Window Seat Scribe · 62 stories

Seoul Cafe Notes

I write first-hand notes on cafes around Seoul. · Writes about: Cafés · Restaurants · Bars · Hair & beauty salons

PlaceJung-gu, SeoulCafés

City Hall Station cake café: crunch choco ball cake, Center Coffee

Center Coffee Gwanghwamun (센터커피 광화문점) is a specialty coffee and dessert café on the B1 level of SFC Mall on Sejong-daero, Jung-gu, Seoul. During an errand at SFC Mall, the writer ordered an iced americano (5,400 won), an iced vanilla latte (6,500 won) and a crunch choco ball cake (8,500 won), and was struck by the spacious, quiet wood-toned room and the nutty, low-acidity coffee. For a café near City Hall Station and Gwanghwamun with easy parking and good desserts, Center Coffee Gwanghwamun is a safe choice.

Written Jun 4, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGoyang, GyeonggiRestaurants

Wondang Korean set meal for elders, bellflower refills: Kim Myeongju

Kim Myeongju Tteuranchae Bapsang (김명주뜰안채밥상) Wondang Station Branch is a hanok-style Korean set meal restaurant near Exit 1 of Wondang Station in Deogyang-gu, Goyang, Gyeonggi. To treat an older relative, the writer ordered the 13,000 won Tteuranchae Bapsang with an added charcoal-grilled pork dish, which came with 12 healthy side dishes, stone pot rice and refillable cheonggukjang (fermented soybean stew). Kim Myeongju Tteuranchae Bapsang is an affordable, old-fashioned setting for treating elders to a meal.

Written Jun 6, 2026Sponsored
PlaceMapo, SeoulRestaurants

Hongdae clam grill for a date, special-sauce scallops: Hawaii Clam

Hawaii Clam Hongdae Branch is a grilled clam and clam hotpot restaurant on basement level 1, next to Hongik Culture Park (Hongdae Playground) in Mapo, Seoul. The Hawaii clam grill set for two (₩53,800) brought special-sauce scallops, squid and scallop adductors to the grill, and the meal finished with unlimited ramen cooked in the free mussel soup. With its stylish atmosphere and generous portions, Hawaii Clam Hongdae Branch is a satisfying clam grill spot for a couple's date in Hongdae.

Written Jun 7, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangneung, GangwonRestaurants

Gyeongpodae sashimi restaurant, a local friend's pick: Samsami-ne

Samsami-ne Gyeongpodae Main Branch (삼삼이네 경포대본점) is an ocean-view sashimi restaurant in the lodging area by Gyeongpodae beach in Gangneung, Gangwon. On a Gangneung friend's recommendation, we came for an early dinner and had the value sashimi set for 2 (70,000 won) with mulhoe (cold raw fish soup); the generous spread, friendly service and sashimi wrapped in aged kimchi stood out. Samsami-ne proves that a sashimi restaurant in a tourist spot like Gyeongpodae doesn't have to be overpriced.

Written Jun 9, 2026Sponsored
PlaceGangneung, GangwonRestaurants

Gangneung tofu restaurant, healthy sides and kind staff: Jeong Eunsuk

Jeong Eunsuk Chodang Sundubu is a Chodang soft tofu (sundubu) Korean restaurant on Nanseolheon-ro near Gangmun Beach in Gangneung, run by Korean master chef Jeong Eunsuk. For breakfast, the writer ordered the Chodang Premium Table for 2, with sundubu hot pot, tofu samhap and spicy grilled kodari (half-dried pollock), and was especially impressed by the neat, healthy side dishes and friendly staff. Jeong Eunsuk Chodang Sundubu is a great Gangneung spot for a full-spread family breakfast, especially with older relatives.

Written Jun 10, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSeocho, SeoulRestaurants

Seoul Korean restaurant: post-trip bulgogi set and Spam, Bapjangin

Bapjangin Express Bus Terminal Branch (밥장인) is a Korean restaurant in the B1 food court of Express Bus Terminal Station in Seocho, Seoul. On an evening back from a trip, the writer ordered the solo set (kimchi stew, rice and bulgogi, 18,500 won) and 4 pieces of grilled Spam (6,000 won), mixed them into rice with seaweed flakes, and found the bulgogi plenty even for two. Bapjangin is a filling, revisit-worthy Korean meal right off the bus.

Written Jun 12, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSokcho, GangwonRestaurants

Sokcho market crab takeout: leak-free red crab innards, Yes Susan

Yes Susan (예스수산) is a red crab and snow crab takeout shop on the first floor of Sokcho Tourist & Fisheries Market (Sokcho Jungang Market) in Sokcho, Gangwon. The writer took a red crab lunchbox with 2 crabs (25,000 won) and a flying fish roe crab fried rice set (8,000 won) back to their accommodation, and Yes Susan had trimmed the crab carefully and plastic-wrapped the innards in the shell so nothing leaked. With free bag storage as well, Yes Susan is an easy place to pick up red crab to go on a Sokcho trip.

Written Jun 11, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSokcho, GangwonRestaurants

Sokcho market garlic dakgangjeong for two, soft next day: Seomin Gapbu

Seomin Gapbu Sijang Dakjip is a dakgangjeong (crispy glazed fried chicken) shop in the chicken alley of Sokcho Jungang Market in Sokcho, Gangwon. Right after arriving in Sokcho, the writer took away one box of mild garlic dakgangjeong (24,000 won) as a late-night beer snack and finished the leftovers the next day. The moderately sweet-spicy sauce with garlic topping never got tiresome and the chicken did not harden overnight, so the portion and value were both satisfying for a household of two.

Written Jun 11, 2026Sponsored
PlaceMapo, SeoulRestaurants

Hanwoo omakase in Gongdeok for a wedding anniversary: tteokgalbi, Usu

Usu is a hanwoo (Korean beef) omakase restaurant on basement level 2 of the Lotte Castle President arcade, connected to Gongdeok Station Exit 2 in Mapo, Seoul, where every seat is a private room. For a wedding anniversary, the writer had Usu's Dinner B course at ₩109,000 per person and was especially happy with the 1++ hanwoo tteokgalbi (grilled beef patty), the striploin set grilled on a personal grill and the friendly explanations at every course. Verdict: Usu is a recommended anniversary restaurant, and the writer has resolved to return every wedding anniversary.

Written Jun 5, 2026Sponsored
PlaceJung-gu, SeoulRestaurants

Chungmuro soba restaurant: ₩17,000 Soba Hansang set, Nagwon-ui Soba

Nagwon-ui Soba (낙원의소바) is a soba and bossam (boiled pork slices) restaurant on the 2nd floor near Chungmuro Station and Dongguk University in Jung-gu, Seoul. On a second visit, the writer ordered bossam (36,000 won) and the Soba Hansang set (17,000 won), which comes with half a pork cutlet and buckwheat soba. The generous bossam, springy soba noodles and neat side dishes were all satisfying. Nagwon-ui Soba has well-planned single-person sets for solo diners and roomy seating for group meals.

Written Oct 18, 2026Sponsored
PlaceSokcho, GangwonRestaurants

Sokcho snow crab restaurant for a car-free couple: A set, Sinhaeburi

Sinhaeburi Hoejip (신해불이횟집) is a raw fish and snow crab restaurant at Daepo Port in Sokcho, Gangwon, specializing in sashimi, snow crab and crab + sashimi sets. A couple traveling Sokcho by bus ordered the 150,000 won crab + sashimi A set just after a weekday lunch and got well over 10 side dishes, red tilefish and mulhoe (cold raw fish soup), a surprisingly big small-size snow crab, a generous mixed sashimi platter and crab shell fried rice. Verdict: for two people, the Sinhaeburi Hoejip A set is an easy way to enjoy snow crab and sashimi in one meal.

Written Jun 13, 2026Sponsored
PlaceDongdaemun, SeoulRestaurants

Galbitang at Hoegi Station with parents, barley snack bag: Hoegi Wang

Hoegi Wang Galbitang (회기왕갈비탕) is a galbitang (beef short rib soup) restaurant about 300m from Exit 1 of Hoegi Station in Dongdaemun, Seoul. Just after the lunch rush, the writer and their parents had the spicy galbitang (₩17,000) and the regular galbitang (₩16,000), enjoyed seasoned deodeok and house-made seokbakji (radish kimchi) from the self bar, finished with misugaru (roasted grain drink) and barley gangjeong (crunchy barley snack), then bought a bag of barley gangjeong for the parents. For a hearty meal with parents near Hoegi Station, the spicy galbitang at Hoegi Wang Galbitang is well worth trying.

Written Jun 15, 2026Sponsored