Sokcho café after a soft tofu lunch: iced Americano at Cafe Neorae

2026.9.21

Cafe Neorae, a short hop from the Haksapyeong soft tofu village

You can't come on a trip and not go to a café, haha. We were looking for a café near Haksapyeong Kongkkot Village (sundubu, soft tofu, restaurant) where we'd just eaten, and stumbled upon this place called Cafe Neorae.

While traveling around Sokcho, we were looking for somewhere to have a coffee after eating, and since this place was said to have an Ulsanbawi (Ulsan Rock) view, we decided to check it out. There is a parking lot, but it wasn't the "wow, huge" kind of lot. So I think parking could be a bit tough during peak season!! Still, when we visited, getting parked and walking in wasn't much of a hassle. The café itself was bigger than I expected.

It's structured from the 2nd floor all the way up to the rooftop, so there were seats scattered all over, and the interior space itself was really spacious.

The Ulsanbawi view through Cafe Neorae's floor-to-ceiling windows

What I liked most about Cafe Neorae was the open feeling from the floor-to-ceiling windows. Since we'd come all the way to Sokcho, resting while looking out at the scenery like this felt so much more like an actual trip than just sitting in any café. This place especially lets you see the Ulsanbawi view, so I imagine it's even better on a clear day. Of course, the view was plenty gorgeous on the day we visited too!

I imagine Ulsanbawi dusted with snow in winter would be beautiful too, and there were photo spots dotted here and there, so it was nice to wander slowly and rest.

Is Cafe Neorae easy to visit with a baby?

And above all, Cafe Neorae was just so good to visit with a baby!! There are baby chairs on every floor, and even diaper-changing stations!! When you're out and about with a little one there's a whole list of things to worry about, so touches like this are really appreciated 🩷

Iced Americano 6,000 won and signature Neorae Latte 7,500 won

True to a café in a Gangwon tourist spot, the drinks menu had quite a few distinctive items. But we like what's familiar, so we ordered an iced Americano for 6,000 won and the signature Neorae Latte for 7,500 won.

The bakery selection was more varied than I expected too, with several kinds of bread that seemed good to pair simply with a drink, though it didn't seem like the kind of place that bakes everything in-house, haha;; So rather than expecting a proper bakery experience, it's more like a spot where you pick a bread to go with your drink.

Wide floors, an elevator and stroller-friendly access

Personally, what I liked best about Cafe Neorae was that the space felt spacious and never cramped. There's also an elevator, so I thought it'd be plenty roomy even with a stroller. No matter where you sit, the floor-to-ceiling windows give that open feeling 👍👍👍 Even with a few people around, the space is wide enough that it never felt crowded, and it was nice to sit back and take our time. When you're traveling, seeing all the sights takes more energy than you'd think, haha.

Especially when traveling with a baby, you really need moments like this to just sit and rest in between, and we spent a relaxed little break here too. With such big windows, the baby was busy watching the outside view too, haha 💜

Who should visit Cafe Neorae in Sokcho?

The Ulsanbawi view was nice, and the café itself being so spacious made it a good place to rest for a bit during a Sokcho trip. That said, the parking lot could be a bit tough during peak season or when it's busy, so that's worth keeping in mind. It felt more like a place to go for the Ulsanbawi view, the wide space, and the café atmosphere. Still, when I'm traveling with a baby, I prefer a place like this — wide and relaxed — over a café where you're rushed and out the door before you know it.

If you're eating at Haksapyeong village in Sokcho and looking for a nearby café, this could be worth a stop if you want to relax with the Ulsanbawi view, or if you're looking for a café to visit with a baby :) We dropped in for a quick break during our trip and ended up comfortably settled in thanks to how spacious it was.

If you're wondering which café to hit while traveling in Sokcho, I'd put Cafe Neorae on the shortlist.