Seochon wine bar with croissant apple sandwich: Wine Stein Seochon

Every time I go to Gwanghwamun, I notice how much the vibe shifts after just a short walk. Between the tall buildings and then into the alleys of Seochon, old buildings and hanoks appear, and somehow my pace slows down too.

A spacious place where you can enjoy brunch, coffee, and wine while looking down over Seochon's alleys and hanok rooftops. The latte I ordered without expecting much was genuinely delicious.

I stopped by Wine Stein Seochon this time for brunch and coffee. Based on the name alone, you'd think it's just a place for an evening glass of wine, but during the day you can enjoy brunch and coffee too.

Where is Wine Stein Seochon, and when is it open?

• 📍 3F Inwang Building, 9-2 Pilundae-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea
• ⏰ Mon–Sat 11:30–23:00 / Sun 11:30–18:00
• 🚗 No dedicated parking; nearby paid lots recommended

Inside Wine Stein Seochon: roomier than it looks

The first thought I had walking into Wine Stein Seochon was, 'Wait, this is way bigger than I thought?'

Gwanghwamun and Seochon are full of small, cozy shops, so I assumed this would be similar.

But the tables were spaced out generously, and the space was decorated with plants and small props that were fun to look at. If you're looking for a Jongno hangout spot for a group dinner, having room for several people to sit together is a real plus.

Hanok rooftop views from the 3rd-floor windows

What I liked most of all was the floor-to-ceiling window view on the 3rd floor of Wine Stein Seochon! Sitting by the window, I could see Seochon's hanok rooftops and alleys, with the city skyline stretching out behind them, all at once. The interior is bright and clean, but outside the window is an old neighborhood scene — oddly, the two went really well together.

In a seat like this, you end up taking photos before the food even arrives. Haha.

Wine Stein Seochon menu and prices

• Americano ₩5,000
• Wine of the day ₩10,000
• Apple arugula sandwich ₩10,000
• Mushroom soup ₩10,000
• Beef no-tomato stew ₩12,000
• Basque cheesecake ₩10,000

The lunch set is really good — we went with the A and B courses.

There were so many types of wine to choose from~

What comes with Lunch Set A and Lunch Set B?

From the Wine Stein Seochon lunch set, we each picked a course that came with pasta or soup. It included a croissant sandwich with a side salad, cream pasta on one side, and mushroom soup on the other.

The croissant apple sandwich

First up, the croissant apple sandwich! Between the golden-brown croissant were cheese and vegetables, and the plate came with cherry tomatoes, olives, and carrot rapée (carottes râpées) on the side. The generous vegetables made it feel much fresher than just eating bread, and the cherry tomatoes were plump and fresh too.

Thick and rich mushroom soup!

Cheese, ham, and apple were stacked in layers like rock strata. The crunch of the apple, the softness of the cheese, and the raw hearty flavor of the ham~

Creamy mushroom soup

The mushroom soup looked different from your typical white cream soup right from the color. One spoonful in, and I could taste the deep mushroom flavor. Scooping up the crispy topping on top along with the soft soup added a nice bit of texture too.

Butterfly-shaped cream pasta, gone in minutes

The cream pasta exceeded my expectations too. I don't usually go for pasta, but the cream sauce here coated the noodles so well that I ended up finishing the whole bowl, haha. Looking closer, the noodles were shaped like butterflies~

The café latte that stole the meal

But the biggest surprise of the day was Wine Stein Seochon's latte. It's coffee at a wine bar, so I didn't expect much, but it was as good as anything from a proper café. It had that soft, gently sweet style I love. Not too sweet, and the coffee's bitterness didn't overpower it either — one sip in and I thought, 'oh, this is exactly my type.'

Wine of the day, with a pleasant tang

There was a wide variety of wine too. The owner explained ahead of time that this day's wine had a bit of tang to it, and knowing what to expect made it even better to enjoy. A place worth revisiting by day as a brunch café and by night as a Seochon bar.

A walk through Seochon and Geumojae Bookstore

After a satisfying meal, we walked slowly through the Seochon alleys. Good lunch, coffee I loved, and that view out the window — it all added up to make the time in Gwanghwamun feel especially good.

If you're looking for a café wine bar in Seochon, I'd say go straight for a window seat first. Watching the Seochon scenery while eating brunch was really lovely, haha.

Is Wine Stein Seochon worth a visit?

• 🪟 The 3rd-floor floor-to-ceiling windows show Seochon's hanok rooftops and city skyline. Window seats are especially charming.
• 🥐 The croissant sandwich with fresh vegetables and the cream pasta made for a satisfying brunch lineup.
• 🍄 The rich mushroom-flavored soup with a crispy topping added great texture too.
• ☕ The latte, ordered with zero expectations, was the surprise of the day — soft and gently sweet, right up my alley.
• 🍷 A bigger-than-expected space with a wide wine selection, good for brunch by day and gatherings by night.