Gangnam Station weekend date café: Chodang corn pie, Upper and Under

A sun-filled café near Gangnam Station: Upper and Under (어퍼앤언더). This time we had the Chodang corn pie (a pie topped with sweet Chodang corn) / tiramisu / decaf iced Americano / cream pistachio ✿

• 📍 Location: 28 Gangnam-daero 102-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul
• ⏰ Hours: Daily 11:00–22:00
• No dedicated parking (use a nearby paid private lot)

What is Upper and Under, the Gangnam Station café?

Upper and Under is a large café on the Gangnam Station café street, in a building that looks like a converted house. Last weekend, my partner and I had a meal near Gangnam Station for the first time in a while and went looking for a pretty café where we could chat. We picked Upper and Under, a café that's been getting attention on the Gangnam Station café street lately. Even from far away, the unique, moody exterior, like a house that's been beautifully renovated, stood out.

🏡 A mood-maker: converted-house charm plus plenty of natural light

Upper and Under floor layout: where do you order?

B1: separate entrance, seating only

Upper and Under uses all three floors of the building, and the layout is a little unusual, so it helps to know before you go. First, the B1 floor has a completely separate entrance, and there's no ordering there. It's set up purely as a table space.

1F: order counter

To actually order, you have to take the outdoor stairs up to the 1st floor!

We gave the 1F seats a quick scan, then decided to go up to the 2nd floor, where the light is prettiest, and grab a table there.

2F: floor-to-ceiling windows and outdoor terrace

The 2nd floor of Upper and Under is filled with light from huge floor-to-ceiling windows. The moment you head upstairs, sunlight pours across the whole space, and the interior is so warm that you can't help taking photos.

Maybe because the mood is so bright and romantic, a quick look around the tables showed quite a few man-woman pairs who seemed to be on blind dates 🤭 It must be a popular pick for blind dates near Gangnam Station!

There's also outdoor terrace seating on one side. If it weren't so hot out, sitting on the terrace in a cool breeze would be pure healing!

For reference, the 3rd floor has a women's-only restroom, and the 2nd floor has one each for men and women, so keep that in mind!

What did we order at Upper and Under?

At the Upper and Under 1F counter, we ordered the Chodang corn pie, tiramisu, decaf iced Americano and cream pistachio. We saved our seats, then headed back down to the 1F counter to order. Even though we'd just had a huge meal, one look at the bakery display proved that dessert really does have its own stomach.

After a happy bout of indecision, we picked the Chodang corn pie, a dessert you don't often find in Seoul, and the classic, never-fail tiramisu, one of each.

For drinks, we went with the signature cream coffee and a clean-tasting decaf Americano. Order done! Here are my personal ratings.

• ✔️ Chodang corn pie (8.3)
• ✔️ Tiramisu (8.5)
• ✔️ Decaf iced Americano (7.0)
• ✔️ Cream pistachio (8.0)

How do the decaf Americano and cream pistachio taste at Upper and Under?

The buzzer went off and we carried back our order! The tray looked so pretty that my partner and I busily took photos first, haha

Drink and dessert prices are a bit high even by Gangnam standards, but if you think of it as paying for the café's mood and charm, it's perfectly understandable!

Above all, the cream coffee lineup at Upper and Under was the real deal. My boyfriend's cream pistachio had soft, sweet, chewy cream topped with crushed pistachio, which gave a nutty crunch, and the balance with the bitter espresso was excellent!

The decaf iced Americano I chose was a hit too! Decaf coffee is usually hard to get right, but Upper and Under's decaf Americano had no burnt taste, just a nutty, rich body, perfect alongside sweet desserts.

How were the Chodang corn pie and tiramisu at Upper and Under?

Upper and Under's Chodang corn pie is a tart shell topped with cream and Chodang corn. It's less about special quality and more that it's a rare item in Seoul, so it's worth trying once. After wetting our whistles with coffee, we dug into the pie we'd been looking forward to first. Yellow Chodang corn on top, such a cute look!

One bite and the tart base, soft cream and the sweet-salty flavor of the corn spread gently. Honestly, the tart itself wasn't amazing or special, but since it's not something you can easily find in Seoul, I'd recommend trying it once if you visit Upper and Under!

The tiramisu, topped with a thick layer of mascarpone cheese cream, had sponge moist with coffee, so it was lovely to scoop up in soft spoonfuls. To my taste it was quite sweet, so I'd recommend the tiramisu to anyone with a sweet tooth!

Is Upper and Under a good weekend date spot near Gangnam Station?

Thanks to friendly staff and warm interior, Upper and Under is a café worth recommending for a weekend date near Gangnam Station. The kind staff and the cozy, warm feel of the space left us feeling like we'd spent a truly peaceful, full weekend afternoon.

The interior is so pretty that you'll get great photos wherever you shoot. So if you're planning a date along the Gangnam Station café street, or searching for a big bakery café with a nice atmosphere, put Upper and Under on your list 🤍