Hongdae, Seoul brunch café for minari vongole pasta: MELA

I visited MELA (멜라), an Italian home-style brunch café I came across while walking down a slightly more relaxed, quiet alley between Hongdae and Hapjeong!! I come to this area all the time, but I had absolutely no idea a place this pretty and full of atmosphere was tucked away here, haha.

I think I’ll be stopping by often whenever I want to set a mood or slow down on my days off~~

A quiet brunch spot between Hongdae and Hapjeong

Even before I stepped inside, the warm atmosphere gave me such a good first impression. Located between Hapjeong Station and Hongdae Station, it sits just far enough from the crowds and noise of the main streets to make it perfect for a calm stay.

The moment I walked in, I kept marveling because it genuinely felt like visiting a tiny, cozy European home-style restaurant~~ The interior is so charming and thoughtfully styled that every photo came out like a keeper, haha.

The space itself is so tranquil and comfortable that it would be great with friends, but I also thought it was perfect for a solo meal or café visit! The tables and chair heights are arranged very comfortably too, so it seemed genuinely nice for reading or getting some personal work done.

From brunch to breads and desserts

As I sat down and looked over the menu, there was such a wonderful range to choose from: dessert cakes, warm breads, croissants, cookies, brunch dishes, and satisfying meal options!!

And I learned one super-useful tip: they have a separate morning discount!! If you visit between 9:00 and 11:00 a.m., you can enjoy the French toast and M Platter at a slightly lower, friendlier price, haha. Next time, I’m determined to get moving early on a day off and enjoy brunch with the morning discount!

I heard that the recipes here were developed by a culinary researcher trained at ICIF, an Italian cooking school, and capture the warmth of authentic Italian home cooking. Rather than flashy or intense flavors, the aim is food made with good ingredients and lots of care—easy and comforting for anyone to enjoy!!

One signature dish is MELA’s chuck flap steak, said to be the meat dish most often ordered by people coming for a full meal thanks to its tender texture and deep flavor. Their ragu tteokbokki—tteokbokki (spicy rice cakes) paired with Italian-style ragu sauce—is another much-loved favorite, familiar but a little different, haha. If you want a proper brunch, eggs Benedict or the especially moist Victoria French toast would probably be fail-safe choices too.

Fresh minari made the vongole pasta so clean-tasting

After debating among all the delicious options, I was craving a refreshing broth, so I ordered the vongole pasta and classic French toast, with a cool iced Americano to drink! While I waited, the subtle smell of nutty bread and delicious pasta tickled my nose and had my mouth watering, haha.

At last, the dishes I’d been waiting for arrived on the table, and they were such a feast for the eyes even before I took a bite!! The vongole pasta was packed with fresh, plump Manila clams and white clams, so all that deep shellfish flavor had melted right into the oil. A generous pile of fragrant fresh minari (water parsley) on top cut through what could have been a rich oil pasta and brought a refreshing, clean flavor!

It had such a distinctive, clean flavor on another level from the vongole I usually eat; lifting up noodles and clams together was total heaven, haha.

Brioche French toast and coffee, together

Next up was the classic French toast. It was nutty on the outside and unbelievably soft inside, melting moistly in my mouth as soon as I took a bite!! It’s made with richly flavored brioche rather than regular sliced bread, and the more I chewed, the more luxurious buttery aroma filled my whole mouth.

Alongside the sweet, soft toast came golden bacon, fluffy potatoes, and a tender omelet, so it was a really satisfying plate. The balance of sweet and savory was absolutely perfect, so I just kept eating without getting tired of it; a sip of iced Americano now and then made the pairing work beautifully, haha.

The coffee’s characteristic bitterness and weight enhanced the sweet flavor of the French toast, letting me finish every last bite feeling so happy! Even after the meal, the room’s distinctive coziness meant I didn’t rush off—I stayed and rested comfortably for quite a while, savoring the unhurried moment.

Above all, the staff were so kind, keeping their smiles from beginning to end, that I felt wonderfully looked after the whole time. It was so satisfying to step away from a busy daily routine and have delicious Italian home-style food, desserts, and coffee all in one place!!

If you’re looking for an atmospheric date spot or a brunch café where you can have a little chat with friends you haven’t seen in ages, I really hope you’ll stop by at least once. I’d also very strongly recommend it to anyone wanting some peaceful solo time in a quiet setting, haha. I’m definitely planning to return soon to work my way through the other brunch dishes I missed this time, plus the sweet dessert cakes! It had been a while since I’d found a lovely space where atmosphere, flavor, and kindness came together so perfectly, and it kept me in such a good mood all day, haha.