Little Cup Wanderer · 25 stories

Small Coffee Stops

I write about cafés I visit around Seoul. · Writes about: Cafés · Restaurants · Hair & beauty salons · Bars

PlaceJungnang, SeoulRestaurants

Sangbong baby octopus restaurant, cheesy weeknight dinner: Joajukne

Joajukne Jjukkumi (조아죽네쭈꾸미) is a baby octopus (jjukkumi) restaurant in the Sangbong food alley near Exit 3 of Sangbong Station in Jungnang, Seoul. On a weekday at 7:30 p.m., we ordered two servings of the Cheese-Loaded Nunchi Jjukkumi (18,900 won per serving): big baby octopus in a clean, spicy sauce said to be made from 26 ingredients, eaten with perilla leaves, pickled radish wraps, flying fish roe and mayo sauce. With well-prepared side dishes, dessert and attentive staff, Joajukne Jjukkumi is a solid baby octopus spot near Sangbong Station.

Written Nov 14, 2026Sponsored
PlaceDongdaemun, SeoulCafés

Cheongnyangni Station café for a fruit lunchbox set: Yellow Farm

Yellow Farm Cheongnyangni Station branch is a fresh-fruit franchise café on the ground floor of a shopping arcade right by Exit 6 of Cheongnyangni Station in Dongdaemun, Seoul. The writer ordered the Yellow Farm latte (₩6,000) and the fruit & sandwich set (1 sandwich, ₩9,000), and was happy with the sweet condensed-milk latte, the generous seasonal fruit and the Cheongyang chili egg sandwich with apple inside. Yellow Farm Cheongnyangni Station branch suits anyone near Cheongnyangni Station who wants a light meal from a fruit lunchbox.

Written Apr 23, 2026Sponsored
PlaceMapo, SeoulRestaurants

Gongdeok salad shop: Konkuk-favorite smoked duck pasta box, Why Starve

Why Starve Diet Gongdeok Main Branch is a diet salad and protein box shop on basement level 1 of Lotte Castle President, near Exits 2 and 3 of Gongdeok Station in Mapo, Seoul. After enjoying the smoked duck pasta protein box (10,900 won) at a Why Starve branch near Konkuk University, the writer ordered it again at Why Starve Gongdeok Main Branch, eating one in the shop and taking one away, and found the smoked duck and mustard sauce pairing especially good. For a filling diet meal, the smoked duck pasta protein box at Why Starve Gongdeok Main Branch is a solid choice.

Written Apr 27, 2026Sponsored
PlaceMapo, SeoulHair & beauty salons

Gongdeok lash salon: week-long C-curl 11mm on weak lashes, Iyo Shop

Iyo Shop (이요샵) is a one-on-one custom eyelash salon in Unit 211 of the Park Palace 2 shopping arcade, near Exit 3 of Gongdeok Station in Mapo, Seoul. The writer booked Iyo Shop just one day ahead for C-curl 11mm lash extensions. Despite lashes weakened by years of extensions, the set still looked freshly done a week later. If your lash extensions never seem to last, Iyo Shop at Gongdeok Station is worth a look.

Written May 1, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSeongdong, SeoulCafés

Seongsu café for blind dates, groups of 8+: New York bear roll, LOOOP

LOOOP Bakery (LOOOP 루프) is a four-floor bakery café in Seongsu, Seoul, near Seongsu Station Exit 4 and right next to the Tirtir building. The writer stopped in for a break between pop-ups, ordering a latte (7,000 won) and a New York bear roll (8,000 won), and found a calm laptop-work mood on the 2nd floor and a group gathering on the 3rd floor. LOOOP Bakery is a Seongsu café that adapts to any group size or occasion, from studying and blind dates to gatherings of 8 or more.

Written Nov 9, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSeongdong, SeoulRestaurants

Seongsu burger joint: staff-pick shrimp & hair-tie self-bar, bd Burger

bd Burger Seongsu Station Yeonmujang-gil is a handmade burger joint on the 2nd floor of a building down an alley, a 6-minute walk from Exit 3 of Seongsu Station in Seoul. After browsing Seongsu pop-ups, the writer went with the staff recommendation and ordered the BD Grilled Shrimp Avocado set and the Double Cheese Burger set (18,900 won each), plus butter garlic fries and fried eggplant & button mushrooms. The flame-grilled shrimp tasted less greasy, and the self-serve bar even stocks hair ties and dental floss. If you can't decide on a shrimp burger, bd Burger Seongsu is a Seongsu Station burger spot where the staff pick is worth trusting.

Written Nov 6, 2026Sponsored
PlaceNowon, SeoulRestaurants

Tonkatsu in Gongneung: sweet potato cheese & icy soba, Jeongseong Katz

Jeongseong Katz Gongneung is a tonkatsu and Japanese-style katsu restaurant in Nowon, Seoul, an 8-minute walk from Gongneung Station Exit 2 near the Gongneung railway path and Gongneung Market. Two women shared the sweet potato cheese katsu set (14,900 won) and the icy cold soba with hire (tenderloin) katsu set, and were happy with the katsu packed with sweet potato mousse and cheese, the refreshing cold soba and the curry that comes with the set. At Jeongseong Katz Gongneung, the sweet potato cheese katsu is a must-order.

Written May 7, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangnam, SeoulRestaurants

Apgujeongnodeo Western spot, weekday highball & pasta: Eulji Darak

Eulji Darak Apgujeong Dosan Park (을지다락 압구정도산공원) is a second-floor Western restaurant in Gangnam, Seoul, a 5-minute walk from Apgujeongnodeo Station Exit 5, and you enter it by pulling open a bookshelf. On a weekday afternoon the writer ordered the spicy cream pasta (18,000 won) and an Earl Grey highball (8,900 won); the pasta, made with three cheeses and plump shrimp, stayed spicy enough that it never felt greasy to the last bite. Eulji Darak is a good pick for a relaxed daytime meal of pasta with a highball in Apgujeongnodeo.

Written May 12, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangnam, SeoulHair & beauty salons

Gangnam salon vintage C-curl perm for a grown-out bob: Choijin Hair

Choijin Hair Apgujeongnodeo flagship is a hair salon in Gangnam, Seoul, a 1-minute walk from Exit 5 of Apgujeongnodeo Station. Stuck in the awkward grown-out bob stage, the writer booked without choosing a designer and got a cut plus a C-curl vintage perm at Choijin Hair, which brought back volume at the back of the head, the crown and the bangs. Choijin Hair's C-curl vintage perm is a good choice for anyone who wants to get through a limp, flat grown-out bob with more volume.

Written May 14, 2026Sponsored
PlaceNowon, SeoulHair & beauty salons

Nowon hair salon volume bob perm for mom's thick hair: Yeum Hair

Yeum Hair Nowon District Office branch is a hair salon on the 2nd floor of the Starbucks building near Exit 7 of Nowon Station in Seoul. The writer's mother, who had thick, perm-free short hair, got a cut and a volume bob perm at Yeum Hair, and felt pampered thanks to the massage-chair spa zone and the floor-to-ceiling window view. Yeum Hair suits anyone who wants an easy-care bob perm with back volume that lifts without blow-drying.

Written Nov 3, 2026Sponsored
PlaceNamyangju, GyeonggiRestaurants

Byeolgaram Station seafood eatery, broth clam pot for 3: Wonhadeon

Sujakgye Wonhadeon Bada Byeollae Main Branch is a seafood restaurant specializing in steamed and grilled clams near Exit 3 of Byeolgaram Station in Namyangju, Gyeonggi. Three adult women shared a small broth clam pot (₩55,000, listed as serving 2) and seafood kalguksu (₩9,000), and the octopus, shrimp, abalone, scallops and dumplings in the pot nearly left them too full to move. Sujakgye Wonhadeon Bada is a good stop on a chilly day when you want a generous, brothy seafood meal.

Written Nov 2, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJeju, JejuRestaurants

Jeju Airport black pork BBQ, booked a return visit on Naver: Pork80

Pork80 Jeju Airport Branch (포크80 제주공항점) is a Nanchuk Matdon black pork BBQ restaurant on Noyeon-ro in Jeju City, about 9 minutes by car from Jeju International Airport. After enjoying an earlier visit, the writer booked on Naver and returned for the first meal of a Jeju trip, ordering 600g of Nanchuk Matdon for 72,000 won and yeolmu noodles (young radish kimchi noodles) for 8,000 won, while staff grilled the meat to the end so the table could focus on conversation. Pork80 Jeju Airport Branch suits travelers who want easy, no-wait black pork right after landing.

Written May 24, 2026Sponsored