Local places · 403 stories
Cafés in Korea, told firsthand by local bloggers — with photos and Google Maps.
Gyeongju Tokyo Pie is a pastry dessert café in Hwangnidan-gil, Gyeongju, Gyeongbuk. I took home the Premium Set and loved the crisp layers and whole-apple texture with an Americano. Verdict: a lovely travel snack or souvenir to enjoy with coffee.
Forest Jeongbang is a café about a one-minute drive from Jeongbang Falls in Seogwipo, Jeju. I visited with my baby, sat on a sofa seat, and had an Americano, yogurt rice cake, and a chicken breast sandwich. The filling sandwich and island view from the window stood out, and there was a high chair inside.
Pino Cafe Cheonan is a café in Pungse-myeon, Cheonan, where I had brunch and snowflake milk patbingsu with my family. We liked the spacious parking lot and garden views through the main building’s large windows, though heavy rain kept us from fully exploring the outdoor photo zones and cosmos field.
Cafe Dunchi is a café by Namdaecheon in Yangyang, Gangwon, with a water sports center on the first floor. After coffee with my family, we took a six-person electric boat for 30 minutes and watched the sunset; the quiet ride and river view stayed with me.
Hands Coffee Gumi Goa-eup Branch is a two-story café on Wondae-ro in Gumi, with parking in front, a floor-seating care kids zone on the first floor, and a lawn outside. I had Brunch Set C with a soft jambon-beurre and chicken granola salad; both were soft and more filling than I expected. The separated floor-seating area and lawn are worth considering when visiting with children.
Cafe Giwa is a hanok café near Chodang Sundubu Village in Gangneung, Gangwon. I had homemade lemonade, an iced Americano, and a green tea triangle cake while looking around its old coffee tools and antique objects; the matcha-and-red-bean cake was good, but exploring the hanok stayed with me most.
Baegya Coffee is a large bakery café on Haean-ro in Gangneung, Gangwon. During my Gangneung trip, I had iced coffee and bread by the floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the sea. The wide interior and parking were convenient, but being able to sit inside and take in the ocean was the highlight.
Ugly Tongue is a smoothie café on the first floor of J Block in Yeonsu, Incheon. After lunch, I tried the ₩16,000 Stress Down and Brain Activation smoothies; both were thick and filling, while Brain Activation was sweeter with a nutty, chewy texture. I found one full smoothie too substantial to treat as a light after-meal drink.
The Baum Gyeongbokgung Branch is a two-story dessert café within walking distance of Exit 2 of Gyeongbokgung Station in Jongno, Seoul. I tried three kinds of baumkuchen and an iced Americano by the second-floor picture window; the comfortable seating and crisp brûléed sugar over soft matcha cream stood out.
Mimi Coffee Bangatgan is a bakery café in Sunseong-myeon, Dangjin, with a large private parking lot and group seating. I stopped by with my mother during our trip for coffee and bread; the warmed olive ciabatta was soft and moist. It was busy on Saturday afternoon, and rain kept us from using the outdoor terrace.
Sum (숨) is a large bakery café in Namhansanseong-myeon, Gwangju, Gyeonggi, spread across two buildings with large windows and rooftops. I had a café latte while looking over fields and mountain ridges, then explored the quieter sofa seating and music-listening area next door. It was busy on the weekend, but the second building felt more peaceful.
Pulse Line Coffee is a café on Gwanak-ro 14na-gil near Seoul National University Station in Gwanak, Seoul. I had two berry ades with a friend and packed up muffins; the generously spaced seating was comfortable for talking, while the ade was lightly carbonated and the cheese muffin had a moderate cheese flavor.
