Terrace café by Olympic Park with hojicha gelato, tiramisu: Damgeum

Here's my review of Damgeum, a terrace café near Olympic Park! It's a popular Italian-vibe hotspot and I finally got to visit haha. The atmosphere is amazing on a nice day, and since it's known for gelato and tiramisu, I'd recommend it as a stop for an Olympic Park picnic or walk :)

Where Damgeum is and where to park

• Address | 37 Seongnae-ro 18-gil, Gangdong-gu, Seoul, South Korea
• Parking | Available

The exterior: Italian looks that changed the whole alley

Damgeum has that European, Italian feel through and through. It's an ordinary alley, but this one café completely changes the mood haha. The awning is open wide with the windows pulled back, so the whole front of the shop is basically terrace seating. Such a great place to come on a nice day!

What the inside of Damgeum looks like

The inside of Damgeum has that Italian feel too haha. Every piece of furniture and decor is so thoughtfully chosen. I used to think the outdoor terrace looked so pretty whenever I passed by near Olympic Park, but the interior turned out to be exactly my taste as well.

Terrace seating outside

Still, on a cool, breezy day like this, Damgeum's terrace seating is by far the most popular spot. There are big plants placed in front too, which give it a somewhat private feel haha.

The atmosphere is just so good,, this is exactly what I mean by Italian vibes haha. I came during a quiet time and got lucky with a terrace seat!

It's fun looking around for all the pretty little details, and the tiles and furniture matched perfectly. Seeing the La Marzocco coffee machine, I figured this had to be a good coffee spot too. And after tasting it — yes, confirmed, great coffee.

How to order at Damgeum and what's on the menu

At Damgeum, you scan the QR code to check the menu, then enter your table number at the kiosk to order. Beyond coffee, handmade Italian desserts, beer, cocktails, and gelato, they also serve Italian home-style dishes like lasagna, pasta, salad, and panino, which would make a great brunch menu.

Since Damgeum prides itself on 100% natural handmade gelato, I knew I had to try it haha. They learned the craft directly in Italy and developed their own recipes — they're clearly serious about gelato. It's also available for takeout!

What we ordered at Damgeum

• Gelato cup (two flavors) hojicha / lemon
• Handmade two-layer tiramisu
• Iced americano

How do the hojicha and lemon gelato taste?

The gelato came out quickly. I picked two flavors: hojicha (roasted green tea) and lemon.

Apparently it's made by a chef who lived in Italy, using a developed recipe with low sugar and a high concentration of real ingredients — and you could really taste the ingredients' true flavor.

The hojicha was really rich, with deep flavor, and the lemon had a freshness that genuinely reminded me of an Italian coastal town hahaha. No artificial taste at all — just clean, true lemon flavor.

Then came the iced americano and the handmade two-layer tiramisu! These menu items matched the background so well haha. Enjoying Italian-style desserts and coffee out on this terrace seat felt like being abroad, somehow! Exactly the vibe I love!!

It was a great combination for two people to share. Starting with gelato like an appetizer, then moving on to coffee and tiramisu — the portions and order worked out really well.

The iced americano

Even the iced americano at Damgeum had genuinely rich flavor. It wasn't watered down and bland — it was the kind of coffee real coffee lovers would especially enjoy. Nice crema on top too, so yeah, confirmed coffee spot haha.

Damgeum's handmade two-layer tiramisu

Can't skip the handmade Italian desserts either. This was proper, authentic tiramisu. The combination of specialty coffee syrup and 100% dairy cream with mascarpone,, I love it,, the flavor was so rich, honestly one of the best tiramisu cakes I've ever had.

The portion was generous too — the two of us were full pretty quickly haha. No greasiness at all, and taking a big bite to really savor it felt so good.

What I loved most was the moist, soft sponge layered with such intensely rich flavor. I'd especially recommend this place to anyone who loves bold, rich flavor in both their coffee and desserts!

Who will like Damgeum?

If you're looking for a good-atmosphere terrace café near Olympic Park, I'd recommend Damgeum! With its full Italian vibe and delicious handmade gelato and tiramisu, it's perfect for a great coffee break :)