refilled, and that quick bread upkeep keeps the bakery looking beautiful. Weekends are busier. When it's crowded, seats can run short, so I think it's wise to plan ahead.

What drinks does Bakerist Brown serve?

Bakerist Brown has mastered not just bread but drinks too. The coffee list alone is enormous.

• Espresso
• Americano
• Hazelnut Americano
• Flat white
• Cappuccino
• Café latte
• Vanilla latte
• Hazelnut latte
• Caramel macchiato
• Café mocha
• Salted cream coffee
• Black sesame latte

Beyond that, there are plenty of other drinks, such as ades and teas.

What I ordered: black sesame latte, bear-shaped pastry loaf, Gangnam Sand set

What I ordered at Bakerist Brown that day was a black sesame latte, a bear-shaped pastry loaf and a Gangnam Sand set (8 pieces).

I took a seat on the 2nd floor. The drink came out faster than I expected.

I pondered a little how to eat such a big loaf of bread. The latte, from the very first sip, had me falling into its smoothness.

Black sesame latte: size and taste

The full black sesame latte is iced, with ice inside. It isn't very big, but the amount is about right. It tastes good too. I felt a tiny pang of wanting more, but I felt content thinking I'd chosen to eat properly rather than eat a lot.

Bear-shaped pastry loaf: not Minnie Mouse, a bear

Not just melt-in-your-mouth desserts but crunchy, sweet and plain ones too: every kind of dessert turned out. The loaf is so cute. Minnie Mouse? No. It's a bear.

The Bakerist sand box

This is the Bakerist Sand. It comes in a box. I couldn't decide what to eat first, because every flavor is different.

Shaping layered pastry into a bear is a groundbreaking idea. Out of curiosity, everybody takes one home.

Bakerist Brown's black sesame latte, right through the aftertaste

Bakerist Brown's black sesame latte stayed sweet yet slightly bitter to the very end, with the nutty, generous feel and flavor of black sesame. I was sad as the cup kept emptying, though. I can't pin it down, but perhaps because half a shot of espresso goes in, the harmony of flavors was lovely. Not too sweet, not too weak: I'll keep remembering it as a really good black sesame latte.