Full Day Cafe Hopping and Exploring in Ikseong-dong
There’s no better place to be Cafe Hopping in Seoul than in the historic Hanok Village of Ikseong-dong! Come with me to visit some of the best cafes in the area, from the famous Salt Bread to some of the most beautiful desserts ever. There’s nothing better than enjoying delicious sweets in beautiful historic gardens in Korea. Save this post, because we’re going to explore as many of the aesthetic cafes, the delicious foods, and the unique experiences in Ikseong-dong as we can!
Ikeseon-dong: Hanok Village Cafes to Modern Art
I’m taking my family around some of Seoul’s best restaurants, street foods, and cafes! It’s easy to eat this much food in Seoul, because we literally walked over 20,000 steps every single day. The street here is so pretty. Honestly, the hardest part is not getting distracted. Because if you’re anything like me, you’ll see a cute cafe on every corner, and suddenly you find yourself grabbing a sweet treat or something yummy to eat. It is a dangerous but delicious cycle.
Get ready because today we’re on a mission to find our favorite cafe here in Ikseong-dong. We’re spending the day here in the beautifully restored Hanok neighborhood that’s been transformed into some of the city’s most prettiest cafe, boutiques, and restaurant. It truly feels like you’re stepping into history, but with the trendiest, most aesthetic twist!
Cafe-Hopping in Hanok Village
The cafes in Ikseongdong are honestly next level. Although all housed in historic Hanoks, each one still has its own theme and vibe. So, honestly, just follow your heart and your aesthetic because you really can’t go wrong here.
Viral Salt Bread – Jayeondo Sogeumppang
Our first stop, of course, was Jayeondo Sogeumppang Salt Bread. This location in Ikseong-dong has a booth you buy from, and a beautiful outdoor garden seating area right next to it. They bake their salt bread fresh 6 times a day, so they’re always fresh. Same as the Seongsu location, there’s a minimum purchase of one 4-pack (₩12,000) per order. But, with 4 of us that was the perfect amount. It is a lot less busy than the Seongsu-dong location, and so, so beautiful.
Since it’s winter, their menu includes a seasonal drink: Hot Korean Pear Tea. It comes in a wide mug, with thin slices of Korean pear, mint, and edible flowers floating inside. It’s light, just a little sweet, and warms you right up. Truly the perfect cozy sip before heading out for a full day of exploring.
Sitting in their garden surrounded by Hanok architecture, sipping on pear tea and biting into that slightly salty, buttery bread, it feels like you’re transported into a different world. My hot take? This location honestly makes some of the best salt bread in Seoul. They’re open from 9 AM to 10PM daily. If you want to taste this famous salt bread, but don’t want to have to be standing on the street snacking, this is a chill location to sit down enjoy them with some drinks!
Hanok Langsom Ikseon
This time, we tried a new cafe, Hanok Langsom Ikseon, with the most beautiful dessert and drinks. Located inside a redesigned Hanok with a beautiful garden courtyard seating, this was a peaceful spot to enjoy some cakes and coffee. Walking in, you can see all the cakes on full display, and all the drink options on their hand-drawn menu. Again, this is one of those spots where it’s hard to choose, because all the options look so good! Truly the kind of place that makes you want to try every dessert on the menu.
The desserts didn’t just look stunning, they tasted incredible! We ordered both their fresh fig cake and strawberry shortcake. The strawberry shortcake had layers of fresh strawberry in between sponge cake and whipped cream. It’s light and sweet, but just the right balance of everything. Their fresh fig cake, like their other fresh fruit cakes, are made on a base of sponge cake and fresh cream. It did a great job of featuring the big slices of fresh fig with every bite. I’d definitely give their desserts a solid 9/10.
Their drinks were also absolutely beautiful, totally a 9/10 as well. We ordered some of their bestsellers, like Cafe Vienna (7500 won). The rich coffee with a layer of sweet cream on top matches so well with each other! There’s also their Passionfruit and Coconut Ade (8000 won), which was had really striking yellow, clear, and red layers. We truly were so impressed. We could honestly spend hours here just chatting, people watching, and slowly sipping our coffee. In terms of aesthetics, this cafe definitely won!
Cafe Onion Anguk
We had to visit the iconic Cafe Onion Anguk. Set inside another beautifully restored Hanok, this location blends traditional Korean architecture with modern design. It’s the dreamiest space to sit, sip, and soak in the atmosphere. Walking in, you can see their shelves of pastries. Trust me when I say I had the impulse to grab all of them.
We love their coffee, but the real star here was actually their hot chocolate, “This Chocolate Latte is The Best In Town” (7000 won). This drink actually won the best drink we had out of all the cafes we visited on this trip. It is made with 100% cocoa, Earl Grey, peppermint, and smoked tea, which gives it the most perfectly balanced flavor. It’s rich, aromatic, but not too sweet, and so comforting. Truly unreal.
Cafe Onion is also most famous for their pastries, so of course we had to try a few. Of course, we got their signature Pandoro dusted in literal mountain of powdered sugar. It looks like it might be too sweet or too dry, but it was the complete opposite. Biting into it, it’s light, fluffy, and subtly sweet. We all ended up loving it way more than we expected. We also tried their garlic cream cheese bun, which was super garlicky, soft, and delicious. If you’re cafe hopping in Soul, this spot is a must.
Nuldam Space
Another unique cafe we visited on this day is Nuldam Space, known for their time traveling concept. They’re especially famous for their vegan drinks and desserts. Honestly, if I didn’t read the menu, I would have never guessed anything was vegan. But, their menu was full of unique drinks, from black sesame latte (7000 won) to the beautiful elderflower ade (6500 won). The black sesame latte was incredibly creamy, nutty, and so delicious. Their drinks are definitely an 8/10 for me!
One of the most unique things about this cafe is that you can sit down and write a letter to yourself. For 4000 won, you get a card, an envelope, and some sealing wax. The cafe will actually mail it back to you on the same day the following year. International shipping is included, so you don’t have to worry if you won’t be in Seoul. It’s my first time doing wax sealing, and I honestly had so much fun!
Having a letter writing aspect was such a meaningful touch, especially when you’re traveling. It turns a simple cafe visit into something personal, reflective, and totally unforgettable. I can’t wait for my letter to arrive next year! This was the perfect way to end our day of cafe hopping in Seoul.
Fun Experiences in Ikseong-dong
Besides cafe-hopping in the Hanok Village, there’s actually so many other fun things to do and see around Ikseong-dong. From beautifully designed modern art by local artists, to a revitalized stream area with synchronized light and water shows, there’s tons of places to preserve your memories of exploring Seoul.
Cheonggyecheon
After all the coffees, teas, and delicious desserts, we took a walk along Cheonggyecheon, an urban renewal project that has transformed this area into a popular location for pop-up events and festivals. This restored river area is about 10 km, starting at Cheonggye Plaza. Along the way, its lined with all sorts of architectural features like walkways, bridges, stepping stones, and even mini waterfalls.
At night, it brightens up with all the different colorful lights. Don’t miss the Candle Fountain, a synchronized water show with tons of colorful lights. Depending on what time of year you visit, there’s also light festivals held here during the winter. The area will be decorated with traditional lanterns, giving this river area a brand new look. It’s a super romantic spot to take a stroll!
Don’t Lxxk Up
One of my favorite souvenirs from Seoul is taking pictures in Korea’s many themed photobooths. One of those photobooths we keep coming back to is Don’t Lxxk Up, which is super popular on both Tiktok and Instagram. Each location has about 2-4 different Photo Booth rooms. At about 6000 won for 2 photo strips, or 8000 won for one bigger one, you get about 8 takes to choose from. Don’t forget to grab some props to make your photos super fun!
After taking the pictures you can choose your favorites, and decorate them as you like. If you’d like to keep your pictures safe, there are free plastic sleeves on the counter for you to slip your prints into, which is super convenient! This is the best way to capture the best trip with the people you love, and having something to take home after! There’s a few Don’t Lxxk Up booths all over Seoul, and they’re 24/7, so you can literally pop in anytime!
HiKR Ground
While walking around, we found ourselves at HiKR Ground, where we so much fun together. This completely free visitor center is basically 4 floors of art installations, interactive exhibits, and photo sets all in one. Each floor has a different areas and themes where you can take pictures, goof around, and just explore. They have everything from a DJ set, a karaoke area, a subway train car, and street-view skateboarding, all designed by local artists.
If you get a little tired after all that fun, you can head to the 5th floor cafe, which is known for both their donuts, and the beautiful view of the city. For people who love photo booths, and taking fun, quirky photos this is a super fun spot! It’s open everyday from 10 AM to 8 PM, except for Mondays. So if you have time, definitely swing by for some fun pictures while learning about some of these local art and tourist spots!
Yummy Local Foods Near Ikseong-dong
Besides just cafes, there’s also tons of yummy local foods around the area. Come with me to try some delicious desserts, and the most comforting traditional Pork Bone Soup!
Waffle Shop
We found Waffle Shop near Anguk Station, and couldn’t resist stopping for taste. This takeout only shop only sells Belgian waffles and croffles at about 3000-4000 won each. Other than the plain waffles, they have a range of flavors, from cream cheese to chocolate, all displayed in their window. Honestly it can be a little difficult to choose. But, we ended up picking the original waffle as well as their original croffle.
The waffles are slightly crispy on the outside, but still fluffy. The flavor is not too sweet, but super buttery. They’re a 7.5/10! They’re open at 8 AM on weekdays, and 10 AM on weekends until 10 PM. If you’re craving something sweet while you’re walking around, come grab a waffle!
Gwanghwamun Ttukgam 8.5/10
After all the coffees, cakes, and pastries, we sat down for a full meal at Gwanghwamun Ttukgam. This cozy spot is the spot for authentic Korean home-style cooking. It’s affordable, delicious, and well-loved by locals.
They’re particularly famous for the Gamjatang, or pork bone soup. This hearty soup is simmered with potatoes, napa cabbage, and perilla leaves in a spicy, deeply savory broth. The meat falls off the bone so easily, and is so flavorful from that soup. It’s warm, cozy, and absolutely hits the spot.
They’re also well known for their Kimchi Samgyuapsal, or grilled pork belly with kimchi. These thick slices of pork belly are grilled next to big leaves of aged kimchi. The juices mix and simmer together for the most perfect bite of tart and fatty. Wrapped in lettuce, these bites of pork and kimchi are super satisfying and perfectly balanced. This was a wonderful meal to share with family right after a day of walking all around Ikseong-dong.
Bingsoo – Sulbing
We ended our day of exploring with bingsoo at Sulbing. Bingsoo is Korean shaved ice, made with frozen milk or cream that comes out super fluffy. Sulbing is actually one of the chains that made bingsoo super popular, and they have a ton of branches all over Seoul. Their menu has all the classic flavors, plus creative ones as well. My sister, mom, and I shared a more traditional Red Bean Injeulmi Rice Cake Bingsoo (10900 won) with some extra ice cream on the side. It comes dusted with tons of soybean flour and almond slices, plus some condensed milk to drizzle on top.
Dom got himself a Chocolate Vanilla Bead Bingsoo, which is a sweet-tooth’s dream. It starts with the bingsoo shaved ice, covered in chocolate and vanilla ice cream beads like Dippin’ Dots. Then, it’s topped with dried marshmallows, chocolate sauce, chocolate-covered cereal, and a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Sulbing satisfied our sweet-tooth after a deeply savory, warm meal. If you’re curious about Korean bingsoo, drop by a Sulbing and try some of their creative flavors!
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