# Hongdae brunch restaurant for Victoria French toast: MELA

- By Jihye (https://superchart.com/en/@seoul-napkin-fold-2/)
- Written Sep 12, 2026
- Local places › Restaurants › Mapo, Seoul
- Sponsored: This post was written with support for a visit to the restaurant.
- English edition: https://superchart.com/en/@seoul-napkin-fold-2/hongdae-victoria-french-toast-mela/
- Also in: [한국어](https://superchart.com/ko/@seoul-napkin-fold-2/hongdae-victoria-french-toast-mela/index.md)

## In short

MELA Hongdae is an Italian home-style brunch café in Mapo, Seoul. My wife and I had mushroom poached-egg avocado salad, minari vongole, and Victoria French toast for weekend lunch. Verdict: a polished, spacious choice for a calm date or invitation gathering.

## Good to know

- **Address**: 105, 1F, 41 World Cup buk-ro 5-gil, Mapo-gu, Seoul, South Korea (서울 마포구 월드컵북로5길 41 1층 105호)
- **Hours**: Daily 09:00–18:30
- **Last order**: 18:00
- **Parking**: Parking in the building; first hour free
- **Parking fee**: ₩2,000 for the first 30 minutes thereafter; ₩800 per additional 10 minutes
- **Morning menu**: 09:00–11:00: Morning French Toast and M Platter

*as written by the visitor on Sep 12, 2026*

Step just a little away from Hongdae’s bustling main streets and you’ll find the Local Stitch building in Seogyo-dong, where you can fully enjoy a calm, comfortable atmosphere. My wife and I went to MELA Hongdae, with its red apple logo that had caught my eye every time I passed by, for weekend lunch.

The chef, a culinary researcher trained at the Italian cooking school ICIF, developed the recipes personally to capture the spirit of authentic Italian home cooking. The food was excellent, of course, but the spacious, pleasant room was so good that I regretted not coming sooner. Here’s my story of MELA Hongdae, a standout brunch café that was perfect both for an unhurried date and for treating people you care about! 🏃♂️

## MELA Hongdae hours and parking

- Address: 105, 1F, 41 World Cup buk-ro 5-gil, Mapo-gu, Seoul, South Korea (서울 마포구 월드컵북로5길 41 1층 105호)
- Hours: Daily 09:00–18:30 / last order at 18:00
- Parking: Available in the building; first hour free
- After that: ₩2,000 for the first 30 minutes / ₩800 per additional 10 minutes

![MELA Hongdae hours and parking information](https://img.superchart.com/images/hongdae-victoria-french-toast-mela/hongdae-victoria-french-toast-mela-01-hiqqp-768.webp)

![MELA Hongdae location and parking information](https://img.superchart.com/images/hongdae-victoria-french-toast-mela/hongdae-victoria-french-toast-mela-02-4glkl-768.webp)

## A stylish interior made for photos

Highly recommended for an invitation gathering!

![Stylish interior at MELA Hongdae](https://img.superchart.com/images/hongdae-victoria-french-toast-mela/hongdae-victoria-french-toast-mela-03-1i7ss-768.webp)

![A dining space ideal for commemorative photos](https://img.superchart.com/images/hongdae-victoria-french-toast-mela/hongdae-victoria-french-toast-mela-04-b8i3n-768.webp)

The moment we stepped inside, the stylish little decorative touches caught our attention. Thanks to the wonderful lighting, it was a space where photos with friends or a partner came out beautifully, almost like a studio.

In particular, lush bushes show through the large grid-pattern window filling one wall, while yellow tulips along the windowsill add a bright, warm feeling.

![Grid window and yellow tulips in the dining space](https://img.superchart.com/images/hongdae-victoria-french-toast-mela/hongdae-victoria-french-toast-mela-05-2rmdu-768.webp)

![Warm interior with bushes visible by the window](https://img.superchart.com/images/hongdae-victoria-french-toast-mela/hongdae-victoria-french-toast-mela-06-1tgv1-752.webp)

There was generous space between tables and plenty of seats, so I loved the open feel. Near Hongdae, it is not easy to find somewhere with convenient parking, lots of room, and great food all at once.

I think it would be an absolutely perfect choice for an invitation gathering (cheongmo), where couples about to marry host acquaintances, or for a small group get-together.

![Dining seats with generous spacing between tables](https://img.superchart.com/images/hongdae-victoria-french-toast-mela/hongdae-victoria-french-toast-mela-07-1msrz-768.webp)

![Spacious room suited to an invitation gathering](https://img.superchart.com/images/hongdae-victoria-french-toast-mela/hongdae-victoria-french-toast-mela-08-bsho2-768.webp)

## Brunch menu and bakery

![Pasta and toast brunch menu](https://img.superchart.com/images/hongdae-victoria-french-toast-mela/hongdae-victoria-french-toast-mela-09-117h3-959.webp)

![Varied brunch menu selection](https://img.superchart.com/images/hongdae-victoria-french-toast-mela/hongdae-victoria-french-toast-mela-10-1y03p-966.webp)

Opening the menu reveals a varied brunch lineup, from pasta and salads to toast-based dishes. From 9:00 to 11:00, they offer the good-value Morning French Toast and M Platter, but unfortunately we arrived at exactly 11, so we’ll have to save the morning set for next time.

Instead, we ordered the signature Victoria French Toast, fragrant minari vongole, and mushroom poached-egg avocado salad as an appetizer—the kind of dishes that let you glimpse what this place is really about.

![Ordered French toast and vongole dishes](https://img.superchart.com/images/hongdae-victoria-french-toast-mela/hongdae-victoria-french-toast-mela-11-7iy9x-719.webp)

Beside the counter, I spotted tempting baked goods not listed on the menu, including croissants, apple custard pie, and pain au chocolat. Even without having a meal, it looked like a lovely place to visit like a regular café for coffee and bread.

![Bakery display beside the counter](https://img.superchart.com/images/hongdae-victoria-french-toast-mela/hongdae-victoria-french-toast-mela-12-1dm4j-768.webp)

![Croissants and other baked goods](https://img.superchart.com/images/hongdae-victoria-french-toast-mela/hongdae-victoria-french-toast-mela-13-l6c0a-768.webp)

![Apple custard pie from the bakery](https://img.superchart.com/images/hongdae-victoria-french-toast-mela/hongdae-victoria-french-toast-mela-14-wgm1d-768.webp)

![Bread to enjoy with coffee](https://img.superchart.com/images/hongdae-victoria-french-toast-mela/hongdae-victoria-french-toast-mela-15-1ggh4-768.webp)

![Baked goods suited to a café visit](https://img.superchart.com/images/hongdae-victoria-french-toast-mela/hongdae-victoria-french-toast-mela-16-lwus2-768.webp)

![Brunch dishes served on the table](https://img.superchart.com/images/hongdae-victoria-french-toast-mela/hongdae-victoria-french-toast-mela-17-14hkv-1200.webp)

Thankfully, we came before the rush, so our food was served quickly. Each dish arriving at the table sent out a fragrant smell that whetted our appetites.

## Mushroom poached-egg avocado salad

![Mushroom poached-egg avocado salad](https://img.superchart.com/images/hongdae-victoria-french-toast-mela/hongdae-victoria-french-toast-mela-18-x04j9-768.webp)

![Avocado salad topped with mushrooms and a poached egg](https://img.superchart.com/images/hongdae-victoria-french-toast-mela/hongdae-victoria-french-toast-mela-19-1uwyw-768.webp)

This was the salad that really got our appetites going first. The substantial flavor of quality olive oil and the pleasing acidity of balsamic dressing coated the fresh greens perfectly.

The temperature balance was especially impressive. Fresh leafy greens came topped generously with just-grilled warm, chewy mushrooms and crisp croutons, spreading a deep nuttiness. When you gently broke the poached egg with a fork, its rich yolk flowed out and blended with the dressing, wrapping the whole dish in an even softer, more refined flavor. With avocado ripened just right and melting like butter in the mouth, it was an appetizer with all the fundamentals of a great salad.

## How was the minari vongole?

![Minari vongole pasta](https://img.superchart.com/images/hongdae-victoria-french-toast-mela/hongdae-victoria-french-toast-mela-20-1u3p6-768.webp)

![Minari vongole made with thick noodles](https://img.superchart.com/images/hongdae-victoria-french-toast-mela/hongdae-victoria-french-toast-mela-21-ure6h-768.webp)

My wife’s top pick—and the dish that completely shattered my prejudice that fusion pasta can be awkward! They used noodles plumper and thicker than usual pasta, something like linguine, and the cooking level was perfect for these thick noodles, which can easily end up either hard in the center or too soft. Every bite had such a good texture and just the right amount of sauce absorbed into it.

The clean, deep seafood broth drawn from the clams, joined by the fragrant, crisp texture of fresh minari (water parsley), made it feel as though spring had poured into my mouth. The minari’s flavor, which could easily have stood apart, blended gently with the vongole sauce instead of fighting it—a sign, I thought, of the chef’s skill. And the pleasant hint of spice at the end cut straight through the richness typical of oil pasta. It was a pasta bursting with umami that any Korean would scrape to the last drop.

## Today’s best: Victoria French Toast

![Victoria French toast with fruit and cream](https://img.superchart.com/images/hongdae-victoria-french-toast-mela/hongdae-victoria-french-toast-mela-22-16ywv-768.webp)

This was my pick for the best dish of the day! I usually think, “Isn’t French toast better when you just grill sliced bread at home?” But this bread was on a completely different level.

The egg mixture had soaked moistly all the way into the thick bread, so it melted softly like pudding as soon as it entered the mouth. The more I chewed, the more the bread’s own subtle nutty flavor came through, so it never became cloying. What gave it an extra kick was the sweet-tart raspberry sauce and the interplay of temperatures.

The tartness of the raspberry sauce refreshingly washed away the sweetness of the potentially heavy whipped cream, while the banana, mango, and blueberry flesh added varied textures. In particular, I loved the sensation when the freshly baked warm bread met the cold whipped cream and fruit in my mouth—pure magic. It was a thrilling, happy food experience, like drinking a cold beverage under a warm blanket on a winter day.

## Weekend brunch at MELA in Seogyo-dong

Brunch at MELA Hongdae in Seogyo-dong was healing from start to finish, thanks to the varied flavors lingering in my mouth and the atmosphere of the stylish space. This is a place that proves, dish by dish, why it has become a talked-about Hongdae brunch spot.

There were so many dishes still on the menu that I wanted to try—salmon eggs Benedict, eggplant gratin, and baby-potato basil gnocchi—that I will absolutely return on our next date. Though I’m pretty sure we’ll order the Victoria French Toast for dessert again then, too! Haha.

I wholeheartedly recommend MELA in Seogyo-dong to anyone who wants a relaxed meal in a calm, pretty space away from hectic Hongdae, without parking worries—especially anyone looking for a thoughtful venue for an invitation gathering!

![The end of a brunch meal at MELA Hongdae](https://img.superchart.com/images/hongdae-victoria-french-toast-mela/hongdae-victoria-french-toast-mela-23-tmtcw-768.webp)

## Where it is

- MELA Hongdae (멜라 홍대점)
- 105, 1F, 41 World Cup buk-ro 5-gil, Mapo-gu, Seoul, South Korea (서울 마포구 월드컵북로5길 41 1층 105호)
- 서울특별시 마포구 월드컵북로5길 41 1층 105호
- 37.5561238, 126.9167212
- Google Maps: https://www.google.com/maps/search/%EB%A9%9C%EB%9D%BC%20%ED%99%8D%EB%8C%80%EC%A0%90/@37.5561238,126.9167212,17z

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