Sokcho café for banana pudding and chocolate croissant: Cafe Neorae

While planning where to go for coffee on my Sokcho trip, I thought of somewhere I hadn't been back to in a while — Cafe Neorae!

I'd visited once before and was struck by the gorgeous view of Ulsanbawi, so this place suddenly came to mind again on this trip. It happened to be a rainy, overcast day, and I was curious how different the mood would feel compared to a clear day, so my husband and I stopped by again :-)

Where is Cafe Neorae, and where do you park?

Cafe Neorae is on the 2nd floor of the same building as Yetgoeul Sundubu, a well-known sundubu (soft tofu stew) restaurant in Sokcho. Last time we ate downstairs and just walked straight up to the café — being in the same building made the whole flow really convenient.

What I liked most was the spacious parking lot! Since it's shared with Yetgoeul Sundubu, there's no need to worry about parking even if you drive there.

Cafe Neorae uses the 2nd and 3rd floors, and there's also a rooftop space on the 4th floor! On a clear day, it'd be lovely to head up to the rooftop and take your time enjoying the view of Seoraksan and the surrounding scenery.

Why the Cafe Neorae bakery is nearly sold out by afternoon

One of the reasons I wanted to come back was to see the variety of bakery items I remembered from before.

But no such luck ㅠㅠ visiting in the afternoon meant most of the bread was already gone, with only a few kinds left.

I remembered there being quite a range last time — scones, potato bread, egg tarts and more — so it was a bit of a letdown to have fewer options this time.

Chocolate croissant, banana pudding, and Golden Pear sparkling

Still, from what was left, the chocolate croissant looked the tastiest, so that's what we picked!

We also ordered the banana pudding, one of Cafe Neorae's own signature menu items made in-house.

The banana pudding was soft and sweet, and paired with the chocolate croissant, it made a perfect dessert combo!

For drinks, we ordered the Golden Pear sparkling and my husband's go-to iced americano.

What is Cafe Neorae like on a rainy day?

Honestly, since the weather was overcast this time, I couldn't get the Ulsanbawi view I'd been hoping for. I was a little disappointed at first, but once I actually sat down and looked out the window, the atmosphere of a rainy day turned out to be pretty lovely in its own way. The green scenery outside combined with the sound of rain had a strangely calming effect.

The interior blends warm wood tones, red brick, and green nature, giving off an overall cozy feel. I especially liked how the large windows scattered throughout meant you could enjoy the view outside comfortably no matter where you sat. The floors above the 2nd feel a bit more spacious too, making them nice for chatting slowly and relaxing.

Worth a revisit even without the Ulsanbawi view

Last time, what stuck with me most was the view of Ulsanbawi unfolding right in front of us. This time, it was the calm mood of the rainy day and the window full of green that left the deeper impression. It made me realize how differently the same café can feel depending on the weather.

That said, if you want to properly enjoy the bakery, it's better to go a bit earlier rather than late afternoon like I did. There was hardly any bread left this time, so next time I'm definitely going early to try the items I missed out on, haha.

If you're looking for a place to grab a relaxing coffee after eating at a sundubu restaurant in Sokcho, pairing Yetgoeul Sundubu with Cafe Neorae makes for a solid little course!

Next time, I definitely want to come back on a clear day and properly see the Ulsanbawi view I missed this time. Which mood appeals to you more at a Sokcho café — the stunning Ulsanbawi view, or the charm of a rainy day? :-)