Seochon bakery café at opening: picking salt bread at Respire

A little while ago I went to Respire Bakery Cafe Seochon (레스피레베이커리) with a friend, a real hidden gem in Seochon. So many cute, pretty spaces have popped up around Seochon lately, and I heard there was a brunch spot full of European charm, so I rushed over right at opening time. From the exterior to the interior, plus the delicious bread and coffee, everything came together perfectly, so I just had to share it with you. hehehe

What does the outside of Respire Bakery Cafe look like?

Respire is a white two-story building in a Seochon alley, and it looks like a converted detached house. Walking down the alley, you spot it from far away. Clean white walls with natural wood finishes made me feel like I had arrived at a bakery in a small European village. Even the menu board in a dark wood frame by the entrance felt like a decorative prop. The weather was a bit overcast, but a cozy, warm mood radiated from the exterior, and I was excited before even going in. It was a day of imagining what it would be like to live in a house like this..!!!

Outdoor bench seats in the shade of a tree

On the side of the building there is an outdoor bench area with a real terrace feel. One stylish, naturally sprawling tree casts shade, and under it sit cute little wood tables and long benches. I thought that on a slightly cooler day, or when a breeze is blowing, a cup of coffee here would be truly healing. Over the wall you can even glimpse Seochon's quiet tiled-roof scenery, so it looked ideal for relaxing even though you're in the middle of Seoul.

The 'HAPPY' illustrated wall photo spot

The white wall along the way to the entrance was covered in cute illustrations and phrases. The different baked goods they sell were drawn as sweet hand sketches, and ingredients like SALT and BUTTER were drawn wittily, so looking around was a lot of fun. Seeing the big word 'HAPPY' written on the wall, I felt like I'd soak up happy energy the whole time I was here. The green shrubs mixed with the graffiti-like drawings made it a unique photo spot.

Seating and atmosphere inside Respire Bakery Cafe

The first thing I noticed when I stepped inside was a small, classic two-person table by the window. You can see the scenery outside straight through the window, and the vintage wood chairs with floral cushions were just lovely. The slightly rough wall texture and wood window frames gave it a cozy attic feel. I thought it was perfect for reading quietly alone, or for couples to sit side by side and whisper to each other.

What are the brunch and drink menus at Respire?

The menu includes the signature 'Ice Cream French Toast', sold only 20 a day, the 'Respire Toast' with ciabatta and scrambled eggs, and various sandwiches. There was also a note that with one drink per person you get one americano refill. After settling in and reading the menu carefully, the brunch lineup was so full, as you'd expect from a Seochon brunch spot, that I nearly froze up trying to choose. Coffee and drinks were listed below, and with unique items like the signature 'Respire Latte' made with Sangha Farm (상하목장) milk and a Salt Summer Latte, you can tell they put a lot of care into the drinks too. With the americano refill, I figured it's great value as well.

This is the overall mood inside the shop. Toned-down wood furniture and warm orange lighting blend together, giving off a calm yet upscale vibe. With an open-kitchen style, you can see the tidy espresso machine and the brunch being prepared at a glance. The ceiling is finished with white wooden rafters, which adds to the exotic feel, and bright vases here and there bring life to the space. I wondered if there could be a better place to enjoy a leisurely weekend morning, the comfort of the space itself was that big.

At the counter, a friendly staff member took our order. The counter is anchored by a heavy brown solid-wood bar, and behind it are a vintage cupboard and lots of little props, so it honestly felt like walking into some old bakery in Europe. You can tell every light and even every plant vine was carefully placed to fit the concept. The staff all wore neat uniforms and served us calmly, which made me feel treated well and gave me good energy.

Salt bread and ciabatta varieties at Respire

The bakery display was packed with irresistible-looking bread, including chocolate salt bread (소금빵, a salted butter roll) and garlic cream cheese salt bread. What stole my eye was the 'Choco Salt Bread' in a thick chocolate coat, with glossy chocolate topped with crunchy pistachio bits, a work of art just to look at. Behind it sat neatly arranged, golden-baked 'Garlic Cream Cheese Salt Bread' with a faint garlic aroma. As a total bread lover, it was a happy dilemma deciding which one to pick.

Looking a bit further along, there were rows of the uniquely styled 'Pollock Roe Potato Salt Bread'. A sheet of green gamtae (seaweed) sitting on top of each bun was so cute and fresh. Salty pollock roe with soft potato, how could that not taste good? On the shelf below sat a big, rustic-but-stylish 'Choco Cream Cheese Ciabatta' dusted with white powdered sugar, which looked both plain and sweet, and my mouth watered.

Respire's salt bread lineup is splendid, but you can feel they're serious about ciabatta too. The round, plump 'Sweet Pumpkin Ciabatta' and the 'Basil Tomato Ciabatta' studded with yellow cheese and tomato looked soft and chewy inside just from looking. In a foil tray below was the 'Condensed Milk Cream Salt Bread', piled with white, soft cream. It looked like it would melt in your mouth the second you bite in, so I figured it would melt away stress when you crave something sweet.

Among the ciabattas, the 'Cheese Olive Ciabatta' generously dotted with black olives and the 'Potato Bacon Ciabatta' had a pizza-like look that whetted the appetite. You could see with your own eyes that they hadn't skimped on ingredients in any of the breads. Below them was the 'Cookie Salt Bread', wrapped in a crisp cookie dough and studded with sweet chocolate chips, an appealing look that promised the textbook crispy-outside, moist-inside.

How do you pick a good salt bread?

The 'salt bread choice tip' written on Respire's wall tells you to pick salt bread with a dark brown bottom that looks crisp. Right where the salt breads were piled up, I found this tip, which shows the owner's good sense. After reading it and looking closely, the salt breads really were golden brown with nicely crisp bottoms, and just seeing them put me in a good mood. Facing the textbook plump salt bread, the kind that seems to have a pretty butter cave inside, I truly felt why Respire is so famous by word of mouth as a salt bread spot.

How did the salt bread and basil tomato ciabatta taste?

My friend and I ordered salt bread, basil tomato ciabatta and an iced americano at Respire. Ta-da! It came on a wood tray with a pretty white plate, plus a small printed Respire guide along with the receipt, so it passed on looks alone. The golden-baked salt bread and the basil tomato ciabatta, loaded with tomato, basil and cheese, smelled as amazing as they looked.

Respire's iced americano wasn't strongly acidic and had a nutty, deep body that was just my taste. It was a really clean pairing with the bread. The salt bread I'd been looking forward to was thin and crisp outside, chewy inside, with butter flavor filling my mouth, and I instantly understood why everyone recommends this as a Seochon brunch spot. The balance of salty salt and rich butter was perfect. The ciabatta with basil and tomato also let the freshness of the ingredients come through, and the sauce wasn't intense, so it was a light yet filling brunch item.

Thanks to the time spent enjoying tasty bread and coffee in a lovely space, I was in a great mood all weekend. If you're looking for a brunch café in Seochon with a nice atmosphere and delicious bread, do visit Respire. I'm planning to go back soon to work my way through the other brunch dishes!