Big Gangnam coffee shop, basement to 2nd floor: Upper and Under

Finding a café in the middle of Gangnam that's spacious and comfortable without losing its sense of atmosphere is trickier than you'd think. And if a place is big, it's often too crowded and chaotic, while the cozy, cute cafés are so packed you end up turning away with nowhere to sit.

Upper and Under, on the café street between Sinnonhyeon Station and Gangnam Station, checks both boxes.

Inside Upper and Under: what each floor from B1 to 2F is like

Upper and Under is literally UPPER AND UNDER — pointing to both above and below — and true to the name, it's a large café using the whole building's basement, 1st floor, and 2nd floor. Its first impression is a warm feel paired with an eye-catching space.

On weekends it's packed shoulder to shoulder, but it's still a place worth the trip.

Each floor has a slightly different mood and interior, and there are pretty terraces too.

When I came today, every terrace, upstairs and down, was packed with customers, so I couldn't really spread out and enjoy the space fully. But even with all the crowds, it kept a cozy, warm mood, filled with sweet smells and a pleasant fragrance, and a relaxed atmosphere overall. No wonder it's always this popular.

The dessert lineup at Upper and Under

Upper and Under is a dessert café where you can't help but agonize over the choice — cakes fill the display case, and baked goods line up on the other side.

I couldn't eat everything, but it all looked delicious, so without being too greedy, I decided to pick one cake and one baked good.

Pistachio canelé

I think canelé is basically litmus paper for a bakery's skill. The outside has to be dark and caramelized to a crisp, while the inside has to stay moist and soft like custard — and that balance isn't easy. At plenty of places, both outside and inside end up crisp and hard.

That's why I think a place that makes canelé well is genuinely good at desserts, and Upper and Under's pistachio canelé met that condition perfectly.

Crisp outside, moist inside, and coated on top with pistachio and chocolate, adding both sweetness and a nutty flavor.

Lemon cake

Usually when people say lemon cake, it's just lemon icing or a slice on top for looks alone, but this one surprised me the moment I took a bite.

It wasn't just lemon placed on top — every bite of the cake burst with lemon's bright tang, so I could enjoy it deliciously right down to the last piece.

Salty caramel cream coffee

They loaded the coffee with caramel syrup and a chewy, soft, but hearty cream, then topped it with crumble and Lotus cookies.

The cream was so good I kept scooping it up with a spoon, and after a while I drank the coffee too — turns out the coffee here is excellent as well. The rich, nutty flavor works well with the chewy cream.

Mango lemonade

A clear glass filled with a fizzy, refreshing drink, with mango flesh piled up at the bottom — great to look at, and once you stir it a bit, the sweetness really comes through.

In between, the lemon's tang keeps refreshing your palate, making it sweet and bright to drink through.

Is Upper and Under worth it as a Gangnam café?

Some places have great desserts, some have great coffee, some have a pretty space — but Upper and Under has delicious specialty coffee, high-quality desserts, and a pretty interior all at once.

It's always crowded with customers, but it's a place worth visiting even with that in mind. If you want perfectly baked pastries and delicious cake and coffee in an atmospheric setting, I'd recommend heading to Upper and Under.