Matcha café in Mangwon, Seoul: Kyoto matcha latte and cheesecake, PICT

Plans always fall apart at Mangwon Market. I mean to just look around, and somehow end up with both hands full of food, then right when I think it's time to go, I start craving coffee. This time I stopped by PICT Roastery in Mangwon-dong. Coffee brewed from their own roasted beans, plus aged French toast — I was already full from the market, but apparently I still needed to save room for dessert...? I left "I'll just have coffee" at the door and walked in.

Location and directions to PICT Roastery Mangwon Branch

PICT Roastery Mangwon Branch is about a 5-minute walk from Mangwon Station Exit 2, tucked in an alley near Mangwon Market. Once you spot the red brick building, you're almost there. The entrance isn't obvious right away, so you might look around for a second — turn right around the building and go down a short flight of stairs to find the café.

What's the inside like

The inside of PICT Roastery Mangwon Branch had modern styling paired with wood furniture. Clean but not cold — warm and cozy instead. After a long walk through the Mangwon Market alleys, sitting down here made me want to slow down and take my time with the coffee.

Menu and what we ordered

The menu at PICT Roastery Mangwon Branch ranges from basics like americano and latte to a Kyoto matcha latte, mint lemon ade, and tea. For coffee, you can choose between nutty beans or beans with more acidity. Desserts that caught my eye were French toast, pistachio tiramisu, matcha Basque cheesecake, and banana pudding. What we ordered: Kyoto matcha Basque cheesecake, Kyoto matcha latte, and vanilla bean latte.

The Kyoto matcha latte, vanilla bean latte, and Kyoto matcha Basque cheesecake all arrived. With two matcha items on the table, everything looked pretty green. Not bad for someone who claimed they'd just have one cup of coffee, haha. Photos first, then time to eat slowly.

How the Kyoto matcha latte tastes

The Kyoto matcha latte at PICT Roastery Mangwon Branch had a clear matcha aroma with just the right amount of sweetness. With overly sweet matcha lattes, you end up reaching for water after a few sips — but I drank this one happily all the way to the end. The slight bitterness was still there too, which made it easy to go back and forth with the cheesecake. I wondered if ordering matcha cake alongside matcha latte was overkill, but after the first bite, that worry was unfounded.

Kyoto matcha Basque cheesecake

The Kyoto matcha Basque cheesecake balanced matcha's bitterness with rich cheese nicely. One bite of cake, one sip of matcha latte, and the table looked like it belonged to someone who genuinely loves matcha. It wasn't too sweet, so I enjoyed it all the way through. It was just one slice, but my fork kept moving as fast as if I'd ordered two.

The vanilla bean latte is all about the foam

The vanilla bean latte was delicious too. The sweet vanilla aroma blended with the coffee, and my mood lifted with the first sip. The coffee itself was really nutty, which seemed to be what gave it such a rich flavor. The foam was thick and velvety on top, and the vanilla bean gave off a genuinely premium taste.

The foam on top of the vanilla bean latte was really something. Not the light kind that disappears the second it touches your lips — this stayed thick and smooth. Between the vanilla aroma and the foam's texture, I drank it slower than usual, hoping some foam would still be left for the very last sip.

A good café to end a Mangwon Market trip

I stopped by to rest after browsing Mangwon Market, and ended up happily finishing a drink and cake as well. The Kyoto matcha latte with its just-right sweetness, the vanilla bean latte with its memorable thick foam, and the matcha Basque cheesecake — all three were good. The space was modern yet cozy, so even just sitting there was enjoyable. If you're looking for a good café in Mangwon-dong, give PICT Roastery a try. Next time, I won't bother saying I'll just have coffee — I'll leave room for dessert from the start.