Seogyo-dong café with einspänner and three desserts: Seowon Angil

Recommending Seowon Angil Hapjeong, a big Western-style café in Hapjeong, Mapo, Seoul, and a Seogyo-dong spot known for good brunch. This Hapjeong brunch café also does great pasta.

Seowon Angil Hapjeong

Where is Seowon Angil Hapjeong? A large brunch café by Hapjeong Station Exit 3

There's pasta on the menu at this Hapjeong brunch café, but we tried other things this time — coffee, cake, and an open sandwich.

The atmosphere at this Seogyo-dong café is amazing. Plants are scattered everywhere, all lush and green.

It's a moody space, and it's one of the dog-friendly cafés near Hapjeong Station. The interior is huge, so it never feels cramped.

It's a good group meeting spot with solid brunch, and you can bring your dog too.

• Address: 34 Jandari-ro 3-gil, 1st-2nd floor, Mapo-gu, Seoul, South Korea
• Hours: Daily 8am–8pm, last order 7:30pm
• 3-minute walk from Hapjeong Station Exit 3
• Parking available
• Dog-friendly
• Separate men's and women's restrooms
• Reservations available
• Group seating
• Wifi available

Menu and bean choice: Seowon blend or Angil blend

There's a wide menu, this place is especially known for coffee, and there are plenty of drinks lined up.

There's soup too, and it's great with sourdough bread — plus they do salad, pasta, and ade well.

We ordered: einspänner ₩8,000, vanilla bean latte ₩7,800, herb shrimp & arugula open sandwich ₩13,000, handmade Mom's Basque cheesecake ₩6,400, Earl Grey lemon tart ₩8,000, and carrot cake ₩8,000.

For coffee you pick between the Seowon blend, which is acidic, and the Angil blend, which is nutty. The Angil blend tastes of chocolate, almond, and milkiness, while the Seowon blend has notes of lemongrass, herbs, and honey.

Bring your own tumbler for ₩500 off. Takeout knocks off ₩1,500. Adding decaf is an extra ₩1,000.

The bean selection is varied too — Seowon, Angil, and decaf, so you can pick to taste.

Goods shelf and self-service bar at Seowon Angil Hapjeong

They sell a variety of goods too, including cups — worth a browse in case you need one.

The varied use of little props makes for photos with a nice mood.

The self-bar has water and other essentials, so take what you need for your group. There are things that go well with the brunch menu too.

Floor-to-ceiling windows and plants: a different mood at every seat

The bamboo gives the place a fresh, light-green, natural feel — really good.

With the floor-to-ceiling windows, the sunlight comes in warm, and with the soft lighting the interior has a charming mood that's easy to settle into for a long stay.

The tables, props, plants, and chairs all follow different concepts, so the mood shifts depending on where you sit.

Every corner has a different vibe. It's a cool mix of modern, vintage, and antique.

How do the vanilla bean latte and einspänner taste?

The vanilla bean latte is sweet but not sharp — a mellow, moderate sweetness with vanilla scent spreading through it, and it delivers a good coffee caffeine boost too.

Drink it iced with plenty of ice for a refreshing cool-down, and you can get through the afternoon feeling productive and sharp.

The vanilla bean latte is great when you're tired, and the einspänner gets a thumbs up too.

When whipped cream meets coffee, what more can I say — you end up savoring it slowly, sip after sip, because it's that good.

Three desserts: Basque cheesecake, carrot cake and Earl Grey lemon tart

The Basque cheesecake was thick and rich, melting in the mouth. It's savory with a strong cheese flavor, really tasty. The carrot cake was a good size, with a thick cream and moist sponge — a solid dessert that goes well with coffee.

The Earl Grey lemon tart has a lemon layer that's refreshing, plus a charming sweet Earl Grey-scented cream. Good looking and good tasting, perfect with coffee. The two-layer pie base underneath is tasty too, and munching through both makes for a happy moment.

These desserts are a fancy sugar recharge and great for a solid afternoon. Good visuals, good taste — recommended as a cake spot.

Seowon Angil Hapjeong

The einspänner's coffee is rich and the cream layer is smooth and delicious. It's savory and thick with just the right density, so it tastes harmonious on its own.

Herb shrimp and arugula open sandwich, 13,000 won

The herb shrimp & arugula sandwich is good as a full meal.

The ingredients are fresh, and the shrimp are plump too.

The carrot rapée that comes with it is tasty too, and the salad is great.

As a brunch, it paired well with coffee — a healthy, filling dish.

This Hapjeong brunch café does pasta well and the Western-style menu at this large Hapjeong café is tasty too. As a Seogyo-dong café worth visiting, it's a good spot to go with friends, order some good food, and enjoy spending time before heading out — recommended.