Suwon Haenggung-dong café with Lotus s'more cookies: Jung Ji-young

What kind of café is Jung Ji-young Coffee Roasters Sinpung?

Jung Ji-young Coffee Roasters Sinpung is a new branch of Jung Ji-young Coffee Roasters (정지영커피로스터스), Suwon's well-known specialty roastery brand, in Haenggnidan-gil, Haenggung-dong. It's at 32 Sinpung-ro, Paldal-gu, Suwon, Gyeonggi, on the 2nd floor of a building near the main Haenggnidan-gil road. The interior mixes vintage charm with an antique mood, with bright window seats and a photo-friendly mirror.

October has really turned into full autumn. The sky photos come out so pretty! Fluffy white clouds floated like a painting across a clear blue sky, and with the cool breeze on my cheeks I just wanted to get outside and enjoy the season. As I kept filling my phone with scenery in the bright natural light, my feet naturally wanted to head somewhere full of the scent of fresh coffee beans. I couldn't think of a more perfect day for a leisurely coffee in Suwon's hottest, most stylish alley neighborhood. So I set off, excited, for the new café everyone's talking about in Haenggung-dong.

A very famous Suwon café had opened another branch and I had some free time, so I dropped by: Jung Ji-young Coffee Roasters Sinpung. This is a specialty roastery that represents the region and has led the local coffee culture, and when I heard it had set up a new home at a key corner of Haenggnidan-gil, I booked it into my schedule without hesitation as a coffee lover. I wondered what charm this space would have on top of the vintage-yet-refined mood of the other branches, and my curiosity and anticipation grew the whole way there. The walk itself was a joy, and once I arrived I could feel in my whole body that Jung Ji-young Coffee Roasters Sinpung lives up to its name.

Is Jung Ji-young Coffee Roasters Sinpung busy on weekdays?

Even though I visited on a weekday afternoon on October 1, I could see from outside that Jung Ji-young Coffee Roasters Sinpung had plenty of customers. I deliberately chose an early-month weekday afternoon to avoid weekend and holiday crowds and enjoy a relaxed tea time, but through the building's big glass windows I was surprised to see the silhouettes of guests packed at every table, chatting over drinks. It hasn't been open long, yet it has already spread by word of mouth and become a hot spot, and that made me even more excited.

Does the café have an elevator, and how big is it?

Jung Ji-young Coffee Roasters Sinpung is on the 2nd floor, but you can get there easily by elevator. No climbing stairs: just press the elevator button in the building lobby and you ride comfortably up to the café entrance. It's a route that families with strollers, wheelchair users and anyone with limited mobility can use easily, which felt thoughtful.

Judging from the entrance, Jung Ji-young Coffee Roasters Sinpung seems to use an entire floor. It isn't a complicated layout split among other shops: the moment the elevator doors open, the whole floor spreads out as one stylish space, and the roomy ceiling height and open feel are striking. I couldn't help but marvel at the scale, with such a large area used on its own and filled entirely with the brand's atmosphere.

Interior, merchandise and atmosphere

You feel the antique interior the moment you walk into Jung Ji-young Coffee Roasters Sinpung. The deep grain of reclaimed wood that seems to have stopped time, toned-down browns, and classic furniture here and there made it feel cozy and stately, like stepping into an old European salon. Modern touches and the charm of age coexisted beautifully in a vintage mood.

There was also a variety of merchandise on the tables, like caps and clothing. On a display table at one side of the hall, fashion items such as ball caps and T-shirts printed with the brand logo and typography were neatly arranged, and browsing them was a lot of fun. It showed off the planning of Jung Ji-young Coffee Roasters Sinpung, which goes beyond a simple café to suggest a whole lifestyle.

There were so many customers for a weekday! Even in the in-between hours of the afternoon, the place was lively with couples and friends savoring coffee and people who'd come to work alone, which surprised me. It was proof of its reputation as the new café in Haenggung-dong.

Best photo spots in the café

Jung Ji-young Coffee Roasters Sinpung is decorated so that every corner is good for photos. From a casually placed classic globe lamp to framed posters and richly textured walls, every nook is staged like a studio set. Whatever the angle, you get Instagram-worthy shots.

The window seats in particular look like they'd photograph beautifully. Soft autumn sunlight pours through the large windows along the wall, so just putting a drink and dessert on the table gives you a natural lighting effect. I instantly understood the phrase "a café full of light."

There's also a mirror that's great for photos. A big full-length mirror in a classic wooden frame is set up on one wall with decorative objects, and it's the photo spot at Jung Ji-young Coffee Roasters Sinpung where guests keep stopping for proof-of-visit shots and mirror selfies.

Jung Ji-young Coffee Roasters Sinpung menu and desserts

At Jung Ji-young Coffee Roasters Sinpung you can enjoy coffee and drinks to suit your taste, such as americano and hand drip. With freshly roasted beans, the lineup is solid, from espresso-based drinks to brewed filter coffee that highlights the character of each origin, so coffee lovers will have fun reading the menu.

Upgrading to decaf is said to be free. I really liked that people who visit late or are sensitive to caffeine can switch beans at no extra charge. The customer-first way they run things stood out.

There are plenty of tasty desserts too, like Basque cheesecake and fig cake. The showcase is brilliantly filled, from a Basque cheesecake with a nicely charred top and rich cream cheese flavor to a fig cake generously topped with seasonal fresh figs, so it was hard to resist the sweet temptation.

How does the iced americano taste?

At Jung Ji-young Coffee Roasters Sinpung I ordered an "ah-ah" (아아, iced americano) and some American-style cookies. I wanted a cold iced americano to drink in the crisp autumn air and thick handmade cookies to supply the sugar, so I filled a tray and finished ordering at the counter. It was a perfect spread, starting with how it looked.

The coffee aroma is really well balanced. The moment I brought the cup to my nose, a fragrant floral scent and a nutty, toasty grain aroma rose up in harmony. It was an aroma that showed the skill of a specialty shop.

The americano at Jung Ji-young Coffee Roasters Sinpung balances acidity and nuttiness well, so I think anyone would be satisfied. With one sip, a bright, fruity acidity gives way to cacao and roasted-nut richness that leaves a soft finish, an easy taste to finish with no love-it-or-hate-it divide.

Maybe because it was by the window, the photos came out really well. The soft natural light and the wood tone of the table made every shot look as vivid as a magazine spread, and I got completely absorbed in taking pictures. It was a seat where eyes and mouth are treated at the same time.

Do the Lotus s'more and dirty choco cookies go well with coffee?

Lotus s'more cookie

This is the Lotus smore cookie. A whole caramel biscuit (Lotus Biscoff) sits right in the center of a thickly baked cookie dough, with white marshmallow melting appetizingly beneath it. It's a signature baked treat.

The signature Lotus flavor and the marshmallow go so well together. After the slightly bittersweet cinnamon and caramel notes comes the chewy, stretchy marshmallow texture, a fantastic pairing that made chewing twice as enjoyable.

Dirty choco cookie

This is the dirty choco cookie. Dark chocolate dough is generously coated with chocolate chips and powder, a visual-shock cookie that looks ultra-sweet just by looking at it.

That extreme sweetness really goes well with coffee. When the thick chocolate sweetness fills your mouth and you follow it with a sip of clean iced americano, the cloying feeling is washed away at once and both flavors come alive. It was the best combination.

Is Jung Ji-young Coffee Roasters Sinpung worth visiting?

This place taught me that famous things are famous for a reason. Stylish interior, excellent coffee, and carefully made homemade desserts: I was satisfied on every front at Jung Ji-young Coffee Roasters Sinpung. If you want a fail-safe tea time in the Haenggung-dong alleys, I strongly recommend it. I hope you'll go and feel the leisure of an autumn day with the people you care about.