Guui Station café: decaf cold brew bottles for home, Center Coffee

What is Center Coffee Guui East Pole like?

Center Coffee Guui East Pole is a café inside the newly opened Guui East Pole. I went with my husband, and I'd thought Center Coffee only had a branch in Gwanghwamun, but it turns out there's a store at Guui East Pole too. The space itself is new, so the whole place felt wide and pleasant.

Center Coffee inside impressed me with its open layout and relaxed mood. I had the decaf cold brew, liked it so much that I ended up buying a bottle to take home, haha.

Center Coffee Guui East Pole location and opening hours

The address is 402 Achasan-ro, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul, B1, and it's open daily 10:00–22:00, with last order at 21:30. Center Coffee is on basement level 1 of NC East Pole, which is connected to Guui Station.

It's easy to drop by after shopping or a meal, and being close to Guui Station makes it convenient by public transport. If you're driving, the parking support time can vary depending on how much you spend, so it's worth checking when you order.

The café is spacious and open

The café is open-plan, not fully closed off by walls. Even though it's inside a shopping mall, the view is wide open, so it didn't feel stuffy or crowded.

There's plenty of seating and the tables are spaced out, so my husband and I could sit comfortably. The furniture had the texture of handmade solid wood rather than something stamped out in a factory. The warmth of the wood added to a clean, modern space and made me feel at ease while we stayed. It looks good for a solo coffee, a rest during shopping, or a chat with a friend.

What we ordered at Center Coffee Guui East Pole, and prices

Here's what we ordered.

• Decaf cold brew ₩6,500
• Green grape pine slush ₩7,000
• Cheesecake

Caffeine in the afternoon or evening sometimes affects my sleep, so I chose the decaf cold brew. My husband ordered the green grape pine slush, a summer seasonal menu item.

Is Center Coffee's decaf cold brew watery?

In a word, the decaf cold brew was very clean. Decaf coffee can sometimes have weak aroma or taste flat, but Center Coffee's cold brew wasn't thin like water.

It kept the smooth, calm flavor typical of cold brew without any overly bitter or muddy aftertaste.

It goes down smoothly with a clean finish, which made it especially good cold on a hot day. I think it suits people who love coffee but find caffeine a burden, or who want to drink coffee comfortably in the afternoon.

How did the bottled decaf cold brew taste at home?

I liked the decaf cold brew at Center Coffee Guui East Pole so much that I bought a bottle separately on the way home.

Iced Americano with ice and water

At home I first added ice and water to the decaf cold brew and drank it like an iced Americano. The fresh, clean taste came through just the same, so I didn't miss buying coffee out.

Iced latte with ice and milk

Next I made an iced latte with ice and milk. The milk softened the cold brew's strong flavor and added a nutty richness, so it felt like a different drink.

I also liked that I could adjust the water or milk to taste, so depending on my mood that day I could enjoy it as an Americano or a latte.

I didn't just finish a cup in the store, I bought the bottle too, so it clearly suited my taste.

What does the summer seasonal green grape pine slush taste like?

My husband chose Center Coffee's seasonal green grape pine slush (₩7,000). I first thought it was made only with green grapes, but it turned out to have pineapple in it too.

The green drink with fruit on top looked perfect for summer just to look at. You admire it as it arrives, then mix it all together to drink. My husband said the sweet, refreshing green grape plus the tang of pineapple gave a cool, pleasant sweetness. If you don't drink coffee, or want a fruit drink on a hot day, it's a seasonal item worth trying.

Moist, salty Center Coffee cheesecake

For dessert we ordered the Center Coffee cheesecake. It was moist enough that a fork slid in softly, and the rich cheese flavor filled the mouth. What impressed me was that it isn't a cheesecake that's only sweet; there's a salty note at the end.

Thanks to the right amount of saltiness, the cheese tasted even deeper and creamier. Taking a sip of cold brew and then a bite of cheesecake was a great pairing too.

The clean coffee reset my mouth, then the rich cheesecake followed again, and going back and forth like that, the plate was empty in no time.

If you prefer a cake with a distinct cheese flavor over a dessert that's just sweet, I'd recommend it.

Why I want to go back to Center Coffee Guui East Pole

Center Coffee Guui East Pole is a place where you can stay comfortably in a wide, open space and enjoy properly made coffee and dessert.

What stayed with me most was the clean taste of the decaf cold brew. I liked it enough to drink it in the store, buy a bottle, and make iced Americanos and lattes at home. My husband's green grape pine slush blended green grape and pineapple into a sweet, refreshing drink that suits summer. And the moist, salty cheesecake paired nicely with the cold brew, so we were satisfied.

If you're looking for a café to take a break after shopping or eating at Guui East Pole, Center Coffee is worth a stop. Next time I'd like to try drip coffee from other beans and the seasonal drinks that change through the year.