Gelato croffle and brownie at Cafe Iseo, a Hongcheon dessert café
In short
Cafe Iseo Hongcheon Branch is a brunch and dessert café set between Palbongsan and Vivaldi Park in Hongcheon, Gangwon. On a two-day Hongcheon trip the writer ordered bolognese ragu pasta, a summer croffle and a summer brownie both topped with gelato, plus lemonade and a choco latte. With widely spaced tables and a 20-car lot out front, Cafe Iseo suits groups and solo visitors alike.
Good to know
- Location
- 957 Hanchigol-gil, Seo-myeon, Hongcheon-gun, Gangwon-do
- Hours
- 10:30 - 20:00
- Closed
- Every Wednesday
- Brunch hours
- 11:00 - 17:00
- Parking
- Private lot in front of the café, 20+ cars
- Getting there
- 7 minutes from Vivaldi Park
- What we ordered
- Bolognese ragu pasta, summer croffle, summer brownie, lemonade, choco latte
- Bread with pasta
- 2 pieces included, extra pieces 1,500 won
- Review event
- Free americano refill or takeout cup
- Price reference
- ₩1,500 ≈ $1.1 (2026-09-15)
as written by the visitor on Sep 14, 2026
Cafe Iseo Hongcheon Branch 📍Location: 957 Hanchigol-gil, Seo-myeon, Hongcheon-gun, Gangwon-do 🕒 Hours: 10:30 - 20:00 Closed every Wednesday Brunch 11:00 - 17:00 🚗Parking: private lot in front of the store (20+ spaces) 7 minutes from Vivaldi Park
Why stop at Cafe Iseo on a two-day Hongcheon trip?
A week ago, I took a slightly delayed vacation and enjoyed a one-night, two-day trip to Hongcheon, Gangwon-do!!!!! After working really hard all summer, I planned a short but intense schedule for complete rest and headed to Hongcheon, which is relatively close to Seoul.
Hongcheon is about an hour and thirty minutes from Seoul! Just the right distance for a one-night, two-day trip. I usually love hunting for pretty cafés, and cafés are a must on any trip, right? I heard there was a great café in Hongcheon that also serves brunch, so I went straight there.
Where is Cafe Iseo Hongcheon Branch, and is parking easy?
Cafe Iseo sits between Palbongsan and Vivaldi Park. There's parking for about 20 cars in front of the building, so no need to worry about that ~!
Inside Cafe Iseo: wide-set tables and a roomy layout
It's a very spacious store. What I liked most was how wide the gaps between seats are! You know how at crowded cafés you can hear everything the people beside or behind you are saying,,,? No such worry at Cafe Iseo! The seats are spaced far apart so you can chat comfortably. From two-person tables to group tables, no matter how many of you there are, no worries.
There's a self-service corner with water, cushions, and blankets. I get cold instantly under AC, so this little touch really impressed me,,
Cafe Iseo menu: what to order
From brunch to desserts to drinks, there's really a wide variety. Craving something sweet, we chose
- Bolognese ragu pasta
- Summer croffle
- Summer brownie
- Lemonade
- Choco latte
How do you even order just a little? The second I saw ice cream on top of the desserts my eyes went wide and I ordered two of them!
There's a review event where you can get an americano refill or takeout, so it would be perfect to join and take a cup with you on the way out!
We picked a seat with a lush green view! The weather was great so it looked even prettier that day.
Bolognese ragu pasta: meaty sauce and fettuccine
You can adjust the spice level of the bolognese ragu pasta! We had it at medium. There was so much meat that we never felt short on it. I really love a lot of meat ㅠㅠ
The sauce tasted clean and paired great with the bread that came with it (bread is 2 pieces included, extra ₩1,500). The noodles are flat fettuccine, cooked with a chewy bite rather than being soft and overdone.
Summer croffle: croissant waffle with vanilla gelato
The summer croffle is a combo of croissant waffle + vanilla gelato, and the sweet syrup pulled it all together nicely. The gelato is genuinely delicious! A meeting of crispy-moist waffle and sweet, cool gelato.
Summer brownie: crisp outside, moist inside
The summer brownie is a combo of brownie and vanilla gelato. My partner isn't usually into brownies but ate this one saying it was so good! They normally dislike that dense, tooth-sticking, dry feeling, but Cafe Iseo's summer brownie has a slightly crisp outside with a moist inside, so it was so good ㅠㅠ Adding ice cream on top makes the combo perfect.
Lemonade and choco latte at Cafe Iseo
The lemonade comes with a lemon slice on top! Stir it well and it's maximum refreshing, pairing really well with the sweet desserts. The choco latte didn't taste cheap either — sweet and delicious.
Is Cafe Iseo Hongcheon Branch worth a visit?
If you're looking for a great Hongcheon café with good views and delicious menu items, I recommend Cafe Iseo Hongcheon Branch! Comfortable to visit whether you're in a group or alone.
- 👍 Menu is varied and delicious
- 👍 Great view and clean space
- 👍 Staff are friendly
- 👍 Wide seating gaps
- 👍 Easy parking
Highly recommend if you're looking for a café near Vivaldi Park or Palbongsan — parking is very easy and the store itself is spacious, which is great. Especially, the seating gaps are so wide that even with lots of people, it never feels crowded!!!!
Cafe Iseo gave me proper healing on this Hongcheon trip meant for rest.
Where it is
957 Hanchigol-gil, Seo-myeon, Hongcheon-gun, Gangwon-do, South Korea강원특별자치도 홍천군 서면 한치골길 957
