Since coming to Korea, I’ve become a bit of a cafe and coffee snob. Something I didn’t know before coming to Seoul was that South Korea has around 49,000 cafes, with around 18,000 of those cafes located in Seoul. Seoul has a plethora of cafes with different concepts and menus that are bound to suit everyone; from the esteemed coffee connoisseur to the average passerby. Of course, while I haven’t gotten around to trying all 18,000 coffee shops, I’ve happened across a few favorites during my time here in Seoul. Among them, here are 5 that either stood out to me or I frequent often.
Bjorkland Coffee, Songpanaru
One afternoon when walking around the neighborhood, my friend and I stumbled upon this tall, modern looking building. There was a staircase leading up to what seemed like a secret loft inside. Many people were gathered downstairs, either waiting in line to order coffee or to take pictures in front of the building. Intrigued, we walked in and were greeted with a warm, woody aesthetic. Later, we soon found out this building was inspired by the German-Swiss poet Herman Hesse. After placing your order, the cashier instructs you to take a card from a jar next to the register. These cards have different quotes, either from Herman Hesse himself or other poets/famous authors. While I don’t frequent this place much, I’ve been back a few times since my first visit and love the cozy and treehouse-like aesthetic the place hosts.
2. Brand New Himont, Cheon-ho
My friends and I decided to venture out to Cheon-ho one day, hearing that there were many cafes to visit. We actually were trying to go to a different cafe that one of my friend’s had heard about but the line was pretty long and there were no seats inside. So instead of braving the queue, we wandered around and found Brand New Himont. It’s a big building with 2 floors, the bakery downstairs and the coffee shop and seats upstairs. If you purchase something from the bakery, they have a mini dumbwaiter elevator that brings your food to the second floor once it’s prepared. It has lots of seating and the pastries are excellent.
3. See Through, Itaewon
When I think of Itaewon, I don’t immediately think of cafes galore. The area is the foreigner hotspot of Seoul, and perhaps in all of Korea, where different countries’ cuisines, cultures, and people meet in the city. But despite less cafes being in the area, there’s still some good ones. See Through is one of them. This cafe is probably most known for its latte art and unique drinks. While I had to order one of the cold lattes to see how cute the art was, my friends ordered drinks called a ‘Scotchino’, a coffee melting over the cup and boasting a butterscotch candy flavor, and a ‘Gamaechino’, a more savory coffee meant to resemble ‘nurungji’ or Korean scorched rice. While the drinks did take some time to prepare, they were definitely Instagram worthy and I could see why there was fame surrounding this place.
4. Touch 183, Bangi
I honestly wish I had better pictures of this cafe since I go to it all the time! This cafe is a good one for me since I often use it to study at or go to before work. The cafe serves homemade pastries as well as my favorite dark roast coffee in the city. There’s two floors as well. The upstairs is more warm and inviting for casual conversation, or merely people watching, while the downstairs is more secluded and ideal for studying or working. My go to is usually a dark blend americano with some sort of pastry or cookie to go with (since I can’t resist). I’m so glad it survived throughout the pandemic and seems to be doing well!
5. Belief Coffee Roasters, Hapjeong
This place was a quick stop after lunch and before work but wow it was an unexpected place. The upstairs seemed just like a normal coffee roasting shop with some pastries also being sold as well. But the downstairs has different levels and seats for one to sit on. The walls are adorned with soft glowing lights and wood panelling everywhere. In the back, the roasting room is nestled away from the tables and chairs. This place definitely felt like a secret hideout and almost like I was pulled into some secret library. The coffee and pastries were the perfect touch to this lovely aesthetic.
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