Island Warm Bowl · 8 stories
I write about restaurants I visit around Seoul. · Writes about: Cafés · Restaurants · Things to do
Stack Bakery Konkuk Univ. Station Main Branch is a croissant and French pastry bakery café in Jayang-dong, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul, close to Ttukseom Han River Park. The writer stopped by Stack Bakery at lunchtime and ate on the 2nd floor: a sandwich croissant, a red bean butter salt bread, a chocolate flan and a nutty latte. Stack Bakery is a good bakery café near Konkuk Univ. for after a walk or a date at Ttukseom Han River Park.
Kuu Kuu Nowon Branch (쿠우쿠우 노원점) is a sushi and sashimi buffet on the 6th floor of the Seoul Oncheon building at 247 Nowon-ro, Nowon, Seoul. After a weekend visit to the Seoul Science Center, the writer ate at Kuu Kuu Nowon Branch with the kids, enjoying upsized flatfish and salmon sushi, fresh Norwegian salmon sashimi, smoked duck, lamb chops, bead ice cream in 4 flavors and a Pokémon collaboration menu. With a kids' café and spacious seating, Kuu Kuu Nowon Branch is a recommended spot for family get-togethers with children in Nowon.
Wonz Coffee Children's Grand Park Main Branch is a specialty coffee café in Guui-dong, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul, a 3-minute walk from Children's Grand Park's Guui Gate. The writer, a regular at Wonz Coffee, ordered a café latte, an orange cream latte, a plain scone and a choco s'more cookie, and was happy with how the coffee and desserts paired. With plenty of discounts for takeout (₩1,000 off), tumblers (₩1,500 off) and refills (1 free when dining in), Wonz Coffee is a Children's Grand Park outing café worth checking before you order.
Center Coffee Guui East Pole is a large coffee shop on B1 of the East Pole shopping mall, directly connected to Exit 3 of Guui Station in Gwangjin, Seoul. A group of four ordered a café latte, a mugwort latte (₩6,500), a Korean melon yogurt smoothie (₩7,000) and tiramisu, and the wide aisles and baby chairs made bringing a stroller easy. Center Coffee Guui East Pole is a good pick for parents who want coffee near Guui Station without feeling self-conscious.
Wonz Coffee Children's Grand Park Main Branch is a lab-themed specialty bakery café in Guui-dong, Gwangjin, Seoul, near the Guui Gate of Children's Grand Park. For a brunch-style lunch, the writer had a sourdough and Americano set, adding a scone and a financier, and poured a Red Blend espresso served in a beaker over a cup of ice. Long a coffee-only stop for the writer, Wonz Coffee proved its brunch menu and bakery are just as good.
5to7 Seongsu Main Branch is a dessert café near Seoulsup in Seongdong, Seoul, that serves soufflé pancakes baked in-house. On a sunny autumn day, the writer ordered the seasonal fig soufflé with a moka pot americano and a café latte; the two-layer fig soufflé was a generous portion, but so fluffy and sweet that it was hard to put the fork down. 5to7 Seongsu Main Branch is worth recommending when you want a proper soufflé in an atmospheric Seoulsup café.
Handam Guksu Gwakji Aewol Branch is a pork noodle restaurant on the Handam Beach walking path in Aewol, Jeju, where every seat faces the ocean. Arriving at 1pm on a summer family trip, the writer waited in the restaurant's waiting area — drinks are offered to anyone waiting more than 30 minutes — then ordered three bowls: rich bone-broth pork noodles, mala pork noodles, and dongchimi bibim noodles (cold noodles in radish water kimchi), eaten with self-serve side dishes. Kids' forks and small plates are kept out at the self-serve bar, which made Handam Guksu an easy lunch with children.
Town Sandwich Jamsil Branch is a rice-baguette sandwich shop on the first floor of the Jamsil The Sharp Star Park commercial building in Songpa, Seoul. After missing lunchtime following a hair salon visit, I went in alone and ordered the Town Sandwich, the grilled chicken banh mi, and a caffè latte — the crisp-outside, chewy-inside baguette with jambon-beurre and spicy chicken was hearty and filling. With bar-table seating, it's an easy spot for solo dining in Jamsil.
