Quiet after-work Gangnam Station café: yangzhi ganlu, Upper and Under

The weekday commute home is always draining, but it's also the time when my "I deserve a reward for working so hard" instinct kicks in. I find myself desperately wanting to be comforted with something special and sweet.

After a busy day at work, I was wandering around Gangnam Station when I spotted Upper and Under, a café I'd always wanted to try. I thought, today is the perfect chance, and walked in feeling excited. Let me tell you, one by one, about the happy time I had eating delicious desserts.

What is the atmosphere like at Upper and Under near Gangnam Station?

Upper and Under (어퍼앤언더) is a café in a strikingly red brick building in the alley between Gangnam Station and Sinnonhyeon Station. Even from far away it feels vintage yet stylish, and it catches your eye. The stylish interior is visible right from the entrance, so it was hard to just walk past.

Maybe because it's a big café that uses the entire building, the sense of spaciousness was something else, and I was amazed that such a place exists in the middle of the city. Since I came on a weekday after work, it was quieter than I expected, so I could spend my time more comfortably. It isn't easy to find such a relaxed atmosphere near Gangnam Station, and I really felt I'd found a good one.

What does the yangzhi ganlu at Upper and Under taste like?

The yangzhi ganlu (양즈깐루) here is a Hong Kong-style dessert that blends the sweetness of mango with the slight bitterness of grapefruit, on a base of coconut milk fragrance. Tasting it was the biggest reason for today's visit. I was really excited to find a dessert famous in Hong Kong right in the middle of Gangnam Station. The popping texture in my mouth was excellent.

The gentle coconut milk aroma gave it an exotic yet appealing flavor. The mango drink I ordered with it had a rich, true fruit flavor too, and went very well with the yangzhi ganlu. The sweetness felt like it washed away the fatigue of my tiring commute, and I caught myself smiling with every bite.

Are the financier and matcha canelé good too?

Upper and Under has such a wide variety of desserts that it was really hard to pick just one. Eating only mango desserts felt like a shame, so I also ordered a financier (small almond butter cake) and a matcha canelé (a French caramelized custard pastry). Many people had praised them in Gangnam café reviews, so my expectations were high, and once I tried them I understood right away why they're so popular.

They were crispy outside and chewy inside, and the subtle matcha aroma filled my mouth so much that I couldn't help exclaiming. After stopping by Upper and Under near Gangnam Station after work and eating yangzhi ganlu, a mango drink, a financier and a matcha canelé, it turned out to be a perfect evening.

Is it a good Gangnam Station café for photos?

Thanks to its floor-to-ceiling windows full of light and plants placed everywhere, Upper and Under is a moody café that's great for photos. Delicious desserts matter, but you can't ignore the atmosphere of a space either, right? The interior is so pretty that I could see why so many people love it. The sunlight through the big windows warmed the whole space, and the plants dotted around gave me a little urban healing.

Anyone who likes taking photos would be satisfied by the atmosphere, and it looked like a perfect place to visit with a friend and take the shot of a lifetime. Just being able to spend such a relaxed time in the middle of the city makes it worth a visit, I think.

Visiting tips for Upper and Under: opening hours and parking

Upper and Under opens at 11am. On weekends it gets crowded and seats fill up quickly, so aiming for opening time or right after work on a weekday is the most relaxed option. If you're planning a weekend visit, I'd recommend getting there a bit early. Going early and enjoying the quiet atmosphere sounds nice too.

There's no dedicated parking, so you need to use a nearby public car park, but the location is good for public transport, so it wasn't a big inconvenience. I also thought that next time I'd like to sit by the window, read a book at leisure and enjoy some delicious dessert on my own.

It was a perfect place to visit when you want to be comforted by tasty desserts and a pretty space in the middle of a tiring routine. Next time I crave a good dessert on my way home from work, I'll go back without hesitating.