Quench Coffee • 퀜치커피

With my tendency of wandering off small alleyways in Seoul’s neighborhoods, there were a number of places that I stumbled upon by pure accident and Quench Coffee (퀜치커피) was one of them. The cafe is not particularly small or big, but the long wooden table in the middle of the room as well as the coffee bar seating area do make the place feel more open and wide. The atmosphere here felt nostalgic, especially with the wooden vintage furnitures that are decorating the space. I spent a couple of hours reading in this place accompanied by soft classical music playing in the background and a cup of warm matcha latte in front of me. It was a nice, quiet and peaceful afternoon.

Note: Photos were taken before the pandemic.

 

Quench Coffee • 퀜치커피

Address: 서울 마포구 동교로12안길 9 1층
Telephone: 010-3859-6108
Hours: Everyday 12:00-22:00

Instagram: @quench_coffee_nulimlee

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Tartine Coffee Bar at RYSE Hotel • 타르틴 베이커리 RYSE호텔점

Tartine Coffee Bar is located at the lobby of the designer lifestyle hotel, RYSE Hotel in Hongdae. It is one of the six locations that the famous Bay Area bakery opened in Seoul after its expansion to South Korea in 2018. Tartine Coffee Bar offers a more limited menu compared to their other branches in Seoul but still covering the basic for their pastries and coffee selections.

Other than the fact that I’ve known Tartine makes great pastries since I was living in the Bay Area, I personally first came to this location to check out their interior design because it’s quite different than their other branches since it follows more of RYSE Hotel’s design concept. The space is modern, unique and definitely stylish. If you’re looking for a cafe with good coffee and pastries selections and nice interior in Hongdae, this place is definitely worth checking out.

Note: Photos were taken before the pandemic.

 

Tartine Coffee Bar at Ryse Hotel • 타르틴 베이커리 RYSE호텔점

Address: 서울 마포구 양화로 130 Ryse 호텔 1층
Telephone: 02-324-9400
Hours: Everyday 08:00 - 20:00

Instagram: @tartinebakeryseoul

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Seogyo Rotary • 서교로터리 커피바

Seogyo Rotary Coffee Bar (서교로터리 커피바) is a small coffee bar in Seogyo-dong (서교동) area located close to Hapjeong (합정역) and Mangwon (망원역) station. The cafe itself is relatively small but the set up of the interior definitely reminded me of a bar, only this is a day time bar that serves non-alcoholic beverages. I actually found the place quite cozy and charming. Maybe the wooden interior combined with the marble and metal surfaces used around the space have something to do with it. A play between the modern and traditional elements, making it looks cool but inviting at the same time.

It was in the middle of peak summer when I visited the cafe so the cool breeze from the air con felt really nice against my skin when I walked in. I placed my order on the counter—original ice Seogyo Milk Tea—and opted to sit at one of the leather bar stools, hoping to see some action from behind the counter where the bartender was busy making drink orders. The place wasn’t very crowded, but there were a couple groups of people who were there so overlapping animated conversations eventually drowned the music playing in the background. I actually welcomed the distraction that day, having fun listening in to snippets of conversations that I have no way avoiding and the speakers didn’t seem to mind sharing in the public space.

Eventually, some of the patrons left and the place became quieter. I was left enjoying my milk tea while watching the barista move around and listening to the music that’s playing from the speaker. After two glasses of ice milk tea (yes, I ordered a second glass because it was that good and it was a hot summer day), I left with the feeling that this was probably going to be one of my favorite cafe visit (and I was right).

Here’s the video of the place:

Note: These photos & video were taken before the pandemic.

 

Seogyo Rotary • 서교로터리 커피바

Address: 서울 마포구 동교로18길 15
Telephone: 02-322-0969
Hours: Weekdays 10:00 - 18:00 | Closed on Weekends

Instagram: @seogyo_rotary_coffeebar

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Anthracite Seogyo • 앤트러사이트 서교점

Anthracite (앤트러사이트) is one of the more well known coffee brand in Korea that serves great coffee in their always well designed coffee shops. I think my first visit to Anthracite was about five or six years ago. Not to this branch though, but to their Hannam branch. Friends who visited Anthracite told me good things about their coffee so since then, Anthracite (앤트러사이트) has been on my radar and I’ve tried to visit their different branches around Seoul, mainly to see the interior of their coffee shops of course, since I don’t drink coffee.

Anthracite Seogyo (앤트러사이트 서교점) is one of their branches that has a very charming, interesting interior. The cafe occupied an old spacious three story mansion in Mangwon-dong (망원동) that could well be someone’s house in the past. When you arrived in front of the building, you’ll be greeted by concrete steps that will take you to the garden area in front of the mansion that is covered with rocks and trees.

The mansion itself is decorated with wooden furnitures combined with gold, silver, and copper accent here and there that added some contrast to the more organic feel of the wood and exposed bricks combination that they have going on on all three floors of the cafe. The tables and chairs are set up with plenty of space in between so you have room to move around the cafe more freely. It also has floor-to-ceiling windows on all three floors that are over looking the garden and balcony access if you choose to sit outside to enjoy the view.

 

Anthracite Seogyo • 앤트러사이트 서교점

Address: 서울 마포구 월드컵로12길 11
Telephone: 02-336-7650
Hours: 09:00 - 23:00 (Weekdays)

Instagram: @anthracite_coffee_roasters

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A.blick Cafe

Seogyodong (서교동) neighborhood is one the neighborhoods that I usually go to if I want to get away from the hustle and bustle of Hongdae. Feeling like drinking fresh juice on one of my outings with @inner.pastiche, we decided to check out A.blick (에이블릭), a cafe that sells detox juices. The place was pretty quite when we got there, only a couple of people were there—a guy working on his laptop and an older gentleman reading a book—while soft jazz music playing on the background. Went ahead and ordered their top two best selling juices, and they were delicious (and fresh). And the price wasn't that expensive compared to other places that sells detox juice. I think this place is perfect for studying or working. Plus, a glass of cold fresh juice sounds so good for a hot summer days like these days. 

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