Seoul Series II - Cafe hunting in Seoul

The one thing I love about Seoul is its abundance of independent cafes. The coffee/cafe culture there is so prominent, that at almost every street and every corner you would find at least one coffee joint.

This was great news, for a cafe lover like me. There's just something about going to a cafe, soaking in its ambience and setting, and of course, not forgetting the coffee itself.

Before I left for the trip, I did some research on the cafes which I meant to visit and came up with a whole list, and I thought, it was impossible to cover all of it, but I will try my best. 

1. Cafe 커피 마시는 고양이, Samcheong-dong
19-1 Anguk-dong  Jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea
02-720-8162

I have never seen a more elaborated exterior than this one. Doesn't it just look so welcoming? One thing that you must know, Koreans love paying attention to details, right down to the minute ones. I love the window displays and how the menus are so DIY. 

I took the interior mostly with my iPhone. We sat at the ground floor at first as I didn't know the cafe had seats at the attic. We moved up and I never regretted.

Photos taken with iPhone 4S, Pudding app

This sinful thick toast. Drizzled with caramel, topped with whipped cream and strawberries. Perfect. Or as I would call it. Mmm.. 대밬!!

Samcheong-dong is lined with plenty of cafes and to say that we were spoilt for choice is an understatement!

4. Cafe Rachel, Hongdae


QQ and I were actually full from dinner but we figured after a round of shopping at Hongdae, we still had a tiny space in our stomach to fit some desserts in. The plan was to head down to one of our favourite cafes in Hongdae, Coffee Lab, but while walking, we decided to try some place different and right there and then, we passed Cafe Rachel.

Photos taken with iPhone 4S, Pudding app

We decided to try its bestseller, Chocolate cake sundae. The secret to this is the moist chocolate cake. I would think that this particular cafe's specialty is chocolate, since most of the selections in the menu were chocolate-based. I am definitely coming back again to try the other desserts.

3. W.e (west 'n east) Cafe, Garosugil
518-8 Sinsa-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, South Korea
02-3445-0919

I read that w.e cafe was more of a fusion cafe. It wasn't in my priority list but QQ really wanted to go here as she didn't managed to during her study exchange. The cafe wasn't visible to me, probably because it wasn't one of those that lined along the streets, but rather, it was hidden beneath the lanes, if you get what I mean. Once again, it doesn't look like a typical cafe from afar. A small white block, or 'tentage'-like structure as I would aptly call it, this cafe didn't disappoint.

Jihyun's mountain berries tea and my red bean latte. I will never forget the taste of it. Rich and creamy, but yet not too overpowering. I told myself I had to try something different this time around, instead of the usual coffee.

To me, this seemed like a magnificent piece of art. Fusion hotteok! Topped with caramelized banana and pistachios. Absolutely perfect. In both taste and visual.

4. Table B, Anam

A stone's throw away from Anam Station (안암 역) lies Table B. We met QQ's buddy during her exchange, Kristin, there for a short lunch. Table B is a quaint cafe that lies in the basement along the shophouses. I thought it seemed quiet but Kristin told me it gets noisy at night as Table B also serves as a bar.

We had the bulgogi sandwich (didn't snap a pic of it), which was a thumbs-up.

 Photo taken with iPhone 4S, Pudding app

Christmas decorations were still up, although it was already January. Us, with Kristin.



5. Cafe 5Cijung (오시정), Samcheong-dong


I initially wanted to visit this cafe at Garosugil, but I came across the Samcheong-dong branch by chance instead. Cafe 5Cijung is a gallery cafe with several branches in Samcheong-dong, Hongdae and Sinsa-dong.

 Photo taken with iPhone 4S, Pudding app

This was sitting by the window, and I just thought it was an innovative idea! The thing that you actually use to water plants is being used as a plant pot itself.

 Photo taken with iPhone 4S, Pudding app

The mini-gallery was filled with toys, miniatures, cute stationery. It was something different for me, as I have never seen a cafe such as this before. I thought it was really interesting.

Our coffees, served with love and a whole load of cuteness. As I have mentioned before, its all about the details, details, details. I can never emphasize this enough, but this is something that you don't just get anywhere. A rarity. Something worth mentioning, the drinks were pricey as compared to other cafes , but I did not mind paying that price for something presentable such as this, plus every drink orders came with two mini-scones each.

6. Hoho Myoll (호호 미욜), Hongdae

93-44 Sangsu-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul, South Korea

02-322-6473

One of my new favourites. I fell in love with this cafe. Its interior design was top-notch. Visually pleasing and it is the type of cafe where you can spend the time with your friends just chilling for hours. 

The Volkswagen mini-van that serves as Hoho Myoll's signature mascot. And what lies in this, is the cashier. Ingenious!

Oreo cheesecake + caramel macchiato. Not too rich and overpowering, we were able to finish this generous serving of the cheesecake.




Looking forward to my next visit for the next round of cafe-hunting.