Yeonnam-dong café for a long catch-up over tea: Butter & Shelter

If you're looking for a good café in Yeonnam-dong where the desserts live up to the hype, I'd recommend Butter & Shelter Yeonnam (버터앤쉘터 연남점). If you love Basque cheesecake, I think you'll be especially happy here. My friend and I stayed and talked for several hours, and both the atmosphere and the desserts were so good that I'll definitely go back.

A Yeonnam-dong outing with a friend I hadn't seen in years

My friend and I finally managed to line up our schedules, so we had lunch in Yeonnam-dong and then looked for a café. We chatted just like back in our school days, and the time flew by. Good dessert and a warm cup of tea make conversation even more fun, I think.

Is Butter & Shelter Yeonnam a comfortable place to stay and talk?

Yeonnam-dong has plenty of stylish cafés, but surprisingly, some are too noisy or have uncomfortable seating.

Butter & Shelter Yeonnam had a nice number of customers while still being easy to talk in. My friend and I could chat comfortably, and I loved the sense of calm the space itself gave off.

Butter & Shelter Yeonnam location and opening hours

Butter & Shelter Yeonnam is at 170 Seongmisan-ro, Unit 102, Mapo-gu, Seoul, and it's open every day from 10:00 to 21:00. It's even lovelier because it has a pretty garden terrace.

What we ordered: Basque cheesecake with black tea and green tea

That day at Butter & Shelter Yeonnam we ordered Basque cheesecake, black tea and green tea. Honestly, the dessert selection here is so varied that I had a hard time choosing, but I went with the Basque cheesecake after hearing it's one of the most popular items.

Why the Basque cheesecake at Butter & Shelter is so popular

One bite and I understood why so many people order it.

The Basque cheesecake at Butter & Shelter had a lightly baked outside, while the inside stayed moist and chewy. It wasn't too sweet, so it was easy to eat without feeling heavy, and the rich cheese flavor went well with tea.

Personally, I liked it best with the black tea.

My friend said it paired nicely with the green tea too.

A tea time my friend loved too

We hadn't met in years, so we had so much to talk about. We ate our dessert slowly, but the Basque cheesecake never got boring, so we enjoyed it to the last bite. My friend liked it so much that she said she'd like to come back to Butter & Shelter Yeonnam with her family.

Compared with other Yeonnam-dong dessert cafés: takeout and gift orders

I've been to quite a few cafés in Yeonnam-dong, but Butter & Shelter Yeonnam had a wider dessert range than I expected. Takeout is also available, so it's not just a place to sit in. You can buy desserts as gifts too.

I heard some people place reserved orders for thank-you gifts and presents, so I'm keeping that in mind.

Who Butter & Shelter Yeonnam is recommended for

• Couples looking for a Yeonnam-dong date spot
• Anyone who wants a long chat with a friend
• Basque cheesecake lovers

• Anyone looking for a quiet dessert café
• Anyone shopping for dessert gifts or thank-you presents

Final thoughts

If you're looking for a good café in Yeonnam-dong, Butter & Shelter Yeonnam is a place where the desserts really satisfy. The chewy, soft Basque cheesecake with warm tea especially stuck with me.

Most of all, I loved the atmosphere that let me talk comfortably with my friend and stay a long time. Next time I'd like to try other desserts, and I'm thinking of buying some to give as a gift for an important occasion too.