Taco salad with pita bread at Cafe Iseo, a Hongcheon brunch café

This time I visited a spot that's perfect to stop by while traveling in Hongcheon — a place known for both brunch and full meals near Vivaldi Park, and a Hongcheon brunch favorite: "Cafe Iseo Hongcheon Branch."

Where is Cafe Iseo Hongcheon Branch, and what are the hours?

Cafe Iseo Hongcheon Branch is located at 957 Hanchigol-gil, Seo-myeon, Hongcheon-gun, Gangwon-do, open daily from 10:30 to 20:00, closed every Wednesday. Brunch menu runs from 11:00 to 17:00, and parking is available in front of the café.

On the road to Vivaldi Park: spotting the Cafe Iseo sign

Cafe Iseo Hongcheon Branch sits right on the road to Vivaldi Park in Hongcheon, Gangwon. The sign really catches your eye, so it was easy to find.

The interior was huge, and there were window seats looking outside too, so it seemed like a great spot for a relaxed meal while enjoying the view outside.

There was also a space decorated with artwork, giving off that distinctive café mood. Living up to its reputation as a Hongcheon brunch spot, the atmosphere really was lovely.

Seating with baby chairs and the self-service corner

The inside of Cafe Iseo Hongcheon Branch was overall spacious and comfortable, with generous spacing between tables — it seemed like a great place to sit back and enjoy the atmosphere whether visiting with family or in a group.

There was also a neatly arranged self-service corner where you could grab what you needed yourself, which was convenient. We visited with our child, and since there was a baby chair too, we could enjoy the meal comfortably — that was nice.

What is on the menu at Cafe Iseo Hongcheon Branch?

Looking at the menu, there was a whole range of brunch dishes befitting a Hongcheon brunch favorite — sous vide steak salad, signature guacamole, and more. The coffee lineup was wide too, from americano to vanilla latte. What we picked this time was the anchovy bacon pasta and the Mexican taco salad.

The two dishes arrived together, and they looked so delicious my mouth was watering. There's a reason this place is known as a Hongcheon Vivaldi Park favorite.

How the anchovy bacon pasta tastes

With anchovy bacon pasta, the distinctive salty, strong aroma of anchovy can be a bit hit or miss, but here that anchovy umami blended really well with the bacon.

Taking a bite with the plump shrimp, I first tasted a savory saltiness, and the sauce was so well blended into the noodles that even the noodles alone were delicious.

Mexican taco salad wrapped in pita bread with spicy salsa

This is the Mexican taco salad. The colorful presentation was so pretty I gasped the moment I saw it. If the pasta was salty and rich in flavor, the taco salad was the kind of dish where the fun was in mixing all the different ingredients together. It was packed with fresh vegetables, so every bite had a great crunch — a fresh charm that was completely different from the pasta's deep umami.

Pita bread, spicy salsa sauce, and dill ranch dressing came alongside it. Stuffing the pita bread full of the taco salad ingredients and adding a bit of sauce on top, the salsa flavor and the dill ranch dressing went together perfectly. Eating just the salad alone might feel a little plain, but adding the taco-style ingredients made the texture more fun and the flavor fuller. The salad alone might feel a bit lacking, but paired with the pasta it made for a really filling meal.

Who should visit Cafe Iseo Hongcheon Branch?

Cafe Iseo Hongcheon Branch isn't just a place for coffee — it's stocked with everything from pasta and salads to brunch dishes and drinks, so I genuinely recommend it as a Hongcheon brunch favorite. The anchovy bacon pasta and Mexican taco salad were truly one of the best meals I've had.

With a baby chair and a spacious interior, it's a place that really suits family visits or group gatherings too. If you're traveling around Hongcheon, or looking for a Hongcheon brunch spot after playing in the water or sightseeing at Vivaldi Park, be sure to stop by "Cafe Iseo Hongcheon Branch" and give it a try!