Ethiopia bean comparison at a Yeonnam-dong coffee shop: Central Site

What kind of coffee shop is Central Site Yeonnam?

Walking around Yeonnam-dong, there are so many cafés that it's hard to decide where to go. This time I wanted something a little different from my usual coffee, so I stopped by Central Site Yeonnam.

If you're into coffee, this is a place worth keeping an eye on — and it's perfect for someone like me who also wants dessert alongside!

I felt like Central Site Yeonnam suits people who want to slowly savor the character and aroma of the beans rather than just drinking coffee as a beverage.

First-floor hand-drip bar and upstairs seating at Central Site Yeonnam

On the first floor you can pick your beans and watch the hand-drip process up close, and going upstairs leads to a space where you can sit more comfortably and chat.

These days, when I go looking for cafés in Yeonnam-dong, the mood and interior matter, but I feel like the places I keep coming back to are the ones where the coffee itself stays memorable.

Ethiopia Single Farmer vs Ethiopia Tamiru: two cups compared

So instead of regular coffee, I chose hand-drip. There were so many bean options I paused for a moment before picking — went with Ethiopia Single Farmer and Ethiopia Tamiru!

Just reading through the bean names one by one was fun in itself. It was interesting that even beans from the same country, Ethiopia, can leave a different impression depending on the processing method or growing region.

Slowly sipping a cup and noticing the difference in aroma and flavor is part of the charm of hand-drip coffee, I think.

Watching the coffee being brewed right in front of me felt different from coffee I usually drink at a café. Even the wait for a cup felt like part of the experience.

And it was nice visiting with a coffee-loving friend and comparing the beans we'd each picked.

These days when you search for cafés in Yeonnam-dong, there are plenty of pretty spaces, but a place where you can focus on the coffee like this has a different kind of appeal.

Central Site Yeonnam is a good place to go when you want to really taste and smell the coffee properly.

Classic tiramisu alongside the hand-drip coffee

There's also dessert that pairs well with the coffee. We went with the classic tiramisu.

Tiramisu is a dessert whose charm really comes alive when eaten with coffee. With the soft cream and moist sponge layered with a bitter coffee flavor, every bite naturally made me think of coffee.

It's not overly sweet, so it goes well alongside coffee. Take a sip of the drip coffee, then a bite of tiramisu, then coffee again — each flavor felt a little different each time, and I ended up savoring it slowly.

Good with a friend, and as a Yeonnam-dong date stop

Personally, I also liked the vibe of the space. Rather than being decorated too flashily, it has a mood where you can naturally focus on the coffee and the conversation, so it's comfortable both for meeting a friend to chat and for relaxing without any pressure.

It's a place where you can slowly talk while enjoying good coffee and dessert together, so it would fit naturally into a Hongdae-Yeonnam-dong date course. Especially if your date loves coffee, picking beans to match their taste adds even more fun.

If you're looking for a good-vibe café in Yeonnam-dong but don't want to compromise on the coffee, this is the place. When I'm choosing a café in Yeonnam-dong, I also look at what kind of coffee I can drink and whether there's dessert to go with it. By that standard, Central Site Yeonnam has been a satisfying visit every time.

Personally, I want to try other beans too, so I think I'll keep coming back whenever I'm craving good coffee. Even in the same space, choosing a different coffee can give you a completely different feeling.

This is a Yeonnam-dong café I'll think of again on a day when I want to properly enjoy the coffee itself, and not miss out on good dessert either.

Central Site Yeonnam address and opening hours

• Address: 29-1 Yeonhui-ro, Mapo-gu, Seoul, South Korea
• Hours: 08:00-22:00 (weekends 08:30-22:00)