Nowon department store café to share two drinks: Jeong Ji-young

I went shopping at Lotte Department Store Nowon, and as someone who loves coffee, I couldn't just walk past a café I spotted there.

Jeong Ji-young Coffee Roasters on basement 1 of the Lotte Department Store Nowon food hall

While at Lotte Department Store Nowon, I came across Jeong Ji-young Coffee Roasters, known as a coffee hotspot! It's a local coffee brand that actually started in Haenggung-dong (행궁동), Suwon, and I could feel that distinct local-brand atmosphere even inside a department store, so I happily went right in.

I was glad to learn it's a local coffee brand based in Haenggung-dong, Suwon, but that I could still meet it here at Lotte Department Store Nowon.

Even inside the department store, the cozy café atmosphere was well preserved, making it a nice spot to rest for a bit. Looking at the menu, I was drawn to an unusual name and ordered the coconut coffee.

True to a brand that roasts its own beans, the gentle smell of coffee was spreading softly throughout the store.

How does the coconut coffee taste?

Looking at the menu at Jeong Ji-young Coffee Roasters Nowon, I was drawn to the unusual name and ordered the coconut coffee. Taking a sip, the nutty, smooth flavor unique to coconut blended really well with the coffee for a distinctive taste.

It felt a bit more exotic than a regular latte, so I'd recommend it to anyone wanting to try something new.

The sweetness wasn't overdone, and the coconut aroma balanced nicely with the coffee's bitterness, making it easy to keep drinking.

Trying the blueberry yogurt smoothie

Curious about something refreshing besides coffee, I also ordered the blueberry yogurt smoothie.

The sweet-tart blueberry flavor blended well with the yogurt's soft tang, making it enjoyable like a dessert. The crushed ice texture was soft yet refreshing, perfect for hot weather.

Coconut coffee vs blueberry yogurt smoothie

The coconut coffee has a nutty, exotic charm, while the blueberry yogurt smoothie has a refreshing, cooling charm — if you're visiting with company, splitting the two and comparing them would be a lot of fun.

Coffee beans and drip bags on the shelves

Looking around the store, I noticed bags of coffee beans and drip bags on display.

I liked that beyond drinking in-store, they also sell drip bags so you can enjoy the coffee comfortably at home.

I've always wanted to brew my favorite café's beans at home, and thanks to the drip bag format, I could buy some without any pressure and take them home — they'd also make a nice gift.

A shopping break at Lotte Department Store Nowon

The location made it easy to access for a break while shopping. It felt special to be able to encounter a local Suwon brand from Haenggung-dong here in Nowon, and true to its reputation as a coffee hotspot, I could really feel the care put into each menu item.

Jeong Ji-young Coffee Roasters was a Nowon coffee spot in the Lotte Department Store food hall where you can enjoy everything from unusual drinks like coconut coffee to refreshing ones like the blueberry yogurt smoothie.

I'd recommend it to anyone who wants to experience a local Suwon Haenggung-dong coffee brand firsthand, or to anyone looking to try a new kind of coffee menu.