Gwanghwamun roastery café for after-dinner Yirgacheffe drip: Center

How to find Center Coffee Gwanghwamun in the SFC basement

After dinner in Gwanghwamun, looking for somewhere for a light coffee, I stopped by Center Coffee. It's in the basement of the SFC building near Sinmunsa-ro, which makes it convenient for office workers to drop by on their lunch break too. It's also close to Gwanghwamun Station, so it left an impression as a café that's easy for people working nearby to use.

The underground passage can be a little confusing the first time — once you're in the basement, walk a short way toward the Coffee Bean side and the monotone-colored Center Coffee comes into view.

They've held a Blue Ribbon award continuously since 2018 — I've been to Gwanghwamun before, so why did I never make it here until now?

Center Coffee Gwanghwamun menu and prices

Cakes and baked goods at Center Coffee Gwanghwamun run from around 5,000 won to 10,000 won. There's plenty to choose from to go with coffee — milk cake, Matilda chocolate cake, Earl Grey cake, pound cake, financiers, and more.

For coffee there's americano, decaf, and other options, plus non-coffee teas, ades, and yogurt bowls — and best of all, being a café that's serious about coffee, they have washed drip options, which was a nice surprise.

What the café and seating are like

The counter at Center Coffee Gwanghwamun is spacious and clean. The overall vibe is tidy and calm, making it a nice spot for a short break. It seems like a good place to drop by for a coffee after a meal or when you have an appointment in Gwanghwamun.

Up front there's a bar good for eating alone or grabbing something quick; toward the back there's a nicely lit area.

There are seats good for groups or couples to sit comfortably together, and tables good for laptop work.

Coffee beans, drip bags and gift sets

They sell a variety of things — Dutch coffee, capsules, drip tea bags — which look good either for gifts or for taking to drink at the office.

The display is arranged as prettily as a perfume counter. I hesitated over buying some since the coffee prices weren't bad, but ended up not getting any.

210 grams for 15,000 won — the decaf price isn't bad either.

What we ordered: Yirgacheffe drip, Matilda chocolate cake and Citrus Love

I ordered the Ethiopia Yirgacheffe (6,500 won), Matilda chocolate cake (8,900 won), and Citrus Love (6,000 won).

The forks, dishes, and cups were all decent quality. I was sitting in a corner but it didn't seem like the AC reached there well, so I moved closer to the counter — the chairs there have better cushioning.

The chocolate cake is really dense and rich, a mix of dark chocolate and brownie layers, and it paired well with the washed drip — but since the drip itself is on the lighter side, if you're having cake I think an americano would suit it better. (Ordering can be done at either of the two POS/kiosk machines.)

My mom ordered the Citrus Love. The cup is small and they don't give much water, so I ended up asking for a refill and had two cups. The tea brand itself wasn't bad — despite the name 'citrus,' the chamomile and rooibos flavor and aroma are stronger, while the lemon myrtle notes are fairly faint.

With the drip coffee they hand you a little postcard with tasting notes, so you learn a bit about coffee along the way.

With notes of jasmine flower and white peach, it's a floral, fruity, acidic bean that isn't too unusual and is easy to drink. Next time I'd like to try it hot instead of iced. I was actually craving the Colombia washed, but picked the Ethiopia washed since it was cheaper.

Why a weekend evening is the best time to visit

Coming to Center Coffee Gwanghwamun on a weekend evening, there weren't many people around, so it was nice and quiet — it also seemed like a good date spot. If you're meeting someone in Gwanghwamun for a date or a blind date in the evening and aren't drinking, this place seems like a solid choice.

If you're an office worker looking for a coffee after a meal, or searching for a good roastery around Sinmunsa-ro, I'd recommend giving this place a visit.