Gangneung hanok café with vintage décor and cake: Cafe Giwa

Is it conveniently located after a Chodang sundubu meal?

During my trip to Gangneung, I stopped by Cafe Giwa (카페기와) in Chodang-dong. It is close to Chodang Sundubu Village, making it easy to head over for coffee after a meal. Vintage objects fill the old hanok, so I ended up taking my time looking around rather than just having coffee.

The address is 15 Chodangwon-gil 54beon-gil, Gangneung-si. The dedicated parking lot also made it convenient to visit by car. The hours stated in the original post are 10:00 AM to 9:00 PM, with last orders at 8:30 PM; it is closed every Wednesday.

What was the atmosphere like inside the hanok?

Cafe Giwa is known as a space set in a hanok that is about 130 years old. Once inside, I noticed the aged wood, rafters, wooden ceiling, and pillars. Warm-colored lighting gave the whole space a calm feel.

What vintage items can you look at while waiting for drinks?

Old coffee tools, kettles, and teacups sat on the wall shelves. Elsewhere, there were old cameras, objects that looked like film projectors, and LP-related items. With so many tools, including coffee grinders, it was fun to look at them one by one while waiting for my drinks.

The hanok’s wooden textures worked well with the black metal shelving and old objects. The area with coffee tools and the area with antique furniture and lighting each had a different feel, which I liked because photo backgrounds did not repeat themselves.

What is the seating like for family or friends?

The seating was divided across several areas. There were large tables, window seats, and seats separated like private areas, so it looked easy to choose based on the size of your group. Seating also seemed fairly plentiful, so I thought it would work well for a visit with family or friends.

Views of the garden or trees from around the interior kept it from feeling enclosed. Garden-side outdoor seating is also said to be available when the weather is good. I liked being able to look at the objects together in the quiet hanok atmosphere.

How much were the signature drinks and desserts?

Along with Americano, there were hand-drip and Dutch coffee, as well as a separate selection of signature drinks. At the time of my visit, all three signature drinks were ₩6,500.

• Giwa Black Latte ₩6,500: grain milk and espresso topped with black sesame cream.
• Mung Bean Flower Latte ₩6,500: mung bean milk, Dutch coffee, and cream.
• Pink Flower Latte ₩6,500: strawberry milk and Dutch coffee.
• Homemade lemonade was also ₩6,500.
• The showcase had gâteau chocolate, mugwort injeolmi gâteau, green tea triangle, plain milk roll cake, and tiramisu roll cake, each ₩7,500.

What were the lemonade and green tea triangle like?

I ordered homemade lemonade, an iced Americano, and a green tea triangle. The lemonade had a tart flavor that suited a hot day, and it felt like it refreshed my palate between bites of cake.

I chose the green tea triangle because its triangular shape stood out. When I cut into it, there were layers of cream and red-bean filling between green matcha sponge layers. The bitterness of the matcha and the sweetness of the red bean went well with the Americano, and alternating it with lemonade kept the sweetness from becoming too much.

I did not try a signature latte on this visit. If I return, I would like to try the Giwa Black Latte with black sesame cream. It felt like a café for a day when you want to rest somewhere nearby after a Chodang sundubu meal while looking around a hanok and vintage objects.