Cafe Hopping in Korea: 10 Seoul Coffee Shops To Try

Here’s 10 Seoul Coffee Shops I got to try on my trip to South Korea, in Anguk and Ikseong-dong, Gangnam, and Seongsu-dong. It’s my first time in Korea, and everyone told us to go cafe hopping in Seoul. I didn’t understand then, but now that I’m here, I totally understand. As someone who doesn’t normally like sweets or coffee we visited so many unique cafes on this trip – each with its own unique style theme, in-house bakery, and signature drinks. Beyond the food, every Seoul cafe looks incredibly aesthetic – almost like a movie set. Whether you’re into minimalist spaces or cozy vintage vibes there’s something for everyone

Next time, I come to South Korea I think I’m going to just spend a whole day just café hopping in Seoul and trying all the coffee, matcha, and pastries I can!

Anguk and Ikseon-Dong

Anguk and Ikseon-dong is Seoul’s iconic Hanok-style neighborhood. This was one of my favorite neighborhoods in Seoul. Packed with traditional Korean buildings, winding alleys, and quiet cafes, this area honestly feels like the perfect mix of past and present. Stepping into a coffee shop patio, you forget that you were just wandering through tiny alleys. Every shop here feels like it’s in a movie scene – so aesthetically pleasing! . Here walking through the neightborhood honestly felt like flipping through pages of a lifestyle magazine, but in real life.

Soha Salt Pond Ikseon-dong 

Soha Salt Pond Ikseo-dong is one of the most well-known cafe and bakeries in the Ikseon-dong area. Built with traditional Korean architecture, this cafe brings you a sense of calm with wooden beams, soft lighting, and a beautiful courtyard with a water feature. It almost feels like a secret – tucked away from the busy streets.

Of course, they’re famous for their salt bread (₩3,000), and I totally get it – soft, warm, a little bit crisp on the outside, and perfectly salty in the best way. It’s definitely a must-try. We also grabbed a matcha chocolate pastry (5300 won), a croissant cube stuffed with matcha cream and a chunk of matcha chocolate on top. The drinks here were tasty and refreshing as well! We got the iced Americano and the iced peppermint tea, both ₩4800, both refreshing options to pair with our sweet pastries.

They’re open every day from 9:00 AM to 9:00 PM. For dine-in, there’s a minimum of one drink and one pastry per person! The lines start forming as soon as it opens, so come early if you’d like to avoid a long wait.

Jayeondo Sogeumppang & Jayeondoga (10/10)

Another must try cafe in the area is Jayeondo Sogeumppang & Jayeondoga. This particular cafe might just be my number one cafe for salt bread – it is that good. Every time I walk by a line shorter than 10 people here, I am lining up, no question asked. Here, the outside is crispy, and the inside buttery and soft. The perfect balance of salty and sweet is chef’s kiss!

They also had fresh Jeju Island orange juice here for ₩7000. If that sounds a little steep for “just orange juice”, it’s because it’s served with another whole Jeju Island orange on top, with a straw through it. I’m not even kidding, this was probably one of the best fresh squeezed orange juice I have ever had. So simple, so fresh, and just so satisfying. You get both the joy sipping the juice and biting into fresh slices of orange in one drink.

They bake fresh batches of salt bread 6 times a day, so they’re guaranteed fresh. One bite of salt bread paired with a sip of orange juice might be exactly the way to spend this afternoon. The bread is sold in sets of four for ₩12,000, with a minimum order of one set (four pieces) per order.

Cafe Onion Anguk (8/10)

I had to visit Cafe Onion Anguk because this place has been on my Seoul Coffee Shop bucket list forever. The moment we stepped inside, it felt like we were transported into a complete different time. They actually turned a 100-year-old traditional Korean home into a cafe blending, old school architecture with simple modern touches. It somehow just works perfectly.

Now let’s talk about the food. There were so many pastry options that I was overwhelmed in the best way possible. There’s their signature Pandoro, a bread piled high with powdered sugar. Nearby, there’s tons of different croissants and pastries stuffed with seasonal fruits like grape, strawberries, and figs. But, its not just sweets here! They also have a ton of creative savory options, from sourdough pizza to filled baguettes.

Since we already had so many sweets, I ended up going with a savory pesto pizza and a super refreshing yuzu tea (7000 won). The pizza was soft and chewy from the sourdough base, with a slight char on the crust. It’s more pastry-like than pizza, but still tasty topped with the earthy pesto. Trust me, I am 100% going to be coming back next time for the sweet pastries because they looked delicious.

Sitting on floor cushions under those beautifully aged wooden beams and the softest breeze and quiet all around honestly felt so peaceful. It was truly a core memory moment. Cafe Onion Anguk is super popular so definitely expect a line. If you’d like to dine in, come early so you can claim a spot – they fill up quickly! They’re opened from 7 am on weekdays and 9 am on weekends, until 10 pm!

Dotori Garden Anguk 

Dotori Garden Anguk is the cutesy, whimsical cafe of your dreams. There’s a cute outdoor seating area, and inside there are tons of pastries, cookies, and sandwiches on display. You can see their little blue mascot everywhere around the store and on signs. Their iconic dotori bread and madeleines are made in the shape of acorns. They’re super cute!

I had to grab a Dotori Strawberry. This croissant-based pastry is filled with yogurt cream, vanilla custard, and strawberry jam, and fresh strawberries. Having both yogurt and custard makes it perfectly balanced. It’s just the right amount of sweet and sour to not be too overwhelming. Their chocolate madeleines was the perfect treat – soft, slightly dense, but not too sweet.

Also on the menu are brunch plates and granola yogurt bowls in various flavor combinations. If you’re hungry, these are great options for a full meal. The pastries here range from about 4500 to 6000 won, and it’s a great spot to take a pause and enjoy some sweets.

Gangnam

If you’re looking for viral cafes with beautiful desserts, Gangnam is the place. From desserts that look like they might be from space, to single-origin coffee beans, the cafes in Gangnam are focused on offering the most unique treats. It’s impossible to take a bad photo in these cafes, since so many of them are so uniquely designed. Since it’s located near lots of office buildings, many cafes have plenty of seating and are laptop-friendly – built for people who want to stay for hours. 

Bunker Company Apgujeong

Bunker Company Apgujeong was a total hidden gem! This industry-style cafe is known for homemade baked goods and high quality in-house roast beans. They’ve actually received the 2023 Korean Barista Award for the Best Coffee Bar. We of course had to try their Iced Americano (₩5000), which really highlighted that quality roast. Of course, I had to get my matcha fix in with their Matcha Latte (₩6500).

Another thing that caught our eye was Bunker Company’s beautiful array of impeccable looking baked goods. We honestly weren’t expecting much, because let’s be real, pretty desserts don’t always taste great. The strawberry croissant looked almost too good to eat! But wow, it was amazing! So flaky on the outside, creamy on the inside, and not too sweet at all. Just the right little treat to wash down with our drinks.

If you’re looking for a chill cafe to relax in for a quick, but quality coffee and snack, Bunker Company’s the one. It’s open daily from 10AM to 9PM, so you can get your pastry fix even after dinner.

Nudake Haus Dosan (7/10)

One viral cafe I’ve been dying to visit is Nudake Haus Dosan, located in the basement of the iconic Gentle Monster. The cafe itself looks almost like an Apple Store, with giant screens playing visual art and a model display of all the desserts. They’re known for their super bold, artistic pastries and cakes, blending in high-end design with super creative pastries. Honestly every drink and dessert here is a work of art.

Everything looked so unique, We ended up ordering a little bit of everything:

• Peak Green Tea Latte (₩8,000): A sweet latte swirled with thick matcha cream, from Nudake’s signature “Peak” matcha croissant.
• Dutch Latte (₩9,000): Dutch cold brew coffee ice shaped like Pieta, their iconic dessert, served with milk.
• Tart Moon (₩8,000): A round almond cream-filled squid ink tart, topped with a wasabi-flavored mochiri-dofu.
• Nu Brûlée (₩8,000): Nudake’s version of crème brûlée—with a caramelized top and subtle notes of cinnamon and whiskey.
• Microissant (₩2,500): A set of 4 tiny, bite-sized, flaky croissants glazed with agave syrup.

Nudake’s desserts and drinks are so aesthically pleasing, they’re almost too artistic to eat. The mini croissants in particular were amazing – super flaky, and taste just like mini croissant cereals. On the other hand, some of these desserts can be a bit too sweet. The Peak Green Tea Latte was so tasty, but since it’s made with the matcha cream from their viral pastry Peak, it’s also on the richer, sweeter side.

Overall, this cafe was an experience, but not really a must visit for the actual food and drinks. Still, it was such a fun stop and a perfect little break before heading out for more exploring and shopping. They also opened a different croissant-themed branch in Gangnam as well, where you can still try their bestsellers. The cafe is open daily from 11AM to 9PM. There’s often a line, so if you’re interested in visiting, come early before they sell out!

A Twosome Place Gangnam 

Since I had to get my nails fixed, I stepped out on a solo adventure for breakfast at A Twosome Place in Gangnam. This coffee shop has a modern kiosk for ordering and shelves of delicious cakes to choose from. If you’re looking for something savory, they also have various brunch sets to choose from, like paninis and bagels.

I got myself an iced cold brew (5200 Won), South Korea’s unofficial national drink. To treat myself, I also ordered a slice of the fluffiest strawberry shortcake: layers of whipped cream, sponge cake, and strawberry, topped with more fresh, plump strawberry halves. It’s a sweet and sour reminder to spend some time with yourself.

I sat there for a while sipping on my coffee, watching the people on the street walk by. It’s a quiet place to retreat into your mind and enjoy a delicious slice of cake. A Twosome Place is open everyday from 8 AM to 11 PM, so come by for a slice of cake and iced americano!

Seongsu-Dong

The Seongsu-dong are was previously an industrial area, but now it’s one of Seoul’s trendiest arts and cafe district. Many of the old warehouse buildings have been converted into shopping areas and huge open-space cafes with raw concrete walls, high ceilings, and lots of plants and artwork. The cafes here have a focus on simplicity – a call back to the basics at the highest quality. It’s a neighborhood where you can still see traces of Seoul’s manufacturing past, even as you’re sipping a cold brew and walking by with your salt bread.

Lowide Coffee Bakery 8.5/10

We checked out one of my absolute favorite cafes from this trip – Lowide Coffee Bakery. Oh my goodness, the pastries here are so delicious. I literally wanted to order everything because it all looks so yummy. All of the desserts and breads are baked in-house, and they all looked amazing.

We had to start with their Creamy Stuffed Salt Bread, which was light, fluffy, and super soft. One thing about me – I can never say no to strawberry desserts. So of course, I had to get one of their berry scone and their strawberry pastry.

They also had such fun drinks, like their matcha chocolate latte, which was deep, creamy, and chocolatey. There’s something about the matcha-chocolate combo that Korea really loves. We also go their summer ade, which was a strawberry-passion fruit drink that was tangy, refreshing, and full of real fruit.

Lowide was my favorite cafe this trip, and if you have a chance to come to Seoul, definitely come try their desserts! They’re open weekdays 10 am to 8 pm, and weekends from 11 am to 9 pm, and closed every 3rd Monday of the month.

Jayeondo Sogeumppang (10/10)

If you’re in Seongsu, you have to try Jayeondo Sogeumppang the famous salt bread. I know we also talked about the Ikseon-dong location, but I’m willing to wait at any location for this salt bread. This place is known for making the butteriest flakiest salt bread ever, and this particular branch is take-out only.

My friend says it’s the best thing ever – and I think they’re right! They use premium Canadian wheat and certified fresh butter, which creates the softest, fluffiest interior with that perfectly crisp crust. If you ever see the spot run don’t walk, because this might just be the best thing I have ever put in my mouth. There’s always a line, but it goes fast, There’s minimum purchase of one 4-pack per order!  

Birch Coffee (10/10)

We took a little break at Birch Coffee, a spot that we randomly stumbled across. Wow what a find! This modern coffee shop actually originated from New York, and this is their first flagship shop outside of US. Of course, we had to try their Seoul exclusive birch blend.

Let me tell you this was possibly one of the best cold brews we have ever had. It wasn’t acidic, but was nutty, full bodied, with a splash of their homemade sweet cream. It was cold brew perfection. Dom actually ended up getting two cups of this cold brew because it was that good.

The Seongsu-Dong location is CLOSED as of March 2025, but will reopen in a new location soon in Hannam.

Explore more of Korea with my Itineraries!