Gwanghwamun coffee shop for dark chocolate financier and decaf: Center

I heard Seoul City Hall's sky observatory was opening at night, so I figured I'd check it out on the way — but the sun hadn't set yet, so I decided to grab a coffee and wait. There's a pretty café in the basement of the SFC building on the way from Gwanghwamun Station to City Hall, so let's go check it out^^

Where is Center Coffee Gwanghwamun, and what are the hours?

Center Coffee Gwanghwamun is on B1 of the Seoul Finance Center (SFC) at 136 Sejong-daero, open every day — weekdays 07:30–21:00, weekends 11:00–21:00. Head down into the SFC basement on the way from Gwanghwamun Station toward Seoul City Hall and you'll find it right away.

This is the SFC (Seoul Finance Center) building. The interior felt almost hotel-like, with a nice scent and a classy vibe. There are both stairs and an escalator down to the basement, where you'll find plenty of restaurants and cafés.

[Center Coffee, a Gwanghwamun café] Hours weekdays 07:30 - 21:00 Hours weekends 11:00 - 21:00

There's no way I could walk past a coffee shop with 8 Blue Ribbons without going in. It's open every day, and since it opens early on weekdays, I'd guess a lot of people stop by to fuel up on coffee before work^^

Inside Center Coffee Gwanghwamun: the space and the drip bags

Center Coffee Gwanghwamun has an unusual store shape — it's a long, narrow space, and there were a lot of people working on laptops. It's a nice atmosphere for just sitting down and enjoying a simple coffee.

True to its Blue Ribbon reputation, they sell coffee bean drip bags, which would make a nice gift. Even the shopping bags and the interior lighting are pretty.

Ordering is done at the kiosk, and you get a pager to bring with you when you pick up your order.

Decaf at no extra charge at Center Coffee Gwanghwamun

This Gwanghwamun coffee spot brews their coffee carefully so you can enjoy even decaf with real flavor. As someone sensitive to caffeine, the fact that there's no extra charge for decaf makes it even more appealing to me.

There's a wide range of desserts too — cakes, financiers, pound cakes, and butter bars — plus sandwiches, so it also looks like a good spot to stop by for a simple lunch^^

I waited for my coffee while admiring this pretty Gwanghwamun café's coffee display. The space is so pretty that waiting doesn't feel like a chore. It made me a little envious of the people who get to work nearby~^^

Here's the iced americano and a slice of dark chocolate financier, served in clear glass cups. Since it was evening, I just wanted a quick taste before moving on~^^

Iced americano 5,400 won — decaf costs the same

[Iced Americano ₩5,400] My husband ordered a regular americano and I ordered decaf, and they were the same price. They laid a tissue under the decaf one so we could tell them apart.

There was a subtle crema on top, and after stirring it in and taking a sip, I got that particular sense of depth you get from really good coffee — you know the feeling? They clearly put a lot of care into balance, from bean selection to roasting to extraction, and it shows in how good the coffee tastes.

Decaf coffee usually has a bit of acidity, and even though I prefer a nuttier profile, this acidity wasn't sharp at all — it blended in harmoniously, and the coffee was really delicious. The regular americano had almost no acidity, so it was even easier to enjoy. Blue Ribbon places really are on another level^^

Dark chocolate baton financier, 4,900 won

[Dark Choco Bar Financier ₩4,900] The financier came with two cute forks. It's a long, bar-shaped piece, and the dark brown chocolate financier body is studded with chunks of chocolate, so it's pretty even just to look at.

With its long shape and firm look, I thought it might taste like a brownie, but it was really, truly a financier — which was a fun twist. The sweet chocolate and soft financier texture went really well together, and it'd be great to have a piece alongside your coffee.

Even the straw wasn't paper or plastic but some kind of naturally biodegradable, eco-friendly straw. Little touches like this make this Blue Ribbon café in Gwanghwamun even more likeable.

Center Coffee is a true coffee spot where even decaf comes with real depth of flavor! If you're out and about in Gwanghwamun, be sure to stop by for a cup~^^