Suwon brunch café on Haengri-dan-gil: fig French toast, Kozel Dark

What kind of café is Kueodeukkutteu on Haengri-dan-gil in Suwon?

Kueodeukkutteu is a brunch café on Suwon's Haengri-dan-gil that's already famous for the wait at its outdoor terrace seating. Walking along Haengri-dan-gil, there are so many pretty cafés that it's hard to decide where to go in — this time I went with Kueodeukkutteu. It's a really pretty space to rest for a bit while wandering around Haengri-dan-gil.

Kueodeukkutteu basic info

• Address: 54 Sinpung-ro, 1st and 2nd floor, Paldal-gu, Suwon-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea
• Hours: Daily 11:30–20:30 (last order 19:30)
• No parking, but dogs are welcome!

It's famous for its pretty outdoor terrace night seating, but I actually sat indoors instead of on the terrace — and the big windows meant I could still take in the view outside and the autumn weather while indoors. That sense of openness was really nice.

With the cool breeze and the garden atmosphere visible through the window, just sitting there for a while felt healing.

Big-window indoor seats instead of the outdoor terrace

At Kueodeukkutteu I sat indoors at a table by a big window instead of on the outdoor terrace. This spot turned out to be better than I expected. The huge window meant that even indoors, I got a wide-open view of the garden and the autumn scenery outside, with no stuffy feeling at all.

After walking around Haengri-dan-gil for a while, just sitting there sipping coffee and looking out the window felt like genuine rest, even though I wasn't doing anything much.

Kueodeukkutteu's interior is pretty on its own, but I think what really makes the place charming is how naturally the indoor and outdoor spaces flow into each other. On a nice day, sitting on the terrace is great, and so is enjoying the outdoor view from indoors like I did. Especially on a cool autumn day, I think you can really feel the vibe of Kueodeukkutteu.

Perilla oil ice cream: does it actually work?

The menu that exceeded my expectations the most that day was the perilla oil ice cream!!!!

Kueodeukkutteu's perilla oil ice cream is vanilla ice cream topped with raw perilla oil, whole perilla seeds, and salt — at first it seemed a bit unexpected. Perilla oil on ice cream? I wasn't sure it would work. But once I tried it, it went together way better than I expected.

The sweet, smooth vanilla ice cream got a savory, nutty boost from the perilla oil, and the whole seeds popped as you chewed, adding fun texture. With a little salt mixed in, it even had a sweet-and-salty balance.

Eating it, I suddenly thought — people pair ice cream with olive oil, there are plenty of nutty nut-based ice creams out there — of course perilla oil could work too! I wondered why I hadn't thought of this combination before.

You really have to try this one!

If you visit Kueodeukkutteu, I recommend trying this menu item at least once. It's definitely different from your usual ice cream, but it's not so unfamiliar that it would be a strong love-it-or-hate-it flavor.

Fig and Shine Muscat French toast with Kozel Dark beer

Dessert alone felt like not quite enough, so I also ordered Kueodeukkutteu's French toast. On top were seasonal figs and Shine Muscat grapes, and the fluffy bread came with a savory cheese as well.

I don't remember exactly what cheese it was, but it had a soft, savory quality like mascarpone, which went well with the French toast.

Sweet, fluffy bread plus the fruit's tang and the cheese's savoriness — it was exactly the kind of taste that recharges your energy.

I also ordered a Kozel Dark beer alongside, and it surprisingly went really well with the French toast. Kozel Dark's rich flavor and subtle cinnamon aroma toned down the toast's sweetness just enough, making it a great pairing with dessert.

Can you bring your dog to Kueodeukkutteu?

Kueodeukkutteu is also a decent option if you're looking for a pet-friendly brunch café. It's a nice spot to rest at while walking your dog around Haengri-dan-gil, and I actually saw other visitors there with their dogs. With the garden-like outdoor space and the big windows indoors, it looked like a comfortable place to spend relaxed time with a dog. It suited both a proper brunch visit and just stopping in for coffee and dessert.

A sugar stop partway along Haengri-dan-gil

You end up walking a lot more than you'd think on Haengri-dan-gil. At some point you want a cup of coffee and something sweet, and that's when Kueodeukkutteu is just right.

The perilla oil ice cream in particular wasn't just an ordinary ice cream — it was worth trying once — and the French toast was fluffy and sweet, perfect for a sugar refill. On top of that, the Kozel with its sweet cinnamon note paired surprisingly well with the French toast too! Best of all, sitting there watching the scenery through the big window made for a great little break mid-walk. Next time my sugar crashes on Haengri-dan-gil, I won't hesitate to stop by again. :)