Mangwon coffee shop for post-lunch iced americanos: PICT Roastery

Maybe it was the light drizzle, but the air felt especially soft and mild that lunchtime. After eating a hearty meal with my husband, we stopped by PICT Roastery Mangwon Branch, a Mangwon-dong café I'd been curious about ever since being selected for their reviewer program. We wanted a relaxed afternoon with coffee that smelled of fresh beans and something sweet on the side.

Finding PICT Roastery Mangwon Branch: a semi-basement door in a red brick building

PICT Roastery Mangwon Branch sits in a tidy red brick building tucked into an alley off Wolgyeong-ro 23-gil in Mapo-gu. Walking down the alley, the red brick facade catches your eye first. Through the big picture windows, the cozy interior glows softly, and toast posters and a cute character mirror on the wall make for a nice photo spot. Even the stairs leading down to the semi-basement entrance had their own charm, and I was already excited before stepping inside.

Inside PICT Roastery: warm wood tones and quiet seating

Stepping inside PICT Roastery Mangwon Branch, the bright ivory walls and wooden tables gave the space a cozy, comfortable feel. Even though there were quite a few customers right after lunchtime, it stayed calm rather than noisy. On one side, a neatly organized self-service bar with cold water and napkins made things very convenient.

The menu board and bean tasting zone at PICT Roastery

In front of the counter was a neatly organized menu board listing coffee, drinks and desserts. True to its reputation as a well-known Mangwon-dong coffee shop, there was also a nicely arranged bean sample zone where you could check out and smell the different bean varieties. Lots of people around us were having the signature aged French toast, but since we'd eaten way too much for lunch, after some deliberation we ordered two americanos and a pistachio tiramisu instead.

First look at the two iced americanos and pistachio tiramisu

Our two iced americanos and pistachio tiramisu arrived neatly arranged on a tray. On top of the mugs, printed with a cute fox character logo, floated dark espresso crema and ice, looking incredibly refreshing just to see. The tiramisu, served on a neat silver plate, showed off its pale green cream topped generously with crushed pistachio pieces.

How does the pistachio tiramisu taste? Nutty cream, moist sponge

Looking closer, the pistachio cream layer was thick and looked quite dense. Coarsely chopped nuts were scattered generously on top, sending a subtle nutty aroma my way. It wasn't overly sweet, and the natural pistachio flavor seemed to run richly through the cream.

When I carefully scooped up a bite with my fork, the sponge layer underneath had soaked up plenty of coffee syrup and was really moist. The soft cream and fluffy sponge melted together beautifully in my mouth. The crunchy nut bits scattered throughout kept things interesting texture-wise. One bite of the sweet dessert followed by a sip of the bitter iced americano washed away the heaviness of lunch — a really satisfying combination.

Plate cleared, and the aged French toast saved for next time

Chatting with my husband, we ended up finishing both iced americanos down to just the ice. I scraped the dessert plate clean too — the cream was so light and clean it never felt cloying, even to the last bite. The coffee was excellent and the dessert quality was satisfying too, so I felt like we'd truly found a great Mangwon-dong coffee shop. Next time we come back, I'll eat a lighter lunch so we can finally try the aged French toast we were too full for this time.

Who will enjoy PICT Roastery Mangwon Branch

• ⭐Anyone who wants to try specialty coffee full of fresh bean aroma
• ⭐Anyone who loves rich, nutty pistachio desserts
• ⭐Anyone who wants to chat in a calm, warm space

PICT Roastery Mangwon Branch: address, hours and parking

• Name: PICT Roastery Mangwon Branch
• Address: 45 Wolgyeong-ro 23-gil, 1st Floor, Mapo-gu, Seoul, South Korea
• Hours: Wed–Fri 11:00–19:00, Sat–Sun 11:00–21:00
• Parking: Not available