Hongdae bakery haul: reheating garlic baguette at 185°C, Mandong Jegwa

Today I'm introducing Mandong Jegwa (만동제과), a stop on the Hongdae bakery crawl.

Mandong Jegwa is a Yeonnam-dong bakery where, they say, the bread is gone if you go late. It's a must-queue-at-opening bakery crawl stop, but when I went at 6:30pm on a weekday, the shelves were almost empty. I managed to get the signature garlic baguette and basil tomato bread, plus the new pumpkin ciabatta. This post has my review, tips on how to store the bread so it tastes even better, and everything a bread lover hunting for a Hongdae bakery needs to know.

Where is Mandong Jegwa, and is there parking?

Mandong Jegwa is a 10–15 minute walk from Hongik Univ. Station Exit 3. Just head straight up the main road toward Café Gongmyeong. There are 2–3 parking spots in front of the shop, but probably for business reasons they're marked no parking, so leave the car at home and take public transport.

What time should you go to find bread at Mandong Jegwa?

I went after work, at 6:30pm on a weekday, and the shelves were almost empty. If you know exactly which bread you want, I recommend going at opening, or at least before 5pm.

The 5 breads I bought for ₩30,000 at Mandong Jegwa

I filled my bag with whatever bakery items were left and spent ₩30,000. The garlic baguette, the shop's most famous item, had just come out of the oven, so I grabbed it right away, and they wrapped it up carefully since it was still hot.

Shopping bags at Mandong Jegwa cost an extra ₩100, but I brought my own tote, so I didn't buy one. If you only buy 2–3 breads, the handle-less paper bag they put them in is probably enough. All five were hefty, the kind where they clearly don't skimp on ingredients!!

Mandong Jegwa garlic baguette: storage and reheating in an air fryer

The garlic baguette was the one I was looking forward to most, and it was loaded with so much garlic butter sauce it was almost too much to handle. It isn't cut all the way through, so a knife was easier than a fork.

For the garlic baguette, room-temperature storage was fine for the first 1–2 days, and after that it's better to refrigerate it. Just 5 minutes in the air fryer at 185°C makes it crispy outside and soft inside, which tastes much better.

What does the new pumpkin ciabatta taste like?

The new pumpkin ciabatta was packed with pumpkin purée and cream cheese. I warmed this one in the air fryer too, and the cream cheese melted and made it even softer. I recommend it if you're after a hearty meal bread.

Mandong Jegwa basil tomato bread: can you microwave it?

The basil tomato bread, the shop's other signature item, isn't something you put on your tray yourself; you have to ask the staff to take it out for you.

The basil tomato bread contains cream cheese, so it's best kept in the fridge, and 15 seconds in the microwave makes it less hard. The basil smell was strong the moment I opened the bag. The outside is firm and crunchy, so watch the roof of your mouth, and my parents, who have bad teeth, said it was hard. It's light and not very dense, so it's nice with coffee in the morning.

Underrated at Mandong Jegwa: the Emmental cheese bread and chestnut loaf

The Emmental cheese bread and the chestnut loaf (밤식빵) aren't famous, so I didn't expect much, but even these were delicious. Totally underrated!!

The Emmental cheese bread was more upscale and rich than I expected, and I was really satisfied. The chestnut loaf had big chunks of chestnut studded throughout, which put me in a good mood. It was a perfect match with milk or a café latte.

Is Mandong Jegwa worth queuing for?

Honestly, Mandong Jegwa is a must-visit on a Yeonnam-dong bakery crawl. I thought the talk of long waits was hype, but after trying it myself, I get why it's popular. It isn't cheap, but the bread is worth the price: hefty and delicious, with no skimping on ingredients. If you're a bread lover looking for a Hongdae bakery, I really recommend a visit.

If you're planning a Hongdae bakery crawl, save Mandong Jegwa, go early, and be sure to grab the bread you want.