Hongdae café, chimney bread as a meal & hibiscus tea: Chimney Mansion

Chimney Mansion opening hours and parking

Chimney Mansion, the Hongdae chimney bread café, is open 11:00–20:00 Monday to Friday and 10:00–21:00 on Saturday and Sunday. Parking is possible for a fee, but the café recommends using a nearby paid parking lot.

• Mon–Fri 11:00–20:00
• Sat–Sun 11:00–21:00 (as posted: 10:00–21:00)
• Terrace, standing-height seating, high fuel price relief support payments accepted
• Parking available (paid); nearby paid parking lots recommended

A quirky Hongdae café: what is chimney bread?

Chimney Mansion is a quirky Hongdae café famous for its chimney bread (kürtőskalács-style bread baked around a wooden rod). It had been a while since I'd been to Hongdae, and while looking up things to do at Hongdae cafés in Seoul, I ended up at Chimney Mansion.

The bread showcase is the first thing you see when you walk in!

Every single loaf looks delicious, but this big Hongdae dessert chimney bread café is popular enough that finding a seat can be competitive, so I'd suggest grabbing a seat first and then browsing at your leisure! haha

The round loaves look so cute. There were lots of different kinds of chimney bread. At first I wondered, what even is chimney bread? Apparently the dough is wrapped around a wooden rod and baked in the oven.

I also heard that stories about Chimney Mansion's chimney theme are tucked all around the café, so hunting for them is part of the fun.

Besides chimney bread, Chimney Mansion also has scones and butter bars.

There's also a well-stocked self-service bar where you can grab water and tissues.

What are the 2nd floor and terrace like?

Chimney Mansion has more tables on the 2nd floor than the 1st, and the 2nd floor also has a terrace. Even the walk up to the 2nd floor felt like a converted private house.

This is the way up to the 2nd floor of Chimney Mansion, the quirky Hongdae chimney bread bakery café! Maybe because it feels like a converted house, the whole place had a cozy, warm feel everywhere.

There are more tables on the 2nd floor than the 1st, so if you're coming with a group, going straight upstairs seems fine.

The view out the window was lovely too, so you naturally end up taking photos.

Sitting here with bread and coffee would be just perfect.

The 2nd floor also has a terrace, so you can linger a bit more leisurely, which I liked.

What did we order at Chimney Mansion?

I ordered four items: Chimney Mansion Tea, Nice to Meet You, White Choco Pecan and Peanuts House.

Chimney Mansion Tea: hibiscus and fruit blend

I wanted something refreshing, so I ordered Chimney Mansion Tea. It blends hibiscus, orange, pear and apple, and just reading the ingredients makes it sound zesty. On a hot summer day, one sip cleans up your palate and the refreshing feel really kicks in.

Nice to Meet You: chimney bread as a meal

Nice to Meet You is a chimney bread with sausage, meat sauce, jalapeño and sun-dried tomato. The combo sounds a bit like pizza bread, but overall it was much milder and plainer.

Bite in and the sausage pops, juicy. The meat sauce, jalapeño and sun-dried tomato blend together nicely, making it a good enough combo to stand in for a meal.

White Choco Pecan: loaded with white chocolate and caramel

White Choco Pecan is a chimney bread piled with white chocolate and caramel. You first get the smooth sweetness of white chocolate, then the deep sweetness of caramel, and finally the nutty flavor of pecans, one after another.

Peanuts House: roasted peanuts, dark chocolate and caramel sauce

Peanuts House is a chimney bread with roasted peanuts, dark chocolate and caramel sauce.

It seems sweet, but you clearly taste all three flavors: roasted peanut, dark chocolate and caramel sauce. The sweetness isn't overdone and everything is nicely balanced, so each bite felt like a different flavor coming through.

Overall verdict on Chimney Mansion

With its distinctive storytelling and chimney bread, Chimney Mansion is a quirky Hongdae chimney bread bakery café, so go check it out this weekend ^0^ A belly-bursting meal! Enjoyed every bite again today. ♡ Yum yum