Café near Yangjae Costco with cold brew concentrate to go: Mini Male

Where should you go for coffee after shopping at Yangjae Costco?

Every time I come out of Yangjae Costco after grocery shopping, I crave a cup of coffee. After pushing a cart around for a few laps, you're completely drained, right?

But when you actually search for cafés near Costco, most of them are crowded and bustling. At first I thought, "Let's just go anywhere close."

Then I found Mini Male Coffee Roaster Juam Branch (미니말레 커피뢰스터 주암점). After I first discovered the Yangjae main branch in front of Yangjae Citizens' Forest, Mini Male became my favorite coffee brand, but today was the first time I found out there's one in front of Costco too. And once again today, I really think this place is the best. The coffee, the atmosphere, the bakery quality!!!

You thought cafés near Costco are all the same, right?

Location and atmosphere of Mini Male Juam Branch

Mini Male Coffee Roaster Juam Branch is a bit unusual even in terms of location. It's actually in Juam-dong, but the administrative district is apparently Yangjae-dong.

That's why it's close to Yangjae Costco, and I hear many people come on purpose from the Gwacheon side too.

It's tucked inside an alley, so the mood is quiet. My head, frazzled from shopping, felt like it cooled down a bit.

How are the Mini Male beans?

Mini Male roasts its beans in-house at its roastery in Seocho-dong. They say they only use green beans with a cupping score of 80 or higher, so that's serious commitment, isn't it?

You can choose from three beans: Balance, Dunkel and decaf.

The Helsinki latte: now I get why everyone orders this first

The signature Helsinki latte

What I drank at Mini Male Juam Branch was the signature Helsinki latte. It's apparently a reinterpretation of a latte they came across while traveling in Northern Europe.

The nuttiness hits you the moment you take a sip. The sweetness isn't overdone, and a rich milk flavor supports it. Honestly, I used to think lattes are about the same everywhere. This completely changed my mind.

Mini Male bakery menu

The bread at Mini Male Juam Branch never disappoints either. There's the New York cookie, AOP butter croissant and fresh cream scone, all baked daily at their bakery lab in Gaepo-dong. Whether drink or bakery, everything I picked was a success.

The real treasure was the cold brew concentrate I took home

Trying the Ethiopian cold brew concentrate at home

Lately I've always been stuck on what to drink at home in the morning. So this time I bought a bottle of Mini Male cold brew concentrate.

It's an Ethiopian single origin with a bright, fresh acidity. It's tasty mixed with water as an americano, and just as good with milk as a latte.

Every morning feels like I've been to a café, so I'm really happy with it.

Why I recommend it as a café near Yangjae Costco

To sum up, if you're looking for a good café near Yangjae Costco, I recommend Mini Male Juam Branch. The coffee, the bakery, even a concentrate to enjoy at home: nothing was lacking.

It's a place I can recommend with real confidence to anyone wondering about cafés near Costco. You can even park right beside the building, so if you're looking for a café near Yangjae Costco, I strongly recommend Mini Male Juam Branch~

Oh, and Mini Male has other branches too

Mini Male Yangjae and Gyodae branches vs. Juam Branch: which is better?

Actually, Mini Male has other branches too! It was already a brand I love, so I was always seeking it out around Gyodae and Yangjae, but this was my first time at the Juam Branch. I can't tell you how happy I was to discover one near Costco!!

The Yangjae and Gyodae branches are perfect for takeout on the commute to work, and if you want to sit down and drink at leisure, I'd recommend the Juam Branch more. On days when I drive to go grocery shopping, the Juam Branch is definitely the most convenient.