Hongdae tiramisu café: 4 flavors & ₩2,000 coffee packs, Central Site

What kind of café is Central Site Yeonnam?

Central Site Yeonnam is a café known for specialty coffee and tiramisu, sitting on the route between Yeonnam-dong and Hongdae. I was back in Hongdae after a long time and had a little spare time, so I stopped in. I'd seen the place many times before, but this was my first visit. Compared with other cafés, it has a bit, no, a whole lot more character.

The coffee here comes in a wide range of very distinctive varieties, but if you ask what Central Site is really known for, the tiramisu can't be left out. So let me introduce Central Site.

Getting to Central Site from Hongik Univ. Station

Central Site Yeonnam is about a 5 to 8 minute leisurely walk from Exit 3 of Hongik Univ. Station. It sits on the main road side of Yeonnam-dong's maze of restaurant alleys, so I don't think it's hard to find.

The 1st floor feels less like a coffee shop and more like a bar, with a bar table, plus some seats. Still, lots of people head up to the 2nd floor.

What's on the coffee menu at Central Site?

The coffee list includes specialty coffees such as Panama Geisha, Ethiopia Edition, Special Fruit Colombia and special brewing coffee. Look at the list on the left and you'll go "wow" on your own; these are quite expensive beans.

• Panama Geisha
• Ethiopia Edition
• Special Fruit Colombia
• Special brewing coffee

And of course there are espresso-based drinks like Americano and café latte too, so Central Site isn't a place that only sells pricey coffee; anyone can walk in easily. While I waited after ordering, I saw people leaving with iced Americanos to go.

Smelling the special beans and hand drip right in front of you

Each of the special beans is hand-dripped by the staff, and after grinding you can smell the beans yourself. I could see for myself that they have a wide variety of special beans.

After the aroma check, they hand-drip the beans right in front of you. It felt like seeing some new technique, and lately I've been copying it when I brew hand drip at home. I enjoy trying out all the hand-drip methods I find online that look good.

What kinds of tiramisu does Central Site have?

Central Site's tiramisu starts with the classic and goes on to brownie tiramisu, Lotus tiramisu and a strawberry tiramisu piled high with strawberries. As I mentioned, this tiramisu is what you can't leave out at Central Site.

• Classic tiramisu
• Brownie tiramisu
• Lotus tiramisu
• Strawberry tiramisu

You can pick whichever tiramisu suits your taste. I ordered the basic classic tiramisu.

Central Site seating and the 2nd-floor view

On the 1st floor there were a few neatly arranged seats for a quick sit-down, and going up to the 2nd and 3rd floors you'll find many more tables and seats.

The 2nd floor has a pretty decent view of the Yeonnam-dong alley street.

They bring your order to your seat

Central Site brings the menu you ordered to your seat. The stairs are a bit steep, so carrying a tray up could honestly be a burden, and I really liked this service.

A note explaining the special beans

At Central Site you also get something like a memo describing the special beans you ordered. If you enjoy trying different beans as a hobby, beyond just drinking coffee, it's a service worth reading once while you enjoy your coffee and tiramisu.

The classic tiramisu, tried by someone who was serious about tiramisu

I sincerely recommend trying Central Site's classic tiramisu. Lately all I do is buy it at Costco... but there was a time when I hunted down so-called tiramisu hot spots and even made it at home, I was that serious about tiramisu. So really, do try the tiramisu at Central Site in Yeonnam-dong.

Looking again, the cup feels more like a whiskey glass than a coffee cup. It looks like just one glass, but it's impressive.

Fancy coffee that's hard to come by, and tiramisu with an impressive soft, sweet taste. A place where you can enjoy both at once is probably hard to find in Yeonnam-dong. Personally, what I liked most about Central Site, more than anything, was the blasting air conditioning.

Can you drink Central Site coffee at home?

Central Site coffee is also sold in individual packs, for about ₩2,000. Considering you can try many kinds of Central Site coffee for around ₩2,000, it's quietly great value.