Late-night Suwon café with dirty choco cookies: Jeong Ji-young Coffee

Finding Jeong Ji-young Coffee Roasters Haenggung Main Branch on Haengridan-gil after dark

Jeong Ji-young Coffee Roasters Haenggung Main Branch is a five-story roastery café on Haengridan-gil (Sinpung-ro, Paldal-gu) in Suwon. I went on a Wednesday evening a couple days ago, and on the darkened street the long sign lit up along the side of the building really caught my eye.

Up close, the building was pretty tall, and the light leaking through the windows already made me curious about the mood inside.

Opening hours and what is on each floor

Here are the hours!

• Weekdays 11:00–22:00 / Sat–Sun 10:00–22:00

They're open until 10pm both on weekdays and weekends, opening an hour earlier on weekends. Since they stay open late, it was a good time to stop by for coffee after wandering around Haenggung-dong in the evening.

Since it's a five-story building, the space felt quite generous — not just roomy seating, but I also liked that there's a rooftop on the 5th floor. (The floor guide at the entrance is actually pretty interesting too: B1 is for ordering, 1F is the roasting room, and 2F and 4F are seating. I thought it was interesting that there's a coffee academy on 3F.)

To order, you first head down to B1 — and on the way, there was a little sign at the entrance that read 'AC power cooling on,' and sure enough, it was nicely cool inside, haha. The ORDER sign made from an old repurposed monitor on the stairwell wall was a fun, witty touch too.

The first-floor roasting room and coffee goods in the basement

Through the glass on 1F, you could see a big roasting machine, along with bean sacks and equipment nearby — a nice close-up look at the roasting space. It's a different kind of sight from the upstairs seating or props, so coffee lovers should keep an eye out here.

There was a lot to look at in the ordering area too — mugs, glasses, keyrings, t-shirts, all kinds of goods, plus merch featuring 'Suwoni,' Suwon's mascot. The little green characters sitting in a row were pretty cute.

It was fun reading the phrases printed on the cups and shirts too — things like 'NO COFFEE NO WORKEE' and 'WE ARE SUWONER' stood out, and the handwritten price tags fit right in with the props around them. It's the kind of space where you come to order coffee and naturally end up browsing the goods too.

What is in the dessert showcase at Jeong Ji-young Coffee Roasters

There were several kinds of desserts ready to go. The showcase had Basque cheesecake, lamingtons, and cookies, with lemon madeleines and s'more cookies displayed nearby.

A slice of cake would be nice, or just grabbing a light cookie works too. Each cookie's packaging had its name on it, so it was easy to tell them apart.

How the dirty choco cookie, Lotus s'more cookie and iced coffee tasted

This time I picked two iced coffees, a dirty choco, and a Lotus s'more. The coffee came in a paper carrier, and each cookie was individually wrapped. Lined up on the table, even the handwritten-style logo on the cup was cute.

The two cookies looked totally different — the dirty choco was a deep chocolate color with chocolate coating the outside, while the Lotus s'more had marshmallow peeking out between the cookie layers. Neither was too sweet, so they were both really enjoyable, and the americano's coffee flavor came through even more because of it.

There was also a coconut drink at the entrance that's apparently sold over 1.11 million cups, so that might be worth keeping in mind for your order!

Upstairs seats, the audio corner and the evening window view

Upstairs had an exposed-concrete-and-wood-furniture vibe with warm lighting. In front of a spot with a big speaker, audio equipment, and a turntable, black leather chairs sat in a row — it looked like a little music listening room, and I really liked how the retro-leaning interior still had its own standout details.

There were round-table seats as well as seats lined along the windows — different options depending on whether you're in a group or sitting side by side as a pair.

A big black light fixture hung low over the round table, and I liked how the light pooled toward the tabletop. With the posters on the wall and books on the shelf in view too, this spot was pretty for photos.

The window side had a different feel — the outside was deep blue night while the inside glowed yellow, and the contrast between the two colors stood out. A bright window seat during the day would be nice too, but I realized evenings have their own kind of atmosphere here. It'd suit an evening date around Haenggung-dong really well.

Between floors, there were props like an old TV and posters. There was a lot to catch the eye across the walls, windows, and stairwells.

4F had blankets ready, and a sign explained that you should leave finished drinks on the marked empty shelf. It's worth checking these notices before you sit down, for a smoother visit.

Before you go: no-kids zone and one drink per person

A few things to know before visiting: per the store's policy, it's a no-kids-zone restricted to middle-school age and up, and there's a one-drink-per-person rule with no outside food allowed. The ordering area and seating are on different floors, so keep the stairs in mind.

Jeong Ji-young Coffee Roasters Haenggung Main Branch had a lot to take in, from the roasting machine to the goods, furniture, and props. The wood furniture under warm lighting and the evening window mood especially stuck with me.

If you're looking for a good Haengridan-gil café and care about the atmosphere as much as the menu, it's worth a visit. If you like vintage furniture and props, you'll have fun exploring every corner over a cup of coffee.