1,500-won americano at Gabi Roasting, a Gwangju roastery café

What do you think of right after a meal? Coffee!! Haha.

This time I visited Gabi Roasting, a hand-drip coffee spot in Gwangju that any coffee lover should try at least once.

It's located right across from Honam University, so it wasn't hard to find. And best of all, the coffee prices are really kind while the taste is still satisfying, so I left in a pretty good mood.

Where Gabi Roasting is and when it opens

Gabi Roasting is located on Eodeung-daero in Gwangsan-gu, Gwangju, on the 3rd floor of a building right across from Honam University. Hours are Mon–Fri 10:00–20:00, closed every Saturday and Sunday.

• 📍 Address: 410 Eodeung-daero, 3rd floor, Unit 301, Gwangsan-gu, Gwangju, South Korea
• ⏰ Hours: Mon–Fri 10:00–20:00
• 🚫 Closed: Every Saturday and Sunday

That said, closures might shift depending on café consulting or equipment installation schedules, so it's worth checking their official SNS before visiting. In fact, this isn't just a café selling coffee — it runs a whole range of coffee-related services built on real expertise in beans and coffee machines.

Where to park at Gabi Roasting

You can use the parking lot behind the building, and there's also parking available on the farm road to the left of the entrance. Since it's on the 3rd floor, first-time visitors might wonder 'Is there really a café here?' But even if you drive, parking wasn't a big hassle. Take the elevator up to the 3rd floor and you'll find Gabi Roasting right there.

A Gwangsan café looking straight out at Honam University

Opening the door at Gabi Roasting, the view of Honam University stretched out through the windows, and the atmosphere was better than I expected. Sitting by the window especially gives an open, uncramped feeling, making it a nice spot to rest with a cup of coffee.

One fun thing about Gabi Roasting is that the coffee-making area is open. Sitting at the bar table, you can watch hand-drip brewing and coffee prep up close. The hand-drip tools and pourers scattered around also catch the eye of anyone who loves coffee. It definitely felt different from a typical café.

Buying coffee beans at this Gwangju roastery

At Gabi Roasting, you can not only drink coffee in-store but also buy beans. These days a lot of people brew coffee at home, so this would be a good spot for anyone who loves beans.

In particular, this place doesn't just sell beans — they also do custom bean roasting, testing, and bean management, among other coffee-related work. Maybe that's why I could feel the owner's passion and expertise in coffee all around the store.

It really felt like a place where you could properly experience Gwangju roasting.

Coffee machines, barista training and café startup consulting

Something I learned while looking into Gabi Roasting: they don't just supply beans, they also handle coffee machine and kitchen equipment installation, sales and repair, and maintenance like machine descaling.

They also run barista training and café startup consulting, so this seems like a helpful place not just for coffee lovers but for anyone preparing to open a café.

When you open a café, there's so much to think about beyond just the coffee taste — beans, machines, extraction, maintenance. Being able to consult on all of that in one place felt like Gabi Roasting's own special feature.

Gabi Roasting menu and prices

One of the things I liked best about visiting Gabi Roasting — the kind coffee prices! That day we ordered 2 americanos at 1,500 won each, one cold brew coffee at 14,000 won, and 5 ddungkarons at 2,500 won each.

An americano for 1,500 won is such a burden-free price given today's café prices. Usually, when a place is cheap, I don't expect much from the coffee.

But after actually drinking it, Gabi Roasting's coffee was satisfying too, which made it even better.

How the 1,500-won americano tasted: nutty, low acidity

I'm not really a fan of coffee with strong acidity, and Gabi Roasting's americano was close to my preferred style. The first sip had a nutty flavor, and the acidity didn't come on too strongly, so I could drink it comfortably.

The characteristic bitterness of coffee was also just right, and overall the balance felt comfortable. Maybe that's why it was good to sip slowly, and it also went well with dessert after a meal. If you like coffee but prefer nutty and smooth over strong acidity like I do, this should suit your taste.

Ddungkaron (thick macaron) to take home for the kids

Gabi Roasting's ddungkaron is 2,500 won each, and we picked 5 to give as a gift to the kids. It felt a shame to just drink coffee and leave, so we bought some together.

Seeing the colorful ddungkaron, I figured the kids would love them, so it felt like we came for coffee and left with a gift too. Adults who love coffee can enjoy their coffee while the kids get a ddungkaron gift, so this seems like a good spot to visit with family.

Is Gabi Roasting worth a stop in Gwangsan-gu?

Gabi Roasting has a bit of a different charm from a typical café where you just drink and leave. The coffee itself is affordably priced, but it's a space where you can encounter all kinds of coffee stories — beans, roasting, machines, education, and startup consulting.

Above all, the coffee I drank myself was nutty and not strongly acidic, which personally satisfied me a lot.

If you're looking for a hand-drip café or roastery café in Gwangju these days, this seems worth a visit. It's worth remembering especially if you're near Honam University looking for a coffee spot, or if you're in Seonam-dong looking for somewhere quiet to enjoy coffee.

Gabi Roasting, good coffee near Seonam-dong

What I felt after visiting this time is that Gabi Roasting is less a 'place that sells coffee' and more a space where someone who loves coffee properly handles it. From picking beans, roasting them, testing the taste, to managing coffee machines and extraction, I could feel real sincerity toward coffee.

If you like nutty, clean coffee like I do, an americano is a light way to start enjoying it. If you love hand-drip, browsing the beans is fun too. This time we drank americano and cold brew and brought home ddungkaron for the kids, but next time I want to slowly pick out beans to brew at home.

If you're looking for a hand-drip coffee spot in Gwangju, a good café in Gwangsan-gu, or a coffee spot in Seonam-dong, drop by Gabi Roasting. It's a place with kind prices, tasty coffee, and expert coffee talk all in one, and I'd love to visit again.