Gangnam Station bakery: millefeuille & lemon sand, Bakerist Brown

Where is Bakerist Brown, and when does it open?

Bakerist Brown is a big café near Gangnam Station at 21 Gangnam-daero 102-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul. It runs from basement 1 up to the 3rd floor and opens at 11 a.m. The bakery is delicious and the coffee is great too.

Bakerist Brown sits between Gangnam Station and Sinnonhyeon Station, behind the CGV, in a lovely brick building. If you are hunting for a café around Gangnam Station, this one should help: pretty, great atmosphere, and the bakery is delicious too.

What is the atmosphere inside Bakerist Brown?

The interior is white with walnut tones and lots of bright natural light, and it photographs beautifully. I went around 12:30 on a Sunday, and there were lots of tables of foreign tourists enjoying bread and coffee as a late breakfast.

What breads are in the bakery display?

Cakes that need refrigeration are kept in the chilled showcase, while the other breads, baked cookies and pies are displayed outside it. The bakery items come in such a colorful range that the visual treat was overwhelming. From sweet to savory and salty, there is plenty to choose from, and picking to your taste is half the fun at Bakerist Brown.

What we ordered, light, right after lunch

• Gangnam Sand set (6 signature cookies)
• Millefeuille
• Black sesame latte
• Iced Americano

How is the Gangnam Sand different from sands in other regions?

We had just finished lunch, so we went with lighter desserts. The Gangnam Sand has various creams between moderately hefty cookies. When you travel around Korea, there are sandwich cookies led by Jeju's Maeum Sand, plus Damyang black garlic sand, Gangneung sand and more. The names are similar, but I'd say this one is on a whole other level!

The fillings inside the cookies vary in flavor and texture. I picked caramel first, and the thick, fudgy texture and deep caramel aroma were memorable. The filling also goes in in a wave pattern, so I could tell right away that delicacy matters a lot in making a Gangnam Sand.

How do the black sesame latte and iced Americano taste?

My drink pick at Bakerist Brown is the black sesame latte. It pairs a thick, nutty black sesame cream base with an espresso shot, and the cream isn't too sweet but nicely heavy, so the rich, nutty aftertaste lingers. Black sesame lattes are normally drunk without stirring, but personally I like to first catch the espresso aroma that sinks to the bottom and then stir it so the sesame cream spreads through the whole cup, so that's what I did.

The iced Americano has little acidity and a heavy body, which suited our taste perfectly. Maybe because I'm used to franchise coffee, I tend to prefer beans with a nutty flavor.

Is the millefeuille a good light dessert?

The millefeuille at Bakerist Brown is something I'd recommend to anyone looking for a light dessert. Berry jam and cream sit inside layers of crisply baked pastry. The pleasantly light, crackly texture is a joy, and the ratio of cream to jam and the sweetness were just right and well balanced.

What are Gangnam Sands like after a night in the fridge?

In the café I only tasted the caramel Gangnam Sand. I took the rest home and had them separately as dessert after dinner that evening. I let them sit in the fridge until the cream firmed up, and my reaction was, "Oh my, what a taste!" The deep, heavy cream flavor was far more appealing than the cookie-cutter "OO sands" of tourist towns, and my favorite of all was the lemon-based sand.

Why I recommend Bakerist Brown as a café near Gangnam Station and Sinnonhyeon Station

If you are looking for a café near Gangnam Station and Sinnonhyeon Station, I recommend Bakerist Brown because of its good natural light, its inviting spacious interior, and its delicious bakery and drinks.

A café is a place to enjoy drinks and desserts, but sometimes the joy comes from simply savoring the space itself. Bakerist Brown has charming brick walls, an outdoor terrace vibe, and a refreshing mood from the white and walnut tones. If you want a good café around Gangnam Station, I recommend Bakerist Brown.