Gangnam dessert café for pistachio canelé: Upper and Under

A dessert café near Sinnonhyeon Station with a different mood on every floor

Looking for a café near Sinnonhyeon Station? I visited Upper and Under, a spot where you can enjoy a relaxed atmosphere and high-quality desserts amid bustling Gangnam. True to its name, it has a variety of charms from the basement up to ground level, making it a café near Sinnonhyeon Station that anyone who loves atmospheric interiors and baked goods could fall for at first sight 😍

As you walk along the alley, its red-brick arched exterior, nestled among lush street trees, immediately catches your eye.

Under the UPPER AND UNDER sign, brick steps lead down to the basement space, while side stairs take you upstairs—a charmingly unusual architectural layout for a café near Sinnonhyeon Station.

A retro white bench by the entrance works beautifully as a photo spot, where passing guests stop to take their proof shots.

Upper and Under has a distinctly different mood on each floor, so the feel of your visit changes depending on where you sit.

What are Upper and Under's floors like?

The basement level is a cozy, private space that you can access directly via the outdoor stairs. Soft indirect lighting and calm tones come together, making it perfect for a quiet conversation or a mood-filled moment.

The first floor is a pleasant hall flooded with natural light through its floor-to-ceiling windows. The ordering counter and bakery display are here, with simple white-and-wood furniture arranged in a clean, unfussy way.

Up the vintage wooden stairs, the second floor stands out with red-brick accents and a terrace view through expansive full-height windows. Thanks to the high ceiling and open sightlines, it never feels stuffy, and the generously spaced tables made this my favorite floor for soaking up a relaxed mood!

Drink and bakery choices

The menu board at the counter offers a very broad selection: coffee, non-coffee drinks, cream lattes, ades, tea, and cold brew. With a decaf bean substitution (₩500) and extra-shot options thoughtfully available, this is a café near Sinnonhyeon Station where you can customize your coffee to your taste!!

Another major draw is the gorgeous bakery lineup—enough to make any pastry lover's eyes spin.

The display is neatly arranged with everything from classic tiramisu generously topped with thick mascarpone cream to a fig tart piled high with figs, refreshing raspberry cake, and lemon tart.

On a table by the window, the stylish presentation using English books as stands really stood out. There were plain, Earl Grey, and pistachio canelés—crisp outside and soft inside, just as they should be—along with

an abundance of baked treats, including plain, Hwang cheese, and fig financiers, plus lemon madeleines.

Tasting the coffee and desserts we ordered

After much deliberation, we ordered an iced Americano, salty caramel cream latte, tiramisu, and pistachio canelé that day.

The iced Americano was not overly acidic, with a savory nuttiness that came through nicely. Its balance made it excellent for pairing with the sweet desserts.

The salty caramel cream latte caught my eye from the very first look, as you'd expect from a signature cream drink.

It arrives with a whole Lotus biscuit on top of the cream. The first sip brings soft, pleasantly chewy caramel cream with that sweet-and-salty balance, followed by the bittersweet espresso blending in. It was a drink with an appealing sweetness and depth of flavor.

The pistachio canelé was thickly coated across the top with finely chopped, fragrant pistachios. The outside was crackly like tanghulu (candied fruit), while the inside retained that chewy, moist custard texture with a gentle rum aroma.

The tiramisu was square, substantial, and weighty, with mascarpone cheese cream and cocoa powder covering every inch of the espresso-soaked cake layers.

The texture melted away the moment it hit my mouth, and the rich cheese flavor was seriously impressive.

An unhurried tea time near Sinnonhyeon Station

Upper and Under is a café near Sinnonhyeon Station that made me feel comfortable throughout my visit, offering a different atmosphere on every floor from B1 through the second floor. If you are looking for a spacious, atmospheric dessert café near Sinnonhyeon Station, stop by Upper and Under for an unhurried tea time with sweet desserts! ❣️