Local places · 429 stories
Cafés in Korea, told firsthand by local bloggers — with photos and Google Maps.
Cafe Dunchi is a café on the second floor of a water sports center beside the lower Namdaecheon River in Yangyang, Gangwon. I rode an electric boat there with my parents and drank café drinks while taking in the river views. We had to steer and control forward and stop ourselves, but did not need to pedal; the speed felt different depending on the current.
Sum is a two-building bakery café in Gwangju, Gyeonggi, where my husband and I had coffee, chamomile tea, and matcha pound cake by a mountain-view window. We enjoyed the moist cake and the music listening room, but by around 2 p.m. there were no empty tables.
Hands Coffee Gumi Goa-eup Branch is a two-story café on Wondae-ro in Goa-eup, Gumi, with large windows facing nature and a spacious parking lot. I had the Hands House Brunch, paccheri cream pasta, and blueberry cream cheese waffle; the lightly spicy cream pasta stood out most. The baby room and microwave also made it seem convenient for families with children.
Pink Wall Cafe is a bagel café on Yongyuseo-ro in Yeongjong, Incheon, with a greenhouse where dogs are allowed. I visited on a weekday with my dogs, tried the soboro chestnut and basil tomato bagels with coffee, and liked the soft texture, though the greenhouse may not feel cool enough on hot days.
Baegya Coffee is a large bakery café overlooking Sacheonjin Beach in Gangneung, Gangwon. I visited with my husband on a weekday morning, had coffee, crungji, and a pepperoni pizza pastry on the third floor, and enjoyed the unhurried sea view. It is much busier on weekends, but the roomy parking, group seating, and plentiful weekday bread selection made this visit easy.
Pulse Line Coffee is a café in Gwanak, Seoul, serving handmade pies and signature drinks. I tried the handmade crumble pie, Pulse-nal Latte, and an iced Americano; the crisp crumble, dense moist filling, and subtle herbal latte stood out, though the café has no dedicated parking.
Hands Coffee Dongchon Resort Branch is a café on a hill in Dongchon Resort, Daegu, overlooking the Geumho River. I visited with my baby for creamy mushroom pasta, a jambon-beurre sandwich, and iced long blacks; the rich pasta and soft sandwich worked well together, and the fourth-floor outdoor garden was nice for a short walk afterward.
MUG is a large bakery café in Sangbuk-myeon, Ulju, Ulsan, with spacious parking and high ceilings. I visited on a weekday to take product photos, work on content, try an avocado coffee smoothie with a lemon cream cheese cinnamon roll, and walk nearby; it was relatively quiet, though weekends were crowded and the smoothie felt expensive at ₩8,500.
Gangneung Sand Main Branch is a dessert café on Seonggogyang-gil 5beonan-gil in Gangneung. I stopped there after a golf trip with my husband to choose gifts, taste crisp cookies with smooth cream, and take photos by the stairs and rooftop. I enjoyed the relaxed visit, but checking the address is important because I initially went to the wrong Seongnam-dong branch.
Benetto (베네또) is a brunch café in Sinjeong-dong, Nam-gu, Ulsan, near Ulsan City Hall. A friend and I shared Mexican beef and jambon basil grilled sandwiches with iced lattes, choosing decaf for mine. I liked the tender beef and crisp, chewy focaccia, though the lack of dedicated parking was a drawback.
Gangneung Sand Main Branch is a café and handmade sand cookie shop in Gangneung, Gangwon. I tried coffee and black sesame sand cookies with an Americano, then froze the rest for a chilled dessert. A generous travel-gift stop with plenty of parking.
The Baum Gyeongbokgung Branch is a baumkuchen café 134 m from Gyeongbokgung Station Exit 2 in Jongno, Seoul. I tried a café latte and three types of baumkuchen; the cheese baked baum and less-sweet Chocolate Eiffel Baum stood out, while the first floor was nearly full during my visit.
