Bakery café in Ulju, Ulsan with cinnamon rolls: MUG (카페 먹)

MUG (카페 먹) is a spacious bakery café in Sangbuk-myeon, Ulju-gun, Ulsan. I enjoyed my last visit, so I came back. It struck me as a good place for a weekend drive with family, and this time I spent a weekend morning reading over bread and drinks.

Is parking easy, and when is it less crowded?

The address is 90 Hyangsandagae-ro, Sangbuk-myeon, Ulju-gun, Ulsan, South Korea (울산광역시 울주군 상북면 향산다개로 90). The original post lists the hours as 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM daily, with last orders at 7:30 PM.

The spacious parking area in front made parking easy. Weekend afternoons tend to get crowded, so I would suggest a weekday or weekend morning if you want a quieter stay.

What is outside, and can you bring pets?

Behind the café, there is an entrance, terrace seating, and a walking path. Pets are reportedly allowed in the outdoor area. I wanted to try the path, but it has been too hot every time I have visited, so I have yet to walk it.

The black exterior caught my eye, too. MUG is said to represent remembrance and recovery after the 2013 wildfire, with charred wood used to remember the suffering it caused. I found it interesting that the name and building carried this story.

What is inside the front entrance?

I had thought the only entrance was at the back, but there was a front door as well. Entering that way, I found a small exhibition space and a machine for printing smartphone photos.

How are the seats for reading or studying?

The interior was spacious, with a clean, simple design. Most window seats were arranged for two or four people, and there were two large tables that looked suitable for groups.

I liked that the tables were a comfortable height to use while seated. The Wi-Fi connected well, and there were power outlets throughout, so it seemed suitable for studying, too. The restrooms farther inside were also clean.

The windows looked out onto green summer scenery. I read here on a weekend morning, and sitting by the window during a quiet stretch was a pleasant way to take a break.

What bread was available, and what did I choose?

There was enough variety to make choosing fun. At the time of my visit, the signature cinnamon rolls came in four flavors: apple, blueberry cream cheese, lemon cream cheese, and tiramisu. This time, I chose tiramisu.

What were the signature drinks, and how were the lattes?

There was a wide selection of drinks, too. MUG black latte, MUG lemon smoothie, and MUG lemon ade were listed as signature drinks. I was disappointed that the passion fruit ade, a sparkling fruit drink I had enjoyed last time, did not seem to be available on this visit.

After ordering bread and drinks, I sat by the window. There was also a microwave for warming up bread yourself.

The MUG black latte contained condensed milk and tasted like a sweet latte. In the Hadong matcha latte, the matcha latte and cream worked well together.

How were the tiramisu cinnamon roll and salt bread?

I do not eat cinnamon rolls very often, but the cinnamon aroma and tiramisu flavor went well together. It made me want to try the other flavors, too.

The sogeumppang (salt bread) was pleasantly crisp, with a buttery aroma. I love salt bread and have tried it at many places; for my taste, this was among my favorites.