Mapo café for terrace dates and oat milk lattes: Pip Espresso Bar

When you're on a date in Yeonnam-dong, there are so many pretty cafés, but sometimes you go in and the seating is cramped or a little awkward, you know? This time, while looking for somewhere with good coffee where we could linger comfortably, I visited Pip Espresso Bar (피프에스프레소바). The space was wider than I expected and the seating was so varied—that was what I liked most.

Spacious, varied seating in a Yeonnam-dong alley

Daily 09:00–23:00

It is tucked into a Yeonnam-dong alley, so you can feel the neighborhood's distinctive atmosphere from the walk there. Unlike cafés on the main road, it has that slightly hip feel unique to an alley café. It was a lovely kind of place to stop by while walking around on a date. The café is decorated in a cute, cozy way, but it is quite spacious for what I expected.

There were lots of seats, and each spot had a slightly different feel, so it was easy to choose one that suited your taste. There were options for two people to chat quietly as well as spaces good for a group, so it was fun looking around the café to choose a seat. Many Yeonnam-dong cafés are pretty but small, whereas the lack of that cramped feeling here was definitely a plus.

A terrace I recommend for nice weather

Personally, my favorite area was the outdoor terrace. The outdoor space is done really well, so on a nice day I would recommend the terrace over sitting inside. Being able to drink coffee while looking out at a Yeonnam-dong alley gives it a different feeling from indoors. If you are planning a Yeonnam-dong date on a nice day, I think it would also suit anyone looking for a terrace café.

Strapazzato, oat milk latte, and tiramisu

That day, I ordered a strapazzato, an oat milk café latte, and tiramisu.

A strapazzato with a clear espresso flavor

Since I was at an espresso bar, I started with the strapazzato.

Cocoa powder tops the espresso, adding cocoa's pleasantly bitter aroma to the rich coffee flavor. The espresso flavor itself came through clearly, so even though it was a short drink, the taste was distinct; the cocoa also made the finish a little more interesting.

An easy-drinking oat milk café latte

I ordered the café latte with oat milk.

It had a nutty, smooth character that went well with the rich espresso. Personally, I was happy with both coffees that day. I had wondered whether the coffee might be too strong because it is an espresso bar, but the latte was easy to drink, and it was nice to enjoy the strapazzato and latte as two different experiences, so ordering both was a good choice.

Tiramisu that paired well with coffee

I ordered tiramisu as well, and it paired nicely with the coffee.

The soft cream with its coffee flavor made it good to eat bite by bite after a rich espresso. If you visit as a pair, I think sharing one tiramisu with two coffees would be a nice combination too.

A café to rest comfortably during a Yeonnam-dong date

Overall, I was pleased with the coffee and desserts, but the space was what I especially liked. With plenty of seating, it was a good place to chat and take a comfortable break on a date rather than just drink coffee and leave. On a nice day especially, I recommend sitting on the terrace and enjoying the Yeonnam-dong alley atmosphere.

It would be good as a second stop for coffee after a meal at a Yeonnam-dong restaurant, or worth dropping into if, like me, you are looking for somewhere comfortable to rest during a Yeonnam-dong date. If I return, I think I would choose a terrace seat on a nice day.