Errand Pause · 27 stories

Cafés Between Errands

I write about café visits around Seoul. · Writes about: Cafés · Restaurants · Shopping

PlaceYongin, GyeonggiRestaurants

Spicy vegetable gopchang and draft beer in Yongin: Taeyang Gopchang

Taeyang Gopchang Yongin Yeokbuk branch is a new restaurant specialising in Korean pork gopchang (pork small intestines) and specialty cuts, on the Yeokbuk-dong food street in Cheoin-gu, Yongin. The writer, who can't handle spice, ordered the spicy vegetable gopchang and draft beer for 2, and the fiery sauce and generous portion meant there was no room left for the fried rice. Taeyang Gopchang suits anyone wanting spicy gopchang for a first round or a late second round.

Written Jul 13, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJungnang, SeoulRestaurants

Sangbong baby octopus restaurant, Sunday cheese set lunch: Joajukne

Joajukne Jjukkumi (조아죽네쭈꾸미) is a sizzling-plate stir-fried baby octopus restaurant at the entrance to the Sangbong food alley in Jungnang, Seoul. On a third visit for Sunday lunch, the writer cooked cheese baby octopus with flat fritters, a boiled egg and glass noodles, then finished with nurungji (scorched rice) and free ice cream. Joajukne Jjukkumi is worth recommending for its generous cheese and a sauce that isn't just fiery, making it a good fit for family meals and anyone who can't handle much spice.

Written Jul 21, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSeongnam, GyeonggiRestaurants

After-work gyukatsu in Pangyo: tantanmen and fried shrimp, Ichigyu

Ichigyu Avenuefrance Pangyo is a gyukatsu (Japanese beef cutlet) restaurant on the 2nd floor of Avenuefrance Pangyo in Seongnam, where diners sear each piece on a tabletop brazier. After work the writer waited about 25 minutes, then ordered tenderloin gyukatsu, tantanmen (spicy sesame ramen), karaage and fried shrimp. The tenderloin, grilled for just a few seconds on a brazier coated with Isigny butter, paired especially well with the nutty, spicy tantanmen. Verdict: Ichigyu Avenuefrance Pangyo is a great Pangyo gyukatsu spot for a chatty dinner with friends.

Written Jul 27, 2026Sponsored
PlaceMapo, SeoulRestaurants

Hongdae chicken hot pot with clean broth & kalguksu: Ttukdak Hongdae

Ttukdak Hongdae (뚝닭홍대) is a Korean restaurant near Exit 9 of Hongik Univ. Station in Mapo, Seoul, specializing in dak hanmari (whole chicken hot pot), braised chicken, dakgalbi and bossam. On a hot summer weekday evening, a party of three added house-made kalguksu (knife-cut noodles) to the dak hanmari, finished with chicken porridge, and especially loved the clean, mild broth without a strong ginseng or herbal flavor. For dak hanmari without the herbal taste, the hot pot-and-porridge course at Ttukdak Hongdae is a great fit.

Written Aug 1, 2026Sponsored
PlaceMapo, SeoulCafés

Red velvet cream cheese cookie at Yeonnam-dong café Butter & Shelter

Butter & Shelter Yeonnam is a European-style dessert café in a converted house on Seongmisan-ro, between Hongik Univ. Station and Yeonnam-dong in Mapo, Seoul. The writer and her older sister stopped by on a weekday after work for a butter sand, a red velvet cream cheese cookie and a grapefruit ade, and the gourmet-butter flavor of the butter sand and the dense, fudgy cream cheese cookie stood out. Butter & Shelter Yeonnam is famous for its butter sands, but the red velvet cream cheese cookie is well worth trying too.

Written Aug 2, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangnam, SeoulCafés

Sinnonhyeon bakery: nutty latte, home-café cookies, Bakerist Brown

Bakerist Brown (베이커스트 브라운) is a large bakery café near Sinnonhyeon Station in Gangnam, Seoul, occupying a whole building from B1 to the 3rd floor. On this visit the order was a salted cream coffee, a café latte and Gangnam Sand cookies; the latte was nutty and deep with no burnt taste, and the Gangnam Sand cookies paired well with coffee both in the café and at home. Verdict: Bakerist Brown is a good place to enjoy bread and coffee at a relaxed pace in busy Gangnam.

Written Oct 4, 2026Sponsored
PlaceYongin, GyeonggiRestaurants

Yongin duck restaurant with ₩10,000 perilla soup lunch: Seonbong

Seonbong Sandeomi Ori (선봉산더미오리) is a duck restaurant on Seongsan-ro in Cheoin-gu, Yongin. The writer ordered the sandeomi (mountain-sized) duck bulgogi ssambap (rice with leafy wraps) in spicy seasoning, with unlimited ssam greens, a special perilla sauce and Jeju dried radish ssamjang, and Seonbong Sandeomi Ori serves duck perilla soup for ₩10,000 at lunch until 3 p.m. With a spacious dining room and plenty of free parking, Seonbong Sandeomi Ori works well for family gatherings and company dinners.

Written Aug 3, 2026Sponsored
PlaceNowon, SeoulRestaurants

Family shabu shabu restaurant in Gongneung, Seoul: Mirang Shabu

Mirang Shabu Nowon Branch is an all-you-can-eat beef and shabu shabu restaurant on the 2nd floor right by Gongneung Station in Nowon, Seoul. The 19,900 won per person course covers unlimited beef, hinoki steamed meat, shabu shabu and a self-serve bar, and we also made rice paper rolls and a finishing porridge at the table. Even after eating as many vegetables as we liked, Mirang Shabu felt light on the stomach, making it a good pick for a family meal out.

Written Aug 8, 2026Sponsored
PlaceNowon, SeoulRestaurants

Nowon jokbal set for three with rice balls and seafood soup: Gwihan

Gwihan Jokbal Nowon Branch is a jokbal (braised pig's trotters) restaurant 68m from Nowon Station Exit 1, on Nowon Culture Street in Seoul. Three diners ordered the half-and-half set of spicy fire jokbal and regular jokbal, which came with makguksu (cold buckwheat noodles), a spicy seafood soup and rice balls, and the meat was tender with no gamey smell. The dining room at Gwihan Jokbal Nowon Branch is wide and comfortable, making it a good choice for group gatherings.

Written Sep 25, 2026Sponsored
PlaceIcheon, GyeonggiRestaurants

Icheon braised pollock restaurant with no wait at 11am: Seonghone

Seonghone Wang Kodari Dongtaetang, Icheon Seolseong Branch is a kodari (half-dried pollock) braise and dongtaetang (pollock stew) restaurant in Seolseong-myeon, Icheon, Gyeonggi. Arriving right at the 11am opening with her father and older sister, the writer ordered the medium flower octopus kodari braise, dongtaetang and cheese steamed egg, and found that coming at opening beat the lunchtime line. The portions at Seonghone Wang Kodari Dongtaetang were generous enough that the octopus alone filled everyone up, making it a solid choice for a family meal out.

Written Sep 23, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJongno, SeoulRestaurants

Jongno sushi restaurant with rice cake tempura for two: Choe Uyeong

Choe Uyeong Sushiya Jongno Branch is a sushi and sashimi restaurant on the basement level of a building 235 meters from Jonggak Station Exit 1 in Jongno, Seoul. The writer and her older sister ordered the special sushi set, the premium sushi set, shrimp tempura udon, mixed tempura and zero-sugar cola, working through flounder, fatty tuna belly, seasoned eel and tteok (rice cake) tempura. With a solo-dining bar and wide private tables side by side, Choe Uyeong Sushiya Jongno Branch suits both eating alone and a team dinner.

Written Sep 21, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSeongdong, SeoulCafés

Seongsu bakery café open until 2am across 4 floors: LOOOP Bakery

LOOOP Bakery is a four-floor bakery café in Seongdong, Seoul, 341m from Seongsu Station Exit 4. The writer tried egg tarts, the signature LOOOP Einspänner and a café latte at a window seat, then looked around the self studio on the 3rd floor and the photo zone on the 4th. Coffee, drinks and wine are served until 2am, so LOOOP Bakery works well when you want to stay out late in Seongsu.

Written Sep 20, 2026Sponsored