Gangnam café for Earl Grey grapefruit tea and Levain cookies: Mini Male

I tried refreshing Earl Grey grapefruit tea, a nutty Helsinki Latte, and thick New York cookies—original Levain and matcha chocolate-chip Levain.

This is the story of an unusual café I visited after a meal near Yeoksam Station. It is a simple café where you can try a Finnish Helsinki Latte and handmade New York cookies in the style of New York's Levain Bakery, too.

Mini Male Coffee Roaster Yeoksam Branch: location and information

It is on the first floor at 26 Teheran-ro 25-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, about an eight-minute walk from Yeoksam Station. It is open 08:00–22:00 Monday through Friday, 09:00–19:00 on Saturday, and 09:00–20:00 on Sunday. Takeout and delivery are available, as are group visits and reservations.

For parking, I recommend using a nearby public or paid parking lot.

A modern café atmosphere in black tones

The interior stands out for its chic black look.

People say the space is even more beautiful at night, but in the daytime it is also simple and modern rather than flashy, with sunlight streaming in. The modern black-toned interior has such a cool vibe.

The atmosphere is so neat that it would be a great Yeoksam Station date café—and a nice place for café studying, too.

Kiosk ordering and coffee-bean choices

You can order at the kiosk~~

You can choose your coffee beans, too. There is Balance, with a pleasant acidity and clean finish; Dunkel, with the deep, nutty flavor of dark chocolate; and decaf, so there is a good range of choices.

Handmade New York cookies and the remaining cake

There are various handmade New York cookies.

It looked like all the cakes had sold outㅠㅠ Only the milk fresh-cream cake was left.

Drip bags and cookie gift sets

They also sell cute cups and drip bags.

The signature gift set would be perfect for a Chuseok gift, right?

There is also a popular dessert-cookie gift set.

There are plenty of bottled drinks, too.

What I ordered

• Hot Helsinki Latte ₩5,200
• Earl Grey Grapefruit Tea ₩5,200
• Handmade New York Cookie, Original Levain ₩4,500
• Handmade New York Cookie, Matcha Chocolate-Chip Levain ₩4,500

What does the Helsinki Latte taste like?

What is a Helsinki Latte? Apparently, it is the owner’s reinterpretation of the latte of a lifetime they encountered while on a business trip to Helsinki, Finland. It brings together deep espresso from freshly roasted beans and smooth milk, and it is Mini Male’s signature menu item.

My mom picked the Helsinki Latte without hesitation. She loves trying new things, so it was nice that choosing the menu did not feel daunting. One sip brought in a wave of nuttiness, making her smile from ear to ear—it is a smooth, nutty, rich latte.

She says having it hot rather than iced lets you taste its fuller, creamier, nuttier flavor more strongly.

Sitting by the window with time to spare—such a lovely moment.

Earl Grey grapefruit tea that is not overly sweet

This fruit tea is made by directly brewing 100% grapefruit juice and high-quality Earl Grey tea leaves! It is refreshing and not overly sweet, which makes it even better. I recommend it because it does not taste artificial.

Original and matcha chocolate-chip Levain cookies

These substantial, large New York-style Levain cookies are great to eat with drinks.

They are incredibly thick, large, and moist American-style chunky Levain cookies. A great spot near Yeoksam Station for nutty, fudgy New York cookies.

The outside seems to have the slightly firm texture of a baked cookie, but it is not dry at all; amazingly, the inside is moist. Nuts inside these hefty cookies make them nutty and sweet. With the original, the chocolate flavor and nuttiness come through first, while the matcha flavor really bursts forward in the matcha one—matcha lovers will be right in their element. These American-style New York Levain cookies go so well with smooth, nutty coffee.

A Yeoksam Station cookie café that is perfect for taking a break in a modern, clean atmosphere. Enjoy a rich, nutty Helsinki Latte with delicious handmade cookies, and have a wonderfully nutty time.