Yeonnam-dong dessert café with Earl Grey fruit pancakes: Jam Jam

Today's story is about a little dinner-and-dessert outing my wife and I had together.

After dinner I was suddenly craving something sweet, haha, so we headed toward Yeonnam-dong to find a pretty café. Honestly, my wife and I used to come to Yeonnam-dong all the time when we were dating.

Remembering those days put me in a good mood for no real reason. This neighborhood always has a nice atmosphere and puts my mind at ease whenever we come back. This time we visited a place that's been popping up on social media a lot lately — the Yeonnam-dong brunch café Jam Jam (잼잼).

If you've been looking for a Yeonnam-dong café or a spot for Yeonnam-dong brunch, I hope you'll stick around to the end of this post.

Where is Jam Jam, and what are the hours and parking?

• Address: 24 Seongmisan-ro 29-gil, B1, Mapo-gu, Seoul, South Korea
• Location: About a 10-minute walk from Hongik Univ. Station exit 3
• Hours: Weekdays 10:00–21:00 / Weekends 10:00–22:00
• Dog-friendly: Yes
• Parking: No dedicated space in front; use nearby Modeuui Parking or a public parking lot

Inside Jam Jam: the vintage basement look

Jam Jam is in the basement, and the moment we opened the door, what struck me was the vintage yet pretty interior. It wasn't over the top, but the little details everywhere showed real care.

The lighting was soft and the overall tone was warm, so just sitting there felt healing. It really lived up to being a Yeonnam-dong brunch café with a solid vibe.

Memories of wandering the Yeonnam-dong alleys back when we were dating came rushing back, and my wife and I looked at each other and got a little nostalgic, haha. Coming back to a sentimental Yeonnam-dong dessert café like this after so long brought back old memories and refreshed us — two birds with one stone.

What two people ordered at Jam Jam, and the prices

After going back and forth, we settled on three things: the fresh fruit pancake (₩15,000), blueberry ade (₩6,500), and Nutella milkshake (₩7,000). It was just the right amount for two people to share.

Blueberry ade, 6,500 won

Ade drinks are honestly kind of hit or miss. At other cafés I've had ones where the carbonation was way too strong or, on the flip side, just too sweet with no balance.

But here the balance was really good. It was the perfect moment for something fizzy and sweet right after dinner, and one sip in I found myself saying 'oh, this is good' out loud.

The blueberry flavor was strong and the carbonation wasn't overdone, so it was easy to drink all the way to the bottom.

Nutella milkshake, 7,000 won

This one really needs no explanation. Completely sweet and delicious.

The nutty, rich chocolate flavor of Nutella blended with the smoothness of the milk, and one sip in I felt happy.

It reminded me all over again why you should always order a shake at a dessert café.

Fresh fruit pancake, 15,000 won: the Earl Grey sauce is the kick

And now, today's star: the fresh fruit pancake. This was really, really delicious.

It was piled high with banana and fig, and the fruit itself was fresh and sweet, so I kept reaching for more. The pancake itself was so soft and moist. I cut off a bite with the cream and fruit together, and it practically melted.

I immediately wanted to come back for this pancake again. The only disappointing part was that we finished it all too quickly, ㅜㅜ.

But here's the real kicker: as we cut into the pancake, Earl Grey sauce slowly oozed out from inside.

I was a little surprised at first, but once I tasted it, it was a total masterstroke. Pancakes can easily end up being just plain sweet, but the subtle aroma and slight bitterness of Earl Grey cut the overall sweetness cleanly.

I thought to myself — this is exactly the kind of small detail that takes a dessert to the next level.

Is Jam Jam worth an evening dessert stop in Yeonnam-dong?

Jam Jam, the Yeonnam-dong brunch café we visited today, was great on every front — the atmosphere and the menu both.

The blueberry ade had a great balance of carbonation and sweetness, and the Nutella vanilla shake was intensely sweet,

and the fresh fruit pancake completely won me over with that Earl Grey sauce alone.

If you're looking for a Yeonnam-dong café or a Yeonnam-dong brunch spot, this one is worth a visit. It's dog-friendly too, so it's a nice place to stop by on an outing with your pup.

If we ever come back to Yeonnam-dong, the neighborhood tied to so many memories from our dating days, I think we'll stop by here again and polish off a plate of that pancake.