Sinnonhyeon Station café: Earl Grey grapefruit cake, Upper and Under

Hey everyone! Today I'm bringing you a really nice café near Sinnonhyeon Station haha. Even though it's close to Gangnam Station, it's a spacious three-floor café, so it never feels crowded even with a group, and between the variety of drinks and the delicious desserts, I left very satisfied. Here's my review of coffee time at Upper and Under, a café near Sinnonhyeon Station!

Where is Upper and Under, and what are its hours and parking?

Upper and Under, a café near Sinnonhyeon Station, is at 28 Gangnam-daero102-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul (basement, 1st, and 2nd floors), and it's open daily from 11:00 to 22:00. Amenities include group-friendly seating, takeout, WiFi, and separate men's/women's restrooms.

Upper and Under is about a 5-10 minute walk from Exit 6 of Sinnonhyeon Station (Line 9 and Sinbundang Line), so it's pretty accessible by public transit. If you're driving, note that there's no dedicated parking, so you'll need to use a nearby public parking lot.

What the building looks like and how each floor feels

True to the name Upper and Under, this café near Sinnonhyeon Station is a standalone building spanning the 1st through 3rd floors. The moody, atmospheric interior really stood out, and each floor had its own vibe, so each level had its own charm. You order on the 2nd floor, and that's where we settled in.

Menu and prices, and what desserts are left late in the evening

Upper and Under was full of delicious-looking cakes and desserts haha. But since we visited late in the evening, most of the popular desserts were already sold out! If you have a specific dessert in mind, I'd recommend visiting a bit earlier to be safe.

We ordered a hot decaf americano (₩7,000), coconut matcha (₩8,500), Earl Grey grapefruit cake (₩8,500), and raspberry cake (₩8,500). We'd already had dinner, but everything looked so good we ended up over-ordering again...

How did the coconut matcha and the two cakes taste?

Our order finally arrived, and haha, doesn't it look amazing!? The coconut matcha had a base that was basically a coconut-scented water of sorts, topped with a generous layer of sweet, smooth matcha cream.

I was drawn to the coconut matcha because it's a menu item I've never seen at any other café haha. It wasn't too sweet, and the matcha and coconut flavors both came through clearly, making it a unique and delicious drink.

The Earl Grey grapefruit cake and the raspberry cake each had their own clear charm, and both were genuinely delicious. The Earl Grey grapefruit cake had a pound cake base loaded with Earl Grey cream in the middle and on top, and that Earl Grey cream was so, so good!! It wasn't too sweet and had a slightly cool, refreshing flavor that felt really sophisticated. I wasn't sure the grapefruit on top would go with the Earl Grey, but it blended in surprisingly well and the combination wasn't bad at all.

The raspberry cake combined the tart aroma of raspberry with sweet, cool cream for a so-good result!! I actually don't usually like raspberry because it can be too sour, but I really enjoyed this café's raspberry cake.

Final verdict: who is Upper and Under best for?

Overall, I'd recommend Upper and Under, this café near Sinnonhyeon Station, to anyone looking for a good-vibe café near Gangnam Station haha. Being a standalone three-floor café, the space is spacious, and since each floor has a slightly different mood, it was fun just exploring.

That said, visiting late in the evening meant a lot of the popular desserts were already gone, so if you have a specific cake in mind, I'd recommend visiting a bit earlier! Upper and Under has decent access from Sinnonhyeon Station, and with three floors it's easy to visit with a group of friends, while also having a nice atmosphere for enjoying coffee and dessert on a date. If you're looking for a good-vibe café near Gangnam Station or Sinnonhyeon Station, I think you'll enjoy taking your time at Upper and Under haha.