Yeonnam-dong bakery: whole-chestnut loaf & 3 hefty breads, Mandong
In short
Mandong Jegwa Yeonnam Branch (만동제과 연남점) is a bakery in Yeonnam-dong, Seoul, near Hongik Univ. Station, that moved up from Gangneung and became famous for its garlic baguette. On a quarterly visit, the writer took home 4 breads to try: chestnut loaf (4,900 won), Patbamssuk red bean chestnut mugwort bread (7,200 won), bacon ciabatta (4,900 won) and sweet pumpkin ciabatta (6,200 won). Verdict: the Mandong Jegwa chestnut loaf, packed with whole chestnuts, earns its place among Seoul's best chestnut breads.
Good to know
- Getting there
- Hongik Univ. Station Exit 3 · 8-min walk (store listing, Oct 7, 2026)
- Location
- 32 Yeonhui-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul; about a 5-minute walk from Hongik Univ. Station Exit 3
- Hours
- Daily, 11:00–21:00
- Reservations
- Available through Naver booking
- Parking
- No parking
- Inside the shop
- Small; up to 3 groups admitted at a time
- Chestnut loaf
- 4,900 won
- Bacon ciabatta
- 4,900 won
- Patbamssuk (red bean, chestnut and mugwort bread)
- 7,200 won
- Sweet pumpkin ciabatta
- 6,200 won
as written by the visitor on Apr 18, 2026 · not checked with the business
I went to Mandong Jegwa (만동제과), a Yeonnam-dong bakery I'd feel bad skipping each quarter! It became famous for its garlic baguette, and it's a Hongdae favorite that made the leap from Gangneung to Seoul. Honestly, whatever bread you pick here is a winner, so I drop in every now and then. This time, for everyone doing a Seoul bakery crawl, I bought the chestnut loaf, the red bean chestnut mugwort bread, the bacon ciabatta and the pumpkin ciabatta to try.
Where is Mandong Jegwa Yeonnam Branch, and what are the hours and parking?
Mandong Jegwa Yeonnam Branch is about a 5-minute walk from Exit 3 of Hongik Univ. Station, at 32 Yeonhui-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, South Korea. It's open every day from 11:00 to 21:00, you can reserve through Naver, and there's no parking.
Mandong Jegwa's exterior and the waiting vibe
Mandong Jegwa is a Yeonnam-dong bakery that has held the same spot for ages, yesterday and today alike. Lately there are even more foreign visitors, so if you show up a bit late the bread may already be gone. Go early!
How crowded is it inside Mandong Jegwa?
The inside of the Yeonnam Branch is quite small, so only 3 groups can come in at a time. Luckily I arrived just as a bunch of customers were streaming out, so I got to pick my bread in peace. Now let me show you the breads at this Hongdae bakery!
Middle display: chestnut loaf, ciabatta, Butt Bun (Agi Gungdeongi) and cucumber baguette
First, the breads in the middle. You'll find the chestnut loaf, ciabatta, Butt Bun (아기궁둥이, "baby bottom" bread) and cucumber baguette.
They also handed me two snacks along the way, yum. Tasty! This one is the Ssuktteok Ssuktteok (쑥떡쑥떡, mugwort rice cake bread).
Left display: salt soboro, mugwort rice cake bread, chili sausage and kaya toast
Next up are the breads on the left. I can see salt soboro (소금소보루, salted crumb-topped bun), Ssuktteok Ssuktteok, chili sausage bread and more. I love the salt soboro at Mandong Jegwa, but I totally forgot it this time.
Another section has kaya toast, sweet potato bread, pretzels and more. So much good bread, right? You can see the price tags in the photos too.
The 4 breads I bought at Mandong Jegwa and their prices
I took 4 breads to the counter. Mandong Jegwa's bread is pretty heavy on its own, so carrying it home wasn't easy!
- Chestnut loaf ₩4,900
- Bacon ciabatta ₩4,900
- Red bean chestnut mugwort bread (Patbamssuk) ₩7,200
- Pumpkin ciabatta ₩6,200
While I was taking a proof photo outside, a pigeon gang chased me for bread, so I'm hurrying home to eat it!
How does Mandong Jegwa's bread taste? Everything was good, not just the chestnut loaf
Here are the Mandong Jegwa breads I brought home. They're so heavy I thought I was carrying a brick. Let's start the review with the chestnut loaf!
Mandong Jegwa chestnut loaf: packed with whole chestnuts
The Mandong Jegwa chestnut loaf was mostly chestnut. And whole chestnuts at that, which made it so good. The chestnuts inside aren't candied, so it didn't taste artificial, which I liked. The loaf itself was fluffier and tastier than a Paris Baguet*e loaf, too. Officially a Seoul chestnut bread hotspot!
Pumpkin ciabatta: I tried a sample and bought it
Next is the Mandong Jegwa pumpkin ciabatta. I got it as a sample, and the soft cream cheese with the chewy bread went so well together that I bought it. The pumpkin on top was nicely sweet too, so I felt like I was even eating healthy.
Bacon ciabatta: salty crust, sweet-and-salty inside
I eat the Mandong Jegwa bacon ciabatta every now and then because it's so good. The salty crust especially has crazy savory depth. Inside there's bacon and cream cheese, so the sweet-and-salty charm really comes through. With milk it's perfect!
Patbamssuk (red bean chestnut mugwort bread): the sweet sugar-boost bread my dad likes
The last one I grabbed is called Patbamssuk (팥밤쑥). I bought it because my dad likes it. Think of it as a red bean bun with a mugwort-based injeolmi (rice cake) soboro crust, covered in chestnut-bean powder. It's really sweet. Still tasty, so I'd recommend it as an occasional sugar boost.
Yeonnam-dong bakery crawl: my overall verdict on Mandong Jegwa
It had been a while since I walked the Hongdae bakery crawl route. Thanks to Mandong Jegwa's tasty bread, I had a nice time with my family too. If you're looking for a Seoul chestnut bread spot, nowhere beats Mandong Jegwa, so stop by once!
Where it is
32 Yeonhui-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, South Korea서울특별시 서대문구 연희로 32
Mandong Bread Yeonnam: hours, menu and prices →
