Local places · 247 stories
Cafés in Korea, told firsthand by local bloggers — with photos and Google Maps.
Benetto (베네또) is a sandwich café across from Ulsan City Hall in Nam-gu, Ulsan. I tried the jambon (ham) sandwich on hearth-baked bread, the Mexican beef grilled sandwich, and peach iced tea. The jambon was relatively mild, but I preferred the warm Mexican beef with its cheese and sauce.
Chamsae Bori Sikppang’s Bucheon main branch (참새보리식빵 부천본점) is a sandwich bread bakery about a 10-minute walk from Exit 2 of Bucheon Station. I arrived at 10 a.m. on Sunday, waited about 10 minutes, and bought three varieties of barley bread. The moist, chewy Daesang loaf was my family’s favorite, but arriving late can mean missing out on the bread you want.
MUG (카페 먹) is a large bakery café in Sangbuk-myeon, Ulju-gun, Ulsan, with a charred-wood interior and outdoor mountain views. I shared a blueberry cinnamon roll with my parents and liked its generous jam filling and moderate sweetness. Weekends tend to be busy, and some popular breads were unavailable when I visited around 3 p.m.
Cafe Dunchi is a floating café on the Namdaecheon River in Yangyang, Gangwon, where I had drinks with my child before riding an electric boat. The river views and boat ride were memorable, though it was busier than expected during the May holiday and the restroom is outside near the entrance.
Le Bon Goûter is a brunch café near Apgujeong Rodeo Station in Gangnam, Seoul. I had the chicken Caesar salad and shrimp mushroom cream pasta; both were satisfying, especially the crisp grilled chicken skin and light cream sauce. The terrace and range of table sizes also looked suitable for a date or group gathering.
Hands Coffee Gumi Goa-eup Branch is a large café in Goa-eup, Gumi, with two floor-seated kids’ zones and baby-care facilities. I returned with my family for a Häagen-Dazs ice cream waffle and drinks, and the spacious parking, window views, and family-friendly setup stood out.
Baegya Coffee is a large bakery café on Haean-ro in Gangneung, where I stopped for coffee and two breads after a run. The ocean-facing tiered seating and full-height windows made the view especially enjoyable, and the spacious parking and tray stands by the elevator were useful touches.
Gyeongju Tokyo Pie is a handmade pie shop on Hwangridan-gil in Gyeongju, Gyeongbuk. I packed a six-piece, three-flavor gift set and liked the crisp pastry, crunchy apple, smooth red bean filling, and neat box, though I had to walk from a public parking lot.
Ugly Tongue is a café in Yeonsu, Incheon, where I ordered a Brain-Booster smoothie and blue spirulina ice cream. The ₩16,000 smoothie felt pricey, but I was impressed that it was made without ice, and the ice cream was smooth; parking must be in the J Block building.
The Baum Gyeongbokgung Branch is a dessert café in Jongno, Seoul, one minute on foot from Gyeongbokgung Station Exit 2. I tried coffee and several baumkuchen varieties; their creams and toppings gave each one a different texture, and the hanok-inspired space was a calm place for a short break.
Mimi Coffee Bangatgan is a café in Sunseong-myeon, Dangjin, with parking in front and an outdoor terrace. I ordered the Mimi Cream Latte, strawberry latte, and desserts; the cream latte balanced sweet cream with bitter coffee, while the drinks and desserts were generally quite sweet.
Jitheunsan is a flourless terrine cake café in Mapo, Seoul. I ordered chestnut terrine and an oat latte while reading, and found the rich chestnut flavor, soft texture, and calm atmosphere especially pleasant.
