Suwon Station study café with table lamps and milk tea: Hongrad

Hi everyone, this is food editor Susan :) The weather's been so nice lately that I went out for a walk and stumbled on a café near Suwon Station that turned out to be perfect for a rest. It had such a calm atmosphere and a comfortable space, so let me share my experience!

Where is Hongrad Suwon Station Branch, and what are the hours?

The address is 61-1 Hyanggyo-ro, Paldal-gu, Suwon-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea, 2nd floor, an 8-minute walk from Suwon Station Exit 8. Hours are 12:00–23:00.

Where to park near Hongrad Suwon Station

There's no dedicated parking at Hongrad Suwon Station, so the nearest option is Gyodong public parking lot (140 Hyanggyo-ro, Paldal-gu, Suwon-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea), a 12-minute walk away. The first hour is free, then ₩300 per additional 10 minutes.

New York-style interior and sofa seating at Hongrad

The moment I walked in I couldn't help but gasp, "the vibe here is amazing!?" Since it's on the 2nd floor, the leaves visible through the window added a lot to the atmosphere too.

With calm black-and-white tones and posters, artwork and little objects decorating every corner, it honestly felt like a pub in places!

And every single seat had a plush sofa with a back, plus cushioned floor chairs, so it was really nice to sit comfortably and chat over coffee.

A lot of cafés these days have uncomfortable seats that make you want to leave fast, but Hongrad wasn't like that at all. The seating comes in 2-, 4-, and 6-person options, and the corner seats by the wall are set up cozily, perfect for studying!

And the New York-concept interior was so stylish I thought, "I need to reference this when I redecorate my place!"

Since the seats by the wall could get a bit dark, the owner placed a lamp at every table — you could really feel that attention to detail.

Looking at the overall vibe, it's this kind of feeling: the lush green trees filling the windows and the stylish New York-style interior don't come off cold at all, but strangely warm — an appealing, almost paradoxical space.

There's also a corner of the store packed with cute little items for sale, and browsing them was genuinely fun — I had to fight hard to protect my wallet.

Hongrad Suwon Station Branch menu and what we ordered

We ordered a decaf Americano for ₩5,500, milk tea for ₩6,000, and jeonnamchin toast ("ex-boyfriend toast") for ₩7,000.

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How the drinks and toast tasted

Hongrad is a quiet, atmospheric, stylish space — and not just the vibe, the desserts were delicious too.

Jeonnamchin toast (ex-boyfriend toast), 7,000 won

Jeonnamchin toast is so famous, right!? Blueberry jam, cream cheese and ice cream on toast is a can't-fail combo, and they even added creamy banana on the side, which was great to eat along with it.

They grill cream cheese between slices of milk bread, so the chewy texture of the bread paired with the sweetness of the vanilla ice cream and the tang of the blueberry jam made for a perfect three-part harmony.

The sweetness isn't overwhelming, so it's a dessert even people who don't love sweets could order and enjoy! And best of all, it went so well with the coffee.

Decaf Americano 5,500 won and milk tea 6,000 won

I've been cutting back on caffeine lately so I drink decaf, and this place must use good beans even for their decaf, because it had a nutty flavor alive without any dull, flat aftertaste.

The milk tea wasn't too sweet either, and you could really taste the distinct flavor of the black tea! When it's too sweet you lose that black tea flavor, but this wasn't like that, so it paired well with the dessert too.

Is Hongrad Suwon Station worth a study session?

Hongrad, an atmospheric café near Suwon Station — I was so happy to discover a place like this existed nearby. The staff were all kind, and you could feel the owner's attention to detail throughout the interior, which made just looking around the space fun in itself. And best of all, every single table had comfortable plush sofas and backed chairs, so it was a place you could actually relax in. It's quiet on weekdays too, great for studying, which is why a lot of locals seem to come by. It's such an appealing spot that I'm already planning to visit again :)