Seogyo-dong café with pine garden and choco banana soufflé: Petrico

Do you love soft, fluffy soufflé pancakes? I'm a huge fan of that cloud-like, melt-on-the-tongue texture that only soufflé can give. Wanting to fully enjoy that magical texture again, I went looking around and found a soufflé pancake specialist near Hapjeong Station that bakes each order fresh the moment it comes in — so off I went.

Where Petrico is and when it opens

Petrico is a soufflé pancake café on the 1st floor at 75 Jandari-ro, Mapo-gu, Seoul. It's about a 500m walk from Exit 2 of Hapjeong Station (Line 2/6), and it's also an easy stroll from Hongik Univ. Station or Mangwon Station through the Seogyo-dong back streets.

• Address: 75 Jandari-ro, 1st floor, Mapo-gu, Seoul, South Korea (Petrico)
• Transit: About 500m walk from Exit 2 of Hapjeong Station (Line 2/6) / also reachable on foot from Hongik Univ. Station and Mangwon Station via Seogyo-dong alleys
• Hours: Weekdays (Mon–Fri) 08:00–22:00 (soufflé pancake last order 20:30), Weekends (Sat–Sun) 10:00–20:00 (soufflé pancake last order 18:30)
• Amenities and parking: Parking in front, group seating available, separate men's/women's restrooms, mobile payment supported

One tip: the name itself refers to the earthy scent that rises after rain, and true to that, the space is designed for comfortable rest. Since the soufflé batter is mixed and baked to order, it takes roughly 20 to 30 minutes, so I'd recommend visiting when you have some time to spare.

Red brick and pine trees: what Petrico looks like inside

Walking down the alley, Petrico's exterior came into view — red brick walls, a wide open window, and neatly tended blue pine trees with gravel landscaping, all giving off a quiet, grounded feeling even in the middle of the city.

Stepping inside made me gasp even more. Clean white walls and a vintage concrete floor form the base, with warm wooden tables and rattan-wood chairs arranged neatly, giving off a strong sense of mood and feeling. Thanks to the cozy interior, I felt myself relax the whole time I was there — a truly soulful café near Hapjeong Station.

How the chocolate banana soufflé and cold-brew Assam milk tea tasted

We ordered Petrico's signature dessert, the chocolate banana soufflé, along with the cold-brew Assam milk tea.

Cold-brew Assam milk tea: mild and easy to drink

The cold-brew Assam milk tea is made by steeping Assam leaves and unrefined sugar for 24 hours. There was no trace of artificial syrup or that heavy, powdery sweetness — thanks to the long steep, the black tea flavor came through smooth and deep without any bitterness, blending silkily with the milk. It wasn't overly sweet and was clean enough to beautifully support the sweetness of the dessert.

A chocolate banana soufflé that melts in your mouth

After about a 10-minute wait, the chocolate banana soufflé arrived, so fluffy it jiggled like pudding when the plate was lightly shaken. Thick, puffed-up pancakes were drenched in rich chocolate sauce and piled high with banana and chocolate curls. The moment I took a bite, a rich cocoa aroma spread through my mouth and the pancake dissolved like cotton candy before I even had to chew. Light and fluffy with no egg smell at all, the sweet chocolate and banana combined into a truly magical flavor.

Is Petrico worth a visit?

Petrico was the perfect café near Hapjeong Station, a cozy space like the scent of earth after rain, where you can meet a next-level soufflé pancake and a deeply flavored milk tea.

• Ultimate softness: chocolate banana soufflé baked to order and melting away in the mouth
• Deep flavor from 24-hour steeping: cold-brew Assam milk tea with a subtle, clean sweetness, never overpowering
• Private healing in the city: the comfort of red brick, pine landscaping, and generously spaced seating

If you're around Hapjeong or Seogyo-dong and want a soft dessert with some quiet healing, I highly recommend stopping by!