Seochon café brunch with fig French toast: Respire Bakery

When I first started working near Changseong-dong, I wandered all over looking for my little hideout. That was when I found Respire Bakery Cafe Seochon. I’m a salt bread lover, and since the café itself is so quiet and nice, I’d often come alone to read and have brunch. As my final days there drew closer, I finally had another reading session with brunch.

Respire Bakery Cafe Seochon: location and parking

It is at 40-7 Hyoja-ro 13-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea. It is open 08:30–18:00 Monday through Friday and 09:00–19:00 on weekends. There is a unisex restroom, pets are allowed, and parking is unavailable.

There is a parking lot in front of Respire Bakery Cafe Seochon, but it is used by the Presidential Security Service for Cheong Wa Dae, so regular customers cannot use it. If you are driving, I recommend a nearby public parking lot.

Seating from the terrace to the second floor

Maybe because the weather had cooled down, even the terrace seats at Respire were full. It was nearly packed, so I couldn’t get a full shot, but there are outdoor tables as well as seating on the first and second floors. The terrace mostly has tables for two to three people.

The first floor has tables for two to four people. I couldn’t visit over the summer because it was so hot, and it looked like the table layout had changed a little in the meantime.

The first floor has the salt bread display and pickup bar. Once you order, KakaoTalk sends an order notification, so having your phone is essential!

Upstairs, there are large shared tables. I love window seats, but they were already all taken, so I ended up spending time alone at a big table. Luckily, no large groups came by while I was there.

Respire Bakery allows pets, but only on the first floor and in the outdoor area. Pets must wear a leash or harness, and the lead must be secured while seated. Please keep pets from climbing directly onto tables or café chairs, and guardians must clean up after them (obviously).

Brunch and drink menu

• French toast ₩15,500 (limited to 20 per day), Respire toast ₩15,500
• Garlic shrimp sandwich and ciabatta sandwich ₩10,500 each; omelet sandwich ₩8,500; seasonal salad ₩15,000
• Salt Summer Latte ₩8,000; caramel cream, Respire latte, and Einspänner ₩6,500 each; Americano ₩5,500; latte ₩6,000
• Matcha latte and chocolate latte ₩6,500; lychee chamomile tea and rooibos ₩7,000; lemonade and lemon tea ₩6,500; baby latte ₩4,000; Jateng Brûlée and Provence ₩7,500

They are currently running a review event: mention that you would like to take part when ordering, then leave an honest review with a photo of your order and five selected keywords to receive one salt bread.

Salt bread and ciabatta

Along with the brunch menu, there were many varieties of salt bread and ciabatta available.

Fig French toast and iced Americano

I ordered the French toast and an iced Americano. There is no separate coffee set, but if you order an Americano with it, the coffee is available for an additional ₩4,500.

Figs are in season. These days, it feels like every café brunch dish comes topped with figs because they are so in season. The French toast was drenched in maple syrup, practically like a flood. There was also a little salt; I don’t know why they give it to you, but dipping the toast in it a little was tasty.

The French toast came with vanilla ice cream. The vanilla ice cream, lightly dusted with cinnamon, was so delicious and chewy. Was it ice cream or gelato? Either way, it was wonderfully chewy and even better on top of the bread. While I was reading, all the ice cream melted, and I became one sad person.... 🥲

They say figs are especially delicious this year because it was so hot, and honestly, they were like sugar water. Figs that just meeelt away in your mouth—I’m seriously eating all the figs I could ever want this year.

At first, seeing the ice cream, I thought, ah, should I not have ordered an iced Americano? But taking a sip of iced Americano after my mouth had become sweet from the maple syrup, ice cream, and figs made the moment even happier. Ugh, I don’t want to leave Seochonㅠㅠㅠㅠ I love Seochonㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ I could cry, but I should make the most of the time I have left and explore even more!