Yeonnam-dong café hand-drip in glass: Central Site Yeonnam

A coffee roaster I keep returning to while walking around Yeonnam-dong

When I’m walking around Yeonnam-dong, I often stop by Central Site Coffee Roasters because the coffee aroma is so good!

A close older friend told me the coffee here was so delicious that she even bought beans to take home, so I started visiting out of curiosity—and after going myself, Central Site became a place I return to now and then!

Walk from Hongik University Station Exit 3 toward Yeonnam-dong and it is right on the main road, so it is easy to find. It is also a place where I often meet people, since after having coffee here and saying goodbye, it is easy to get home!

Smelling the beans and choosing dessert

They also sell drip bags, and it is nice that you can smell the coffee beans.

Once you choose a coffee, they let you smell it yourself. At this table, you can smell the beans and watch the hand-drip process, too.

Central Site has its signature classic tiramisu, plus Lotus tiramisu and strawberry trifle!

The strawberry trifle looked so tempting! 🍓

We went with the classic tiramisu, haha. Tiramisu really has to be classic~

They also sell chocolate cookies, and the price is so reasonable! They all seem to be homemade!

There is also a spot where you can smell the beans yourself, which is great because you can smell them before buying!

Choose your beans, then watch the hand-drip in front of you

Central Site is a brewing-focused café based around a roastery, so it is nice to be able to see and choose from a variety of beans yourself. There used to be a brewing bar and roasting lab on the first floor, but it looks like the roasting lab has moved elsewhere.

After choosing your beans, they make the hand-drip coffee right in front of you, and it was fun to watch from the moment they poured the water. It arrives in a weighty glass, which gives it a different feel from the usual hand-drip cup, too!

Maybe because Peach-Punch is in its name, it had the feeling of bright peach-like fruitiness. The bean description listed flavors reminiscent of white grape, strawberry, and watermelon, with a refreshing sweetness.

Especially since you can smell the aroma yourself before choosing beans, it is easy even for someone who does not know coffee well to pick according to their taste!

I chose the barista-recommended Colombia Quebraditas Gesha Washed Peach-Punch. These beans were right up my alley because I love fragrant aromas!

The second-floor hall and third-floor rooftop

Let’s head up to the second floor!

Water and napkins are set out at the self-service bar, and the third floor is the rooftop! Still a bit much for now! Haha

The second floor is a hall with tables, and it leads up to the rooftop on the third floor, so the space feels roomier than expected! Such a relaxed second-floor space!

How the Peach-Punch and classic tiramisu tasted

At first, fragrant fruit aromas rose up. When I tasted it, the acidity was clear but not overly sharp, and a clean sweetness lingered toward the end. Even the aroma itself felt a little like drinking tea?

And I ordered the classic tiramisu I had been looking forward to as much as the coffee.

Perhaps because it is made with an authentic Italian recipe, the cream was moist and dense rather than light and fluffy. With the coffee, the sweet dessert and the refreshing aroma of the beans were a perfect match! Besides classic tiramisu, there are options such as Lotus tiramisu and trifle brownie, so it is nice to have choices. I love that it is not a place with coffee alone!

The fun of choosing beans before you drink

Above all, Central Site is not somewhere you simply order coffee and finish: you can hear about the beans you chose, smell them, and even watch the actual brewing process! If you want to experience firsthand how the aroma and flavor change depending on the beans, it is worth stopping by at least once.

Next time, I want to choose another single origin, too. If you usually look only for pretty spaces when searching for cafés in Yeonnam-dong, a place where you can have fun choosing your beans first might be nice this time. Especially if you love directly roasted beans and hand-drip coffee, Central Site Coffee Roasters will probably suit you well!