Seongsu café with fig soufflé and a third-floor window: 5to7

I found a café I really liked for the first time in a while, tucked into one of Seongsu's side streets. It's 5to7 Seongsu Main Branch. From the third-floor window seat where I sat, all I could see were trees, so even though I was right in the middle of Seongsu, it felt as if I were having coffee in a forest. But something stayed with me even more than the atmosphere: the fig soufflé. One bite was enough to understand why people come here for soufflé.

5to7 Seongsu Main Branch, tucked into a side street

5to7 Seongsu Main Branch sits a little way into a side street rather than directly on the main road. When I visited, the surroundings felt relatively calm, and even the brick exterior had that distinctive café atmosphere.

It's a good idea to check the opening hours once more before visiting.

An interior that felt roomier than expected

The ordering area is on the first floor. Once I stepped inside, it felt much more spacious than it had looked from outside. The spaces I looked around had wood-toned furniture and lighting throughout, and I loved the slightly antique feel, which was a little different from the newer cafés around these days. The tables did not feel crammed together either, so it was easy to settle in and spend some time.

Time by the third-floor window

The seat was something I liked just as much as the soufflé on this visit. I ate on the third floor and found a spot by the window. There were trees filling the view right in front of it, and the atmosphere was honestly much better than I expected. Rather than feeling like I was in Seongsu, I felt briefly as though I were sitting in a café in the woods. The window table was long, too, making it a nice place to set down dessert and coffee and linger awhile.

What I ordered that day

• Fig soufflé
• Dutch Americano
• Iced passion fruit tea

While looking over the menu, I chose the fig soufflé, which was ₩22,000 according to the menu when I visited. At first, honestly, I thought, “Isn't ₩22,000 a little expensive for one soufflé?” That thought changed a little once I actually tried it.

A fig soufflé that was fluffy from the first bite

When the fig soufflé arrived, the presentation caught my eye first. There were quite a lot of fresh figs around the soufflé, which was covered in white cream. I scooped up my first bite with a fork, and the soufflé was so fluffy that it gently melted in my mouth. It was not simply soft; the light, airy texture unique to a soufflé really came through, so I kept reaching for it.

I loved that the cream was not overly sweet

Personally, the cream was what I really liked. If cream is too sweet, it can become cloying after just a few bites, but this was less sweet than I expected. It did not cover up the delicate flavor of the soufflé, and it all came together beautifully with the fresh figs.

The fresh figs also changed the texture. The sweet figs had a little bite to them alongside the fluffy soufflé, and that combination was exactly right for my taste. I also liked that they were served generously rather than as just a few decorative slices.

How my opinion changed before and after eating it

When I first saw the price on the menu, I thought it was a bit expensive. But once it arrived, there were plenty of figs, and above all, the soufflé itself was delicious.

If I come back, I want to have this again.

It is not an inexpensive dessert, but after trying it myself, I was far more satisfied than I had been when I first looked at the menu.

When I dug into the soufflé with a spoon, its fluffy interior was fully visible. One bite really did feel wonderfully airy and softly melting in my mouth. It had looked soft from the outside, but that feeling was even clearer once I tasted it.

I especially liked that the cream covering the top was not as sweet as I expected. If it had been too sweet, it could have buried the flavor of the soufflé or figs, but it blended in softly without being overly sweet, making the overall balance really good. And I definitely preferred eating it with the fresh figs. A bite of fluffy soufflé, soft cream, and fresh fig had sweet fig flavor and a pleasing chew, so every bite stayed interesting.

There were enough figs around the soufflé that I could keep eating them together without having to ration them. Honestly, when I first saw the ₩22,000 price on the menu, I thought, “Isn't one soufflé a little expensive?” But once I started eating, my mind changed.

There were plenty of figs, and more importantly, the soufflé itself suited my taste perfectly. I loved how the fluffy, melting soufflé led into lightly sweetened cream and then sweet, chewy fresh fig, and before I knew it, I kept reaching for more. This is something I might have missed if I had not tried it myself.

Dutch Americano and passion fruit tea

Along with the soufflé, I ordered a Dutch Americano and iced passion fruit tea.

Both tasted good, but if I came back, I think I would choose coffee with the soufflé again.

I liked taking a sip of coffee while eating the fig soufflé with its lightly sweetened cream. The passion fruit tea was tasty too, so it would be worth choosing if coffee is not your thing.

If I return, fig soufflé and coffee

There are so many cafés in Seongsu that plenty are one-and-done visits, but I would like to return to 5to7. I liked the calm mood of the side street, and the third-floor window seat where I sat has stayed in my mind. More than anything, though, the fig soufflé I had that day is what I remember most: a fluffy soufflé that softly melted in my mouth, with lightly sweetened cream and sweet fresh figs.

It felt like I had found a really good Seongsu-dong café for the first time in a while. If I go back to 5to7 Seongsu Main Branch, I think I would order the fig soufflé and coffee again without hesitation.

In Seongsu, this is a place where not only the atmosphere but also the dessert stays with you. Especially if you are looking for soufflé at a Seongsu café, I think you will understand why I said I wanted to eat it again once you try it yourself.