Hongdae café in a converted house with a night terrace: Pip Espresso

My friend and I came to hang out in Yeonnam-dong haha~~ Yeonnam-dong has the Gyeongui Line Forest Trail and so many good restaurants and cafés! I love touring pretty Yeonnam-dong cafés, so I visited 'Pip Espresso Bar,' a spot full of atmosphere made by converting the first floor of a house~

There's also a lovely terrace space, and it looked perfect for sitting when the weather's nice haha. Let's get into the review!

Where Pip Espresso Bar is and when it opens

🚩Location: 250-3 Yeonnam-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul (744m from Hongik Univ. Station Exit 3) ⏰Hours: Daily 09:00–23:00 🚗Amenities & notes: Wi-Fi O, group seating O, takeout/delivery O, pet-friendly O

Here's the exterior of Pip Espresso Bar~~ It even had a Blue Ribbon sticker on it! It's an espresso bar, but they also have a solid lineup of non-coffee drinks and desserts, so it felt easy to drop by without pressure!

The terrace at Pip Espresso Bar feels like a European outdoor café

Right next door there's a pretty terrace seating area~~! Honestly, this exotic terrace vibe is exactly what drew me here haha. It really felt like being at an outdoor café in Europe ☺️

There was even a foreign guest enjoying a cold beer out here haha (besides coffee, they also sell cocktails and bottled beer!)

Inside Pip Espresso Bar: floor-to-ceiling windows and soft lighting

Stepping inside, there's a huge floor-to-ceiling window that gives a great sense of openness haha. Overall the lighting was calm and a bit dim, but that made the soft lighting feel really nice for the mood!

Thanks to the atmosphere, I thought this would be perfect for a Yeonnam-dong date course~~ It's a cozy space that's great for conversation ✨

Vintage lamps for sale, solo seats and the self-serve bar

There were so many atmospheric vintage lamps scattered around the café! Turns out they're actually for sale, and there was a sign that said 'if there's a lamp you'd like to try turning on, just let us know.'

If you find one you like, it's fun to actually turn it on and check it out haha. Thanks to the mood lamps, the café's atmosphere felt even more alive~~

There was also a solo-seat space that's easy to sit at alone~ It seemed great for people who enjoy café time solo or just want a quick break! On one side there was a neat self-serve bar with water and tissues, too haha.

After grabbing a seat, we went to order~~ There was also a neatly set-up self-serve bar by the window next to the ordering counter.

What to order at Pip Espresso Bar instead of coffee

Looking at the menu, they had the melon soda that's trendy these days, so I seriously debated for a while haha. But since we'd already had coffee, we ordered two cool glasses of peach mango ade instead~

Besides coffee, they also sold cocktails and bottled beer, and there were various pretty-looking seasonal desserts like cherry tiramisu and peach melba! Since we'd already eaten a filling dinner, we decided to go with a simple baked treat~

For financier flavors, there were classic, chocolate, lemon, macadamia, and coconut~ They all looked delicious so I went back and forth for a while before picking the nutty macadamia financier haha.

• Peach mango ade ₩8,000
• Macadamia financier ₩5,400

How does the peach mango ade taste?

✔ The peach mango had white bits settled at the bottom of the drink! When I sucked them up through the straw, they turned out to be chewy coconut jelly-like pieces, which made for fun texture~~

They paired really well with the sweet peach mango syrup, totally my type of drink 👍

How does the macadamia financier taste?

✔ When I went to cut the macadamia financier, they didn't give us a knife separately, so I broke it apart with a fork haha! They said they use gourmet butter, and the nutty butter scent blended beautifully with the macadamia flavor~ It also had a generous amount of crunchy macadamia bits inside.

There were even blankets! Such a thoughtful touch~~

Downsides and the verdict on Pip Espresso Bar

The restroom being outside was a bit of a downside! Still, the interior was really clean, and even the restroom had a nice atmospheric feel~~ They even had hand wash there haha.

✔ The mood is cozy and full of atmosphere, so it'd be satisfying whether you come with a partner, friends, or family! Next time I come back, I want to properly try their signature espresso or coffee menu.

✔ I especially recommend 'Pip Espresso Bar' to anyone looking for a Yeonnam-dong terrace café to enjoy the outdoor vibe on a nice day! Spending time on the terrace when it's cool out would feel amazing 👍