Paju café with a shoes-off kids' zone and Big Brunch set: Brick Rouge

Paju is famous for having lots of great bakery cafés, right? Brick Rouge was one I'd long wanted to visit, having only heard about it through word of mouth. I was amazed by the sheer size, four floors of it, and then amazed again by how varied the menu is. If you're heading to Paju Book City, Paju Lotte Outlet, Unjeong or Imjingak, do stop by. You'll definitely come away refreshed.

Brick Rouge location, hours and parking

Brick Rouge is at 143 Jimok-ro, Paju-si, Gyeonggi, and is open daily 09:00–21:45. Last order is 20:30 for food and 21:00 for drinks and bakery, and parking is available.

True to its name ("red brick"), a big red brick building greets you. There are several spacious parking lots, so no hassle there.

The moment I stepped inside, my expectations shot up at the size!

How to order and what's on the menu

There are kiosks in two spots: order meals and drinks at a kiosk, and order bakery items at the counter. I browsed the recommended sets on the kiosk and picked one calmly.

Brick Rouge has Big Brunch plates, 22 different meal options, the signature meat Big Brunch, all kinds of bakery items and coffee. There's basically nothing they don't have.

Different interiors on every floor: where are the photo spots?

Each floor has its own charm in its interior mood. There's so much to see in every corner that wandering around is half the fun. A classic motorcycle is displayed on one side, adding an unusual vibe, and the area under the stairs with lighting and a 'BRIQUE ROUGE' light sign is a photo spot.

The fresh indoor garden and plant décor make it feel like you've walked into a botanical garden.

Rooftop terrace and window views

The wide rooftop terrace, where you can soak up sun and breeze, combines soft string lights, tables and green trees. It looked like a lovely place for a relaxing coffee outdoors on a nice day.

The open view through the windows is great too, and the seats are spaced widely, so you barely disturb each other.

The place is really big, so exploring every corner was a joy. Unique sofas and cushions are scattered around, perfect for lounging. With the stylish decor props and cozy lighting, you can get a great photo anywhere..

On one side there's a neat self-service bar with a water dispenser, spoons, forks, knives and small plates, so you can help yourself whenever you need.

The window seats get lots of sun and have a fantastic view. Each spot has its own distinctive sofa and table, which makes browsing fun. And there are lots of pretty cushions.

Is Brick Rouge good for kids?

Brick Rouge is well equipped for guests with children: a nursing room (Suyu-sil), high chairs and a third-floor floor-seating care kids zone. The nursing room is clean, bright and private, and colorful, cute high chairs are plentiful in the nursing room hallway and around the café, so they're easy to use.

The third-floor floor-seating area has carefully written notices so kids don't get hurt, and it runs as a care kids zone, which looks like a considerate setup for everyone. The sign has a QR code, so one scan connects you to Wi-Fi.

Third-floor shoes-off floor seating with full-window views

On the third floor there's a floor-seating area with full-window views where you take your shoes off to go up. Sitting at the sunny window seats looking out at the quiet Paju scenery is so relaxing. It's a space where you can sit comfortably with the kids and spend time.

With so many kinds of seats, chosen by group size, it suits dates, families and gatherings alike. My older sister says they often hold book clubs here too.

Meat Big Brunch set: what's in it and how big is it?

Brick Rouge's signature meat Big Brunch set comes with grilled chicken, handmade sausage, grilled shrimp, scrambled eggs and a fried egg, french fries, salad and roasted vegetables, all on one big plate. It tasted good, but the portion made my eyes go wide. Can brunch really be this generous? haha

Isn't that plate piled full impressive? Golden grilled chicken, handmade sausage, plump grilled shrimp, plus moist scrambled eggs and a fried egg make a hearty lineup that hits the spot for meat lovers. With crispy fries, fresh salad and roasted vegetables too, there was plenty to share among several people.

₩4,000 off the drink with a set

With a Brick Rouge set, the drink price is discounted by ₩4,000. You can change the drink for an extra charge. I had an iced Americano and an iced café latte full of smooth milky flavor alongside, and they paired really well with the brunch.

Return carts and restrooms are available on every floor to make returning your tray easy.

What bakery items and desserts does Brick Rouge have?

The Brick Rouge showcase holds cakes such as cheesecake, carrot cake and rainbow cake, plus fruit cream croissants, macaron sets, laugen pretzel breads (German-style lye rolls) and whole red bean buns. It's a feast for the eyes, a sweet dessert paradise. Not just brunch: the bakery and dessert lineup is enormous too.

The visually stunning cakes filling the showcase caught my eye. Rich, dense cheesecake, nutty and deep carrot cake, and gorgeously colored rainbow cake: premium cakes for every taste.

The fruit cream croissant, with soft fresh cream and generous seasonal fruit like fresh mango, fig and strawberry between crispy croissant layers, is a signature dessert you shouldn't miss. The colorful macaron set looked just right for gifts too.

From plain, nutty kaya jam butter laugen and scallion cream cheese laugen to the nostalgic whole red bean bun, the bakery spans savory to sweet. Order bakery items at the counter, not the kiosk, and the self-service bar has an oven and utensils, so warming things up is convenient.

Verdict and visiting tips

Brick Rouge in Paju goes beyond a place to drink coffee: it's a healing spot where you can enjoy a meal, all kinds of desserts and a good rest, all in gorgeous interiors.

• Anyone who wants to relax while looking at an open view
• Anyone looking for a big café that's easy to visit with kids
• Anyone looking for Instagram-worthy photo spots

Highly recommended to everyone! Make it your Paju drive destination this weekend! ♡