Terrace bistro in Seochon, Seoul: autumn Crémant lunch at Teen Seoul

Where is Teen Seoul and what does it look like from outside?

Teen Seoul is a European-style bistro tucked into a Seochon alley, about a 4-minute walk from Gyeongbokgung Station Exit 2. There are outdoor tables by the entrance and an outdoor terrace on the second floor.

With cool breezes in the morning and evening, you can feel autumn arriving all at once. On this day I went to Seochon for an autumn outing with a friend. Strolling slowly through the alleys, the sky was clear and blue and the breeze was lovely, so I was in a great mood. And then, deep in a Seochon alley, we found a European-style bistro: Teen Seoul.

Teen Seoul is about a 4-minute walk from Gyeongbokgung Station Exit 2, so it's easy to reach. Its European-style exterior blends naturally into Seochon, as if a little European restaurant had settled in among the old alleys.

There are outdoor tables by the entrance and a terrace on the second floor, so on a nice day it looked like a great place to eat outside.

Overall, Teen Seoul felt like a space that melts into the Seochon alleys while still having a slightly different vibe.

There's no parking, so I recommend public transport. Reservations are possible, and Wi-Fi and group seating are available. Corkage is also possible for a fee.

What is the second-floor interior of Teen Seoul like?

Teen Seoul has two floors, and the second floor is a gallery-like space with chandeliers, paintings and objets. We were shown up to the second floor.

The first thing that caught my eye when I got upstairs was the chandelier, which adds an elegant touch.

Under the softly glowing lights, paintings and decorative pieces were placed here and there, and it felt a bit like being in a small gallery or museum.

Wood-toned furniture and gentle lighting made it feel warm yet refined, and with the paintings and objets added, the space felt both European and artistic.

Visiting at lunchtime, the warm natural light coming in made the space feel even more relaxing.

A warm space created by chandeliers and artwork

What can you see from Teen Seoul's second-floor terrace?

From Teen Seoul's second-floor terrace, you can look down on Seochon's signature hanok (traditional Korean house) tile roofs. On a nice day, I definitely recommend a seat on the second-floor terrace!!

And the biggest stroke of luck that day was that there was a seat on the second-floor terrace. The weather was so good that I wanted to eat outside if possible, and there happened to be a spot, so we were guided to an outdoor table.

Sitting down and looking around, a blue autumn sky spread out in front of us and the tile roofs of Seochon were visible behind my chair. Enjoying pasta and wine at a European bistro while looking at old hanok roofs of Seochon. That combination matched much better than I expected.

Even though we were in the middle of Seoul, it felt like a little trip. With the autumn sun and cool breeze, I was glad we chose the outdoor table over the indoor seats.

The restroom was also clean and cozy.

What style is Teen Seoul's menu and what did we order?

Teen Seoul is a European bistro serving fresh pasta, steak, fish dishes and more. That day we ordered steak frites, grilled prawn linguine, grilled sourdough and two glasses of sparkling wine.

Teen Seoul's menu was a little different from an ordinary Italian restaurant centered on pasta. It's a European bistro style where you can enjoy fresh pasta along with steak, fish dishes and more!

I heard that Teen Seoul was opened in Seochon by a chef with experience at well-known hotels in Korea and a graduate of Le Cordon Bleu, known as one of the world's top three culinary schools. The chef worked as sous chef at Quay, a three-hat restaurant in Sydney, Australia, and Rockpool, a two-hat restaurant in Melbourne, then as head chef at the Finnish Embassy in Korea!! Australia's "hat" is known as a concept for rating restaurants, similar to Michelin stars. Perhaps because of that, every dish felt a little more delicately put together.

• Steak frites 180g / ₩38,000
• Grilled Prawns Linguine / ₩26,000
• Grilled Sourdough / ₩4,000
• Glass Wine - Sparkling / ₩16,000 × 2

Sparkling wine by the glass: Crémant de Bordeaux

The first thing to arrive at Teen Seoul was the glass of sparkling wine (₩16,000), a French Crémant de Bordeaux from Maison Castel. A chilled glass of sparkling wine at the outdoor table with the tile roofs in view. It matched the mood of the day perfectly.

The wine we ordered was MAISON CASTEL, FRANCE, CRÉMANT DE BORDEAUX. Holding the glass and looking at the view was so pretty that I was already in a good mood before the food even arrived.

The fizzy bubbles and clean taste went well with lunch too. A glass of sparkling wine sipped slowly on the terrace in the cool autumn breeze. It was fresh and so good.

A table spread under the autumn sky of Seochon

On the Teen Seoul terrace table, two glasses of sparkling wine came first, followed by the steak frites, grilled prawns linguine and warmly grilled sourdough. Sitting under the blue autumn sky with the Seochon tile roofs in view, the food began arriving one dish after another.

Once everything was on the table, it felt like a wonderful meal just to look at. Best of all, the scenery beyond the food fits into a single photo. French sparkling wine on the table of a European bistro, and beyond it the old tile roofs of Seochon. It was really impressive. Tasty food, a glass of wine, and autumn scenery.

How was the grilled sourdough?

Teen Seoul's Grilled Sourdough (₩4,000) is grilled sourdough bread served with butter. The outside is slightly crisp, and the inside is plain and chewy.

With a little butter spread on, the nutty flavor came out even more. It's nice as a light bite before the meal, and I liked the plain, nutty taste that builds as you chew. Eaten with sparkling wine, even a piece of bread felt like a rather classy appetizer.

Teen Seoul steak frites: doneness and taste

Teen Seoul's Steak frites 180g (₩38,000) comes with a Black Angus chuck flap steak and crisply fried fries. I ordered it medium.

The steak, ordered medium, had a decent thickness, and I could really feel the juices in the first bite. Even though it was thick, it wasn't overcooked inside, and the moist, tender medium doneness was just right. I was satisfied.

The appetizing look of the steak matched the mood of the day so well. A sip of wine, a bite of steak, and crispy fries on the side. Great combo!

In the first bite, the outside was nicely browned with a faint smoky grill flavor, and the inside was moist and tender, which I liked. The nutty flavor typical of chuck flap and the right amount of juice stayed intact, so the more I chewed, the richer the taste of the meat itself.

The fries on the side were crisp outside and fluffy inside, just right to eat with the steak.

Teen Seoul grilled prawn linguine: how is the prawn bisque sauce?

Teen Seoul's Grilled Prawns Linguine (₩26,000) is a pasta made with fresh linguine topped with grilled prawns and a prawn bisque sauce. It was one of the dishes I really enjoyed that day.

It's a fresh linguine pasta with prawns, and above all the flavor of the sauce was impressive.

The deep, rich savoriness of the prawn bisque sauce was so good! If I had to describe it, it was like a luxuriously refined shrimp stew (saeutang)!! The prawn flavor was strong yet not overwhelming with the fresh noodles, and it blended softly in the mouth.

The fresh linguine had a soft, chewy texture different from ordinary dried noodles. The fresh noodles and sauce went together so well that my friend and I both enjoyed it a lot.

With the grilled prawns on top, the plating was quite pretty too! The plump grilled prawns were also so tasty! If you love prawns, I totally recommend Teen Seoul's Grilled Prawns Linguine!!

Would I recommend Teen Seoul for an autumn lunch in Seochon?

If you want a lunch with wine in Seochon on a cool autumn day, I recommend Teen Seoul's second-floor terrace. Seochon alleys, hanok roofs, a terrace, and sparkling wine with perfect steak and pasta. It would have felt different if it hadn't been autumn, but on this day with its cool breeze, even the weather was perfect.

Delicious food, a pretty space, and time with a good person. These three came together naturally in a lovely autumn lunch in Seochon. I think the time I spent at Teen Seoul will stay in my memory all through this autumn. If you want to feel autumn in Seochon, I recommend Teen Seoul, a Western restaurant near Gyeongbokgung Station!!