# Hongdae brunch café for sweet pumpkin gorgonzola pastry pizza: MELA - By Jimin H. (https://superchart.com/en/@seoul-street-canteen/) - Written Sep 22, 2026 - Local places › Restaurants › Mapo, Seoul - Sponsored: This post was written as a sponsored store visit. - English edition: https://superchart.com/en/@seoul-street-canteen/hongdae-brunch-pumpkin-gorgonzola-pizza-mela/ - Also in: [한국어](https://superchart.com/ko/@seoul-street-canteen/hongdae-brunch-pumpkin-gorgonzola-pizza-mela/index.md) ## In short MELA Hongdae is an all-day brunch café on the first floor of the Nudit complex in Mapo, Seoul, between Hongik Univ. and Mangwon stations. Over a weekday lunch with her mom, the writer ordered the sweet pumpkin gorgonzola pastry pizza, a poached egg and avocado salad and coffee, and the crisp pastry crust with honey was the highlight. MELA Hongdae stays quiet enough for easy conversation, so it works well for a date or a brunch catch-up. ## Good to know - **Hours**: Daily 09:00–18:30, no break time - **Morning Special**: Limited set served 9am to 11am only - **French toast**: 12,000 won / 16,000 won with an americano - **Decaf**: Switch beans for 800 won extra - **How to order**: Check the menu at your table, then pay at the counter first - **Event**: Birthday guests get a free slice of honey cake - **Location**: Unit 105, 1st floor, Nudit complex in Hongdae - **Getting there**: 7-min walk from Hongik Univ. Station Exit 1, 7 min from Mangwon Station Exit 1, 12 min from Hapjeong Station Exit 2 - **Price reference**: ₩800 ≈ $0.6 · ₩12,000 ≈ $8.7 · ₩16,000 ≈ $11.5 (2026-09-22) *as written by the visitor on Sep 22, 2026* I went to MELA, a brunch café everyone raves about in Hongdae. Everything about it — the vibe, the prices, the taste — hit the spot, the kind of place near Hongik Univ. Station that just makes you happy. I wanted to tell everyone about it right away! ![Interior of MELA Hongdae, a Hongdae brunch café](https://img.superchart.com/images/hongdae-brunch-pumpkin-gorgonzola-pizza-mela/hongdae-brunch-pumpkin-gorgonzola-pizza-mela-01-16dva-900.webp) *A Hongdae brunch favorite* At MELA, this Hongdae spot with such a great atmosphere, I had coffee and lunch with pizza and salad. ![Coffee and lunch table at MELA Hongdae](https://img.superchart.com/images/hongdae-brunch-pumpkin-gorgonzola-pizza-mela/hongdae-brunch-pumpkin-gorgonzola-pizza-mela-02-uahn0-900.webp) ## MELA Hongdae drinks and the 9–11am Morning Special MELA has a wide drink menu too — americano, latte, ade, peach bingsu (shaved ice), and more. Nice that you can do brunch, a meal, coffee after, and dessert all in one place, no need to hunt down a separate café. ✔️ You can swap to decaf beans for +₩800! ![MELA Hongdae drink menu board](https://img.superchart.com/images/hongdae-brunch-pumpkin-gorgonzola-pizza-mela/hongdae-brunch-pumpkin-gorgonzola-pizza-mela-03-1nirj-900.webp) *A Hongdae brunch favorite near Hapjeong Station* The Morning Special, running from 9am to 11am, was especially good value — the French toast and brunch platter really stood out at this brunch café. The fluffy French toast is ₩12,000, or ₩16,000 with an americano included. ![MELA Hongdae's Morning Special menu set](https://img.superchart.com/images/hongdae-brunch-pumpkin-gorgonzola-pizza-mela/hongdae-brunch-pumpkin-gorgonzola-pizza-mela-04-rw5pp-900.webp) ## Poached egg avocado salad and sweet pumpkin gorgonzola pastry pizza 👉 A fresh salad with poached egg, avocado, and grilled mushrooms! I almost ordered the avocado open sandwich instead, but went with the salad — generous portion, nuts mixed in, and the balsamic dressing worked really well. ![Salad topped with poached egg, avocado, and grilled mushrooms](https://img.superchart.com/images/hongdae-brunch-pumpkin-gorgonzola-pizza-mela/hongdae-brunch-pumpkin-gorgonzola-pizza-mela-05-vqkh9-900.webp) 👉 The well-baked sweet pumpkin gorgonzola pizza was genuinely clean and nutty-tasting. Eating it with the honey served alongside adds sweetness and makes it even better. 👏👏👏👏👏 ![A whole sweet pumpkin gorgonzola pastry pizza](https://img.superchart.com/images/hongdae-brunch-pumpkin-gorgonzola-pizza-mela/hongdae-brunch-pumpkin-gorgonzola-pizza-mela-06-1hsn3-900.webp) *A Hongdae pizza favorite: pastry gorgonzola pizza* There was plenty of cheese, and the sweet pumpkin paired with it cleanly and simply — really delicious. The crisp, shattery pastry crust was the real charm here. The crunch stayed great the whole way through. 👍 ![A slice of crisp pastry-crust pizza](https://img.superchart.com/images/hongdae-brunch-pumpkin-gorgonzola-pizza-mela/hongdae-brunch-pumpkin-gorgonzola-pizza-mela-07-10746-900.webp) ## How ordering works: pay at the counter first At MELA Hongdae, you check the menu on the table, then go to the counter to order and pay directly with a staff member — a pre-payment system. ![The menu placed on the table at MELA Hongdae](https://img.superchart.com/images/hongdae-brunch-pumpkin-gorgonzola-pizza-mela/hongdae-brunch-pumpkin-gorgonzola-pizza-mela-08-1uysa-900.webp) I visited on a weekday with my mom, who loves pizza, and it was exactly her thing — she was happy the whole meal. ![Pizza and salad spread for a weekday lunch with mom](https://img.superchart.com/images/hongdae-brunch-pumpkin-gorgonzola-pizza-mela/hongdae-brunch-pumpkin-gorgonzola-pizza-mela-09-1u65s-1200.webp) ## Is MELA Hongdae quiet enough for a brunch catch-up? The atmosphere at this Hongdae brunch spot was fantastic — never rowdy or loud, with a wide menu of steak, pasta, lasagna, sandwiches, eggs Benedict, and more. A real atmosphere gem I'd recommend for a date course. ![The quiet dining hall atmosphere at MELA Hongdae](https://img.superchart.com/images/hongdae-brunch-pumpkin-gorgonzola-pizza-mela/hongdae-brunch-pumpkin-gorgonzola-pizza-mela-10-uywu5-900.webp) Since it opens as early as 9am, it's great for a brunch meet-up after dropping the kids off at school. 📍 There's a birthday event giving a free slice of honey cake, so keep that in mind when you book. ![Seating and the spacious dining hall at MELA Hongdae](https://img.superchart.com/images/hongdae-brunch-pumpkin-gorgonzola-pizza-mela/hongdae-brunch-pumpkin-gorgonzola-pizza-mela-11-11ff8-900.webp) The menu has illustrations alongside the descriptions, so it's easy to pick something, and with so many options, I wanted to work my way through the whole menu at this Hongdae favorite. ![MELA Hongdae's illustrated menu](https://img.superchart.com/images/hongdae-brunch-pumpkin-gorgonzola-pizza-mela/hongdae-brunch-pumpkin-gorgonzola-pizza-mela-12-15263-900.webp) A perfect spot for a wedding invitation get-together or a brunch meet-up — easy to talk here, so I'm keeping MELA in mind as a Hongdae favorite. Next time I want to try the vongole pasta with clams, hard-shell clams, and minari, plus the top sirloin steak. ![A table well suited for a group gathering at MELA Hongdae](https://img.superchart.com/images/hongdae-brunch-pumpkin-gorgonzola-pizza-mela/hongdae-brunch-pumpkin-gorgonzola-pizza-mela-13-gpikp-900.webp) Right before Chuseok, I got to have a cozy lunch just with my mom for once, and I felt like I'd found exactly the right place. ![Lunch table shared with mom just before Chuseok](https://img.superchart.com/images/hongdae-brunch-pumpkin-gorgonzola-pizza-mela/hongdae-brunch-pumpkin-gorgonzola-pizza-mela-14-8w2qx-900.webp) ![Food laid out on a table at MELA Hongdae](https://img.superchart.com/images/hongdae-brunch-pumpkin-gorgonzola-pizza-mela/hongdae-brunch-pumpkin-gorgonzola-pizza-mela-15-hjrvn-900.webp) The recipes were developed by a chef trained at ICIF, an Italian culinary school, and apparently everything is made with fresh ingredients on top of great flavor! The atmosphere is so nice it also works as a spot for a casual glass of wine or beer on a date or blind date. ![Seating at MELA Hongdae, good for a glass of wine](https://img.superchart.com/images/hongdae-brunch-pumpkin-gorgonzola-pizza-mela/hongdae-brunch-pumpkin-gorgonzola-pizza-mela-16-1y3nk-900.webp) ## Where MELA Hongdae is and how to get there My recommended Hongdae brunch spot for pasta and pizza — where is MELA? Right here, on the first floor of Nudit, Hongdae's mixed-culture complex. ⬇️ It's between Hongik Univ. Station and Mangwon Station: 7 minutes on foot from Hongik Univ. Station Exit 1, 7 minutes from Mangwon Station Exit 1, and 12 minutes from Hapjeong Station Exit 2! ![Entrance to Nudit, Hongdae's mixed-culture complex](https://img.superchart.com/images/hongdae-brunch-pumpkin-gorgonzola-pizza-mela/hongdae-brunch-pumpkin-gorgonzola-pizza-mela-17-1ovsl-900.webp) Head behind the yellow sculpture and you'll find MELA Brunch & Coffee. No break time means you can visit even for a late lunch — a nice perk of not being tied to a set time. ![MELA Brunch & Coffee's exterior behind a yellow sculpture](https://img.superchart.com/images/hongdae-brunch-pumpkin-gorgonzola-pizza-mela/hongdae-brunch-pumpkin-gorgonzola-pizza-mela-18-1oziq-900.webp) > MELA Hongdae / 1st floor, unit 105, 41 World Cup Buk-ro 5-gil, Mapo-gu, Seoul / Daily 09:00–18:30 ![Entrance and signage of MELA Hongdae](https://img.superchart.com/images/hongdae-brunch-pumpkin-gorgonzola-pizza-mela/hongdae-brunch-pumpkin-gorgonzola-pizza-mela-19-we8qv-900.webp) ## Where it is - MELA Hongdae (멜라 홍대점) - 41 World Cup Buk-ro 5-gil, 1st floor, unit 105, Mapo-gu, Seoul, South Korea - 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 --- Superchart · https://superchart.com/en/@seoul-street-canteen/hongdae-brunch-pumpkin-gorgonzola-pizza-mela/ · https://superchart.com/llms.txt