Solo café visit for cardamom bun and yuzu lemon madeleine: Lemangdoré

Has anyone tried a cardamom bun?! It kept popping up on my algorithm lately and I got so curious I went out of my way to find one!!

Lemangdoré Gwanghwamun, between Gwanghwamun and City Hall stations

On a weekday I'd planned to see the Deoksugung exhibit at MMCA Seoul, so I scouted dessert spots nearby! Lemangdoré is famous for its desserts, and it happened to sell cardamom buns too, so I went straight over 👅💦

Vibe and floor layout

It's located between Gwanghwamun and City Hall stations — just look for the building with the heart logo. It's close to Cheonggyecheon too, which was a nice bonus.

I looked up what 'Lemangdoré' means — apparently it's French for 'golden hand'! Coffee and bread made by golden hands, maybe?!!

All three floors are Lemangdoré, so there was plenty of seating. The 1st floor also sells coffee beans and goods. Each floor has a different concept, which made it fun to explore ..ฅʕ•̫͡•ʔฅ

The 2nd floor is great for meetings or groups, and it's well equipped with outlets, so it's good for people working. This is the spot for a study café in Gwanghwamun.

The 3rd floor is so peaceful too. It's a lounge done in collaboration with furniture brand Fritz Hansen, and the vibe is really nice.

A look at the Lemangdoré menu

Being a coffee-focused spot, they have a wide variety of beans. The non-coffee menu isn't ordinary either. I'd love to come back every quarter for the seasonal drinks.

But as I said, my real target was dessert..🤍 So many kinds, and every single one looked pretty, so it was hard to decide. One mouth, a million desserts.

They also have the trendy cardamom bun and a choco baguette. The owner's personal favorite is apparently the chausson aux pommes, an apple pie pastry!

What I ordered solo — Americano Blanc, cardamom bun, yuzu lemon madeleine

• Americano Blanc (₩6,500)
• Cardamom bun (₩5,400)
• Yuzu lemon madeleine (₩3,900)

This is what I ordered solo ლ(╹◡╹ლ)

How the Americano Blanc bean tastes

For the coffee, I chose the Blanc bean, and it was surprising how closely it matched its description. Green apple, berry sweetness, and clean finish. The menu describes it as 'like summer light,' and I could really taste a pleasant acidity that felt like summer ✨ I prefer lighter coffee over heavy coffee, so this was totally my type — recommend!

Even the plates have the Lemangdoré logo stamped on them, so cute.. I brought back two desserts I figured would pair well with the coffee, after a lot of deliberation.

Yuzu lemon madeleine

Worried the cardamom scent might be too strong, I started with the madeleine. The yuzu lemon coating had this crisp, shattering feel as the knife cut through it — so good.

The lemon and yuzu scent came through at just the right level, and the madeleine itself was light yet moist, basically melting in my mouth. I saw it's also sold as a gift set — I really recommend the madeleine --<-<-<@ It'd make a great thank-you gift too.

So how does the cardamom bun taste?

Next up, the cardamom bun I'd been dying to try! It's made with cardamom sugar, which is sugar infused with the cardamom spice. There's a strong cinnamon scent too, so apparently it's a cousin of the cinnamon roll. The outside shatters crisply. I expected it to be dry, but the inside was slightly moist!! The outside was sweet and the inside less so — a nice balance.

It's basically a cinnamon roll with cardamom added, and I could smell the same scent I've picked up in chai tea lattes. Turns out cardamom is actually one of the spices in chai! It's a slightly refreshing, fragrant spice, so even people who don't like spices might want to give it a try — especially if you like cinnamon rolls 🤍 It's a bread I think I'll keep thinking about.

Even blankets provided — I'd come back

Cafés these days blast the AC so it can get cold, but they even had blankets ready. The staff were kind, and both the coffee and desserts felt made with care, so I think I'll be back.

If you're looking for a great dessert spot near Cheonggyecheon, give Lemangdoré a try!