Seongsu brunch café for exhibition days: panini and peach tea, Frolla

Brunch on an exhibition day in Seongsu: what is Frolla like?

Frolla is a brunch café in Seongsu known for Italian-style paninis and espresso tiramisu. On days I go to an exhibition in Seongsu, I always end up wanting a really good brunch too. This time, while searching for a Seongsu café brunch, I stumbled on Frolla✨ It has appeared on the show Halmyeongsu (Seongsu episode) and is said to have been visited by a famous singer, but once I went, it wasn't just hype. The menu itself was really unique!

Unlike the usual brunch café, Frolla stood out for its Italian paninis and espresso tiramisu, and even the hip atmosphere of the space felt exotic. Personally, it reminded me of the free-spirited vibe I felt in the Northern Quarter in Manchester, England, which made it even more memorable. After visiting in person, I understand why so many people recommend Frolla as a great coffee spot and panini spot in Seongsu :)

Where is Frolla and what are its opening hours?

Frolla is about a 10-minute walk from Exit 3 of Seongsu Station. It sits between Seongsu Station and Konkuk Univ. Station, so it's a good stop while wandering Seongsu's café streets and side alleys.

• Address: 5 Yeonmujang 17-gil, Seongdong-gu, Seoul, South Korea (1st floor; Seongsu-dong 2-ga 272-35)
• Hours: daily 11:00 - 19:00

It's slightly off the busy main street, but that's exactly why it feels relaxed. It's a good spot to stroll around Seongsu slowly after brunch, so I'd recommend it as a date course too💕

Frolla seating and atmosphere

Frolla has two terrace spots, indoor seating mostly made up of 2-person tables, and a bar table that's good for sitting alone.

The exterior already feels stylish, and on a nice day I bet the two terrace spots are especially popular, haha. They looked perfect for a cup of coffee in the sun☀️

Indoors is mostly 2-person tables, but you can push them together for groups of 4 or more,

and there's also a bar table for people visiting alone, so I thought they really made good use of the space.

What caught my eye most was one wall! It was styled like a little prop shop, with all kinds of objects placed naturally, and it was fun just to look around, haha.

It didn't feel like a place where you just eat brunch and leave; Seongsu's free-spirited sensibility seemed to seep into every corner of Frolla.

Frolla menu: Italian-style brunch and 15+ espresso drinks

The menu at Frolla was really interesting. Brunch is made up of salads, open toasts, paninis and more, all based on Italian style.

The coffee is a bit different from a typical café too. The americano and latte are served Australian-style, while on the Italian side you can find a whopping 15+ espresso drinks..! I'd never been to an espresso spot with this many varieties, so even reading the menu was fun, haha.

What I ordered this time was the truffle parma, the peach tea and the espresso tiramisu :)

How does Frolla's truffle parma panini taste?

The truffle parma is Frolla's signature panini: ciabatta with melted Italian mozzarella, filled with Parma prosciutto, mushrooms, tomato confit, lettuce, truffle oil and more. It's the café's flagship menu item.

The first thing I noticed the moment it arrived was the truffle aroma! The scent spread so strongly that I was excited even before taking a bite.

It was bigger than I expected, so one panini alone was plenty filling, haha.

My personal favorite was the tomato confit. It had a much deeper flavor and softer texture than fresh tomato, and it made the whole thing richer. With the salty prosciutto, nutty cheese, tomato and subtle truffle aroma all blending together, I could see why everyone recommends it, haha.

Do truffle parma and peach tea go well together?

Frolla's peach tea balanced nicely with the salty truffle parma panini. It's an iced tea topped with dried orange, with a clean finish that isn't astringent.

Honestly, I didn't expect much from the peach tea compared with the other items, but the dried orange on top was so pretty that it won me over at first sight?👀 The panini is on the salty side, so sipping the peach tea in between made the balance really good, haha.

The peach and passion fruit flavor spread softly in my mouth, and the finish was clean rather than astringent, so it was easy to enjoy with a meal :) It's totally my taste, and I want to recommend it to friends🧚

How do you eat Frolla's espresso tiramisu?

Frolla's espresso tiramisu is eaten by dipping savoiardi (ladyfinger biscuits) in espresso and topping them with mascarpone cream. I was about to order the signature original tiramisu, but then I thought it would be a real shame to leave Frolla without drinking any coffee... so I went with the espresso tiramisu😆

It turned out to be a really good choice. It looked beautiful and the way you eat it is kind of fun(?). You dip the savoiardi in the espresso, then top it with mascarpone cream.

From the photos I imagined the savoiardi would have an éclair-like texture, but surprisingly it was firm like a cookie, haha. The bitter-yet-nutty flavor of the espresso and the soft sweetness of the mascarpone cheese balance each other, and the savoiardi puts the full stop on it. I understood why people call Frolla an espresso hotspot :)

If you're looking for Italian-style brunch in Seongsu

Frolla goes beyond simply tasty brunch: you get the fresh experience in every menu item along with the exotic atmosphere of the space. Calling it a little Italy in Seongsu didn't feel like an exaggeration. Next time I definitely want to try the dessert tiramisu and take on the other espresso drinks, haha.

If you're looking for a special brunch in Seongsu, give Frolla, a Seongsu coffee spot, a visit. It'll be a chance to experience Italian food culture, quite different from the usual brunch✨