café crawl in seoul
Here we’ve compiled a list of our favorite cafés across Seoul’s diverse neighborhoods, from Seongsu to Hongdae. We were struck by the distinctive aesthetics of each café and the originality of their drinks. With Seoul being one of the densest café cities in the world, there were countless options to explore. One interesting trend we noticed was the popularity of einspanner and its different variations in many of the cafés!
Anthracite in Hongdae.
1. Daelimm Changgo Warehouse, Seongsu
Daelim Changgo (대림창고 갤러리 컬럼, with “changgo” meaning “warehouse” in Korean) is a café-slash-gallery located on the famous Café Street of Seongsu-dong, often referred to as the Brooklyn of Seoul. Originally a rice mill and later a warehouse, this space has been transformed into a stunning café and art gallery, retaining much of its original industrial charm. A highlight of their menu is their Geisha coffee, featuring a special Geisha course, Geisha spanner, and Geisha mocha. Their menu also includes a variety of non-coffee beverages such as craft beer, matcha, tea, and ade, alongside unique baked goods ranging from cannelés to croissants. Heads up – due to its popularity, especially on weekends, there is an entrance fee of 10,000 won on those days.
Address: 서울 성동구 성수이로 78.
2. Grandpa Factory, Seongsu
This is another old warehouse converted to a café in Seongsu. For the K-drama fans out there, you might recognize this filming location from Vincenzo! Despite its unassuming exterior, the interior is remarkably spacious, featuring ample seating across two floors, a terrace, and there’s even a cozy treehouse to explore! Don’t miss out on their unique cold brew dirty einspanner – it’s a must-try.
Address: 서울 성동구 성수이로7가길 9.
3. Cheonsang Gaok, Seongsu
Located on the third floor of Seongsu Yeongbang, this greeenhouse café is a hidden gem. Their honey pepper latte is a standout, offering a tasty mix of sweet and spicy. They also have unique einspanner variations, like matcha, black sesame and earl grey. Their menu goes beyond coffee – their ades in different flavors are refreshing, and the fresh strawberry milk is also a hit. They also have freshly baked goods – ranging from croissants, crookies, egg tarts to scones. Plus, it’s pet-friendly, and kid you not, they have special drinks just for pets! We had so much fun doing some dog-watching here.
Address: 서울특별시 성동구 성수동2가 성수이로14길 14
4. Cheongsudang Bakery, Ikseondong
Located in an alley of Ikseondong Hanok Village, this café offers a serene escape with its enchanting botanical decor. Their signature drinks include the stone egg drip coffee, matcha cream latte, and tiramisu latte. Tempting treats like the black sesame fromage cake and mugwort soufflés caught our eyes, though the portions were a bit too generous for our appetite. The café has a variety of seating options, from modern seating to traditional tatami mats.
Address: 서울 종로구 돈화문로11나길 31-9.
5. Cafe Onion, Anguk
This is probably Seoul’s most popular café. Located next to Bukchon Village, the Onion Anguk branch stands out for its setting in a century-old hanok and offers tatami seating. For a peaceful visit, it’s best to arrive around 7:30 AM to 8 AM on a weekday – early enough to beat the crowds and late enough for the baked goods to come out. We enjoyed their cappuccino, flat white, garlic onion cheese bread, and white chocolate pistachio bread, all of which were delicious. Other tempting items on the menu include their sweet chestnut latte and their famous pandoro.
Address: 서울특별시 종로구 계동길 5.
6. Cafe Onion, Gwangjang
Right next to the bustling Gwangjang Market, the fourth and newest location of Café Onion stands out from the other Cafe onion branches while it exudes an edgy, cool vibe with its stylish outdoor seating. Café Onion Gwangjang offers exclusive drinks not found at its other locations, such as the hazelnut latte, the yuzu honey black tea, and the creamy vegan pumpkin latte with red bean. Our favorite was the vegan pumpkin latte with red bean – it’s impressive how they were able to achieve such creaminess with vegan milk. The café also serves a variety of treats, including their popular pastry pizza pie, with strawberry jam being their signature flavor.
Address: 서울 종로구 청계천로 215 1층.
7. Anthracite, Hongdae
Tucked away on a side street, this café might be the most serene spot we’ve visited so far. Spread across three floors, it attracts people looking to work or study, creating a quieter ambiance compared to other cafés. While we’ve only experienced the Hongdae location, their three other branches seem to offer a similar atmosphere. They use moka pots and pour-over coffee brewers for their coffee. They also serve a variety of treats, including madeleines, chiffon cakes, and cheesecakes. The earl grey cheesecake, in particular, was delicious!
Address: 서울특별시 마포구 월드컵로12길 11.
8. Offer Bakery, Hongdae
Last but not least, this café was probably our favorite from the trip. It’s best to visit early in the morning if you want to try their pastries, as they are freshly baked and and not restocked throughout the day. They offer a delightful variety of kouign amanns that are a must-try. The drinks here are heavenly – with our favorites being the offer latte (their signature drink), the mugwort latte, and the salted caramel latte.
Address: 서울특별시 마포구 홍익로5길 21.