Seochon hanok café near Gyeongbokgung: rooibos orange tea at Oldsse

Where is Oldsse Seochon and what are its opening hours?

Oldsse Seochon is a hanok (traditional Korean house) café at 35-3 Pilwundae-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul, 634m from Exit 1 of Gyeongbokgung Station on Line 3. It's open Tuesday through Sunday from 10:00 to 20:30, with last order at 20:00, and closed every Monday. There's no parking lot, so I'd recommend a nearby public parking lot or public transit.

The weather was so nice today — cool, crisp fall air and clear skies — so my mom and I went on one of our favorite weekend outings: a stroll through Seochon! While walking around we found Oldsse, a place already famous for its Yongsan location too! We visited the hanok-style café here in Seochon, which has that warm, quiet atmosphere unique to traditional Korean houses 🤎

The hanok exterior, the waiting bench and free cold water outside

The exterior of Oldsse Seochon has that hanok charm all over it! There were waiting seats outside, plus tables for people who wanted to enjoy their drinks outdoors!

Outside, they'd set out cold water for people waiting — such a thoughtful touch! I happily had some myself, haha.

What the daecheongmaru seating and interior feel like

The standout feature of Oldsse Seochon was definitely the long seating that felt like a daecheongmaru (traditional wooden hall floor)! There was also a unisex restroom inside — shared, but kept spotless, and it smelled nice too, so it was a pleasant experience overall ☺️

The quiet, warm atmosphere unique to hanok blended so well with everything that just sitting there made me feel at ease, and true to a popular café, there was a constant wait! The calming hanok interior was so charming and pretty, I loved it!

What we ordered at Oldsse Seochon: Americano, rooibos orange tea and Basque cheesecake

Oldsse Seochon is also famous for its pour-over coffee, so there's a wide range of beans to choose from! Unfortunately the decaf beans were sold out when we visited, so here's what we ordered instead.

• Warm Americano ₩5,500
• Rooibos orange tea ₩7,500
• Basque cheesecake ₩7,500

Our order came out quickly, and a staff member brought it over personally, haha. The coasters were so pretty too, with that hanok café charm!

Warm Americano, 5,500 won

The warm Americano was rich and delicious, made with nutty beans! And the cup was so pretty too..♥

Rooibos orange tea, 7,500 won: caffeine-free and pregnancy-friendly

The rooibos orange tea is a decaf drink with clean rooibos flavor and a sweet orange scent! The staff recommended it because it's good for pregnant women too. It wasn't too sweet, and the subtle flavor was really lovely!

Basque cheesecake, 7,500 won: my mom's cheesecake of a lifetime

This is Oldsse's classic Basque cheesecake, apparently. It's a handmade dessert made in-house, which got me even more excited. They drizzle a bit of sweet sauce, like maple syrup, over the top of the cake — and the combination with the cheesecake was absolutely insane!!!!

My mom in particular doesn't usually like cheesecake, but after one bite she said, "This is the cheesecake of my life!" and gave it a thumbs up. Once I tried it myself, I immediately understood why she said that.

This is the cheesecake of my life!

It wasn't the least bit heavy, but it wasn't too soft either — and it had this subtle sweet-potato-like flavor that was genuinely surprising. It was on a completely different level from any Basque cheesecake I've had before, and I enjoyed every bite 🧡

Is Oldsse Seochon worth a weekend visit with your mom?

Spending relaxed time at Oldsse Seochon with my mom was such a fun, healing experience. Most of all, the coffee and desserts were genuinely delicious, which made it a really satisfying visit. If you're ever in Seochon, I'd highly recommend stopping by — I've already marked it down as a café I want to revisit the next time I'm in the area!