Korea has a widespread franchise and impartial café tradition, and you may simply make a day of café-hopping from one common, Instagram-worthy café to the subsequent. Due to this, there are numerous cafés which have risen to fame on social media, for his or her superb meals, stunning aesthetics, or each!
However there are such a lot of cafés in Seoul that I imagine should be skilled that haven’t had their second to shine. Right here I’ve compiled a listing of three viral cafés you must add to your Seoul itinerary, and three cafés you’ll have by no means heard of which can be nicely value a go to!
Three Viral Cafés
Cafe Onion
In relation to viral cafés, the primary one which involves thoughts is Cafe Onion. If you’re in search of fascinating impartial cafés, then look no additional than Seongsu, certainly one of Seoul’s trendiest hotspots that’s house to an abundance of previous warehouses-turned-cafés and cultural areas. And if there may be one café that actually captures the vibe of ‘the Brooklyn of Seoul’, it’s Cafe Onion.
Cafe Onion is the epitome of business cafes, and it’s no shock they’re probably the most well-known cafés in Seoul. It additionally opens at 9am, which could be very early for Seoul the place cafes normally don’t open till round 11am, so it’s nice should you’re an early fowl or nonetheless getting over that jet lag! For one of the best (and least crowded) expertise, be a part of the doorway queue at 9am and sit on the rooftop to look at the subway trains go overhead. Their pastries are completely well worth the hype too; I extremely advocate the candy treats such because the fruit and cream topped croissants or the chocolate coated salt bread. Cafe Onion additionally serves their very own mix of espresso, and you should buy merchandise on the counter to let everybody know you’ve been to the best cafe in Seoul. It will probably get very busy, particularly at weekends, so I like to recommend visiting on a weekday morning for a scrumptious espresso and pastry breakfast.
To get to Cafe Onion, take Subway Line 2 to Seongsu Station and take Exit 2.
Deal with: 8, Achasan-ro 9-gil, Seongdong-gu, Seoul
KakaoMap Pin: https://kko.kakao.com/6zRWFogp6H
Mooni
This café in Apgujeong is understood for its aesthetics, and is a superb café to go to in case you are in search of Instagram-worthy photos! There are photograph spots situated throughout, together with a devoted photospot on the roof which you’ll have to line up for, relying on once you go to. And well-fitting with such a lovely cafe are the beautiful pastries you should buy right here – however imagine me, they aren’t simply fairly, however tasty too!
Their signature pastries are their Ribbon Croissants, which stand out as a result of their cute bow form and are available quite a lot of flavours. I visited in December they usually had a variety of festive themed breads and pastries too. If you wish to strive an assortment of lovely, distinctive and scrumptious pastries in addition to snapping some nice vacation photos, then I extremely advocate this café.
To get to Mooni, take the Suin-Bundang Subway Line to Apgujeong Rodeo Station and take Exit 5.
Deal with: 16, Apgujeong-ro 56-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul
KakaoMap Pin: https://kko.kakao.com/Ez2N0-QPG2
Dasique Cafe
One of many latest common cafes on this checklist is the Dasique Cafe, in Seongsu. Dasique is a newly common make-up model in Korea, and so a go to to their retailer is nicely value it only for that – however their café is what makes the shop really particular. You’ll probably have to affix a digital queue by getting into your telephone quantity, nevertheless it’s well worth the wait (and offers you an excuse to go and discover Seongsu within the meantime!)
On this café, you possibly can encompass your self with pink velvet and white marble, whereas munching on the prettiest truffles you’ll have ever seen. And the largest purpose I’m recommending this café out of all the various viral Korean areas nowadays – the truffles truly style so good! In relation to cafés which can be viral on social media, they will typically focus extra on how their meals seems to be than the way it tastes, however that isn’t a difficulty right here. I attempted the rose chocolate cake and the lemon pistachio cake and each had been extremely scrumptious. Should you arrive early you possibly can even strive their most well-known earl gray flavoured dessert, formed like Dasique’s bear icon – however this sells out quick, so get there early if you wish to strive it!
To get to this Dasique retailer, take Subway Line Quantity 2 and Exit 4 at Seongsu Station; it’s situated reverse the long-lasting Dior constructing.
Deal with: 6, Yeonmujang 5-gil, Seongdong-gu, Seoul
KakaoMap Pin: https://kko.kakao.com/sIOXPy19M6
…And Three That Ought to Be!
Cafe Letter
My first choose for lesser-known cafés that deserve a go to is in certainly one of my favourite areas for cute impartial cafes: Hapjeong. Stroll down a avenue in Hapjeong and also you’re certain to search out an impartial café with nice pastries and desserts, however I extremely advocate Cafe Letter as a result of their fascinating, and most significantly scrumptious, pastries. These cube-shaped croissant-like ‘buns’ are so distinctive, and are available quite a lot of flavours, together with vanilla cream, cherry pistachio and tiramisu. Strive the sweetcorn flavour should you’re adventurous (it’s truly fairly good)! My private favourite is the Coconut Mango Bun as the mixture tastes superb; the pastry itself is stable sufficient that it doesn’t change into soggy with the cream, making it an gratifying texture.
The coffees, teas and ades listed here are additionally superb, with three totally different espresso blends to select from, and the spacious room boasting white and lightweight wooden furnishings makes it a fantastic place to calm down. Because of the abundance of cafés within the space, this one tends to be a lot quieter than the viral ones I discussed earlier, so it’s nicely value trying out. And a bag or mug with their easy paper airplane emblem makes a fantastic, unassuming memento.
To get to Cafe Letter, Take Line Quantity 2 or 6 to Hapjeong Station and take Exit 3.
Deal with: 6, Yeonmujang 5-gil, Seongdong-gu, Seoul
KakaoMap Pin: https://kko.kakao.com/kt8LoK7YUN
Ceci Cela
Ceci Cela, situated close to Dosan Park in Apgujeong, is themed conventional European cafés, so chances are you’ll be questioning why it’s a must-visit throughout a visit to Seoul – however in case you are within the Apgujeong space, it’s really a must-do!
Whereas all of the truffles on this café are scrumptious (imagine me, I’ve tried all of them!) nothing compares to their signature carrot cake. This cake is made in home and sells out so shortly that they need to put up indicators to warn clients that need to strive it to reach early. I’m undecided what it’s about this cake; possibly it’s the moistness of the cake itself mixed with the Asian-style frivolously candy and barely salty cream cheese frosting that makes it so good, however both approach, in case you are a fan of carrot cake then you must strive it. The slices are monumental too, so I like to recommend sharing with a good friend whereas sipping on cinnamon milk tea, one other favourite of mine. Should you’re not a carrot cake lover, their candy potato cheesecake and double chocolate cake are additionally unbelievable.
To get to Ceci Cela, take the Suin-Bundang Subway Line to Apgujeong Rodeo Station and take Exit 5. It’s a couple of 10 minute stroll away, close to Dosan Park.
Deal with: 10-4, Dosan-daero 45-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul
KakaoMap Pin: https://kko.kakao.com/RO6H2bIoIr
City Nook
A brand new café situated close to Seoul Forest, City Nook is a comfy New York-themed café recognized for his or her mushy American-style cookies. City Nook is the proper spot to take a seat and recharge; you possibly can even do some people-watching from the balcony! There are a number of various flavoured cookies to select from, however my private favourite is the strawberry cheesecake one – they usually promote brownies, muffins and ice cream too.
Because it’s a brand new café, it tends to be quieter than others round it regardless of being situated in the primary Café Alley subsequent to Seoul Forest, so it’s the proper sudden spot to calm down and seize a espresso with out having to attend too lengthy. You might even obtain a sugar cookie on the home as ‘service’ (an accommodating gesture from cafés and eating places in Korea to make sure you have a fantastic expertise).
To get to City Nook, take the Suin-Bundang Subway Line to Seoul Forest Station and take Exit 5. Alternatively, take Line Quantity 2 to Ttukseom Station and take Exit 8.
Deal with: 26-20, Seoulsup 4-gil, Seongdong-gu, Seoul
KakaoMap Pin: https://kko.kakao.com/yc5sBsgG-H
Should you’re seeking to spend time in Seoul, you are able to do so on our 25-day South Korea and Japan Combo Tour, which takes you throughout these two unimaginable nations.
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