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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Gray Gristmill • 그레이 그리스트밀

I visited Gray Gristmill (그레이 그리스트밀) last year a month after it just opened in June. The shots of Gray Gristmill’s exterior made a frequent appearances on my Instagram explore feed at the time, mainly of people taking OOTD shots in front of it. I mean, I can totally see why it became popular real fast because the exterior of the cafe is quite unique. After seeing the images of the place quite often on Instagram, I decided to check this new addition to the trendy cafes in Garosugil (가로수길).

To be honest, I was worried as soon as I stepped in front of the counter to order. Their menu only listed coffee options and I didn’t see any non-coffee options available. Before I had the chance to ask the barista behind the counter who was waiting for me to tell him my order if they have non-coffee menu, he asked if it’s my first time here. Clearly I looked like I don’t know what I’m doing so I nodded and said yes. He then proceeded to explain how the ordering process goes at this cafe. First, you pick your beans—single origin or blended—and then you choose the beverage type—Americano, Brewing, Latte, or Affogato. The price of the single portion vacuum sealed beans and the beverage type will then be added as the total price of your drink. So it’s almost like you customized your own coffee order kinda thing.

For coffee drinkers who know their coffee beans, this might be a great thing. I totally get it. But for me who are not a coffee drinker, all this was just a little bit too complicated. So I quickly asked him if they have non-coffee options. He pointed me to the other side of the counter where non-coffee options were displayed on different bottles buried between ice cubes. To my relief, I instantly recognized all the labels displayed on top of each bottles indicating what they are. Avoiding the complicated ordering process, I quickly picked up one of the bottle and paid.

A year later, the coffee shop is still there and seemed to have become a popular destination for cafe goers in Garosugil. I assume their coffee must be pretty good, which is not at all surprising since the baristas who work there have won numbers of barista championships in the past. If you want to read more about this place, I found this article that might interest you. I have a feeling this cafe is probably going to be around for a while, so if you are in Garosugil area and looking for a good coffee spot, you might wanna try this place.

Here’s the video of the space:

Gray Gristmill • 그레이 그리스트밀

Address: 서울 강남구 압구정로2길 15
Telephone: 02-546-8902
Hours: Weekdays 11:00 - 21:30 | Weekend 12:00 - 21:30

Instagram: @gray_gristmill

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Egg Dang • 에그당

I visited Egg Dang (에그당) when I was exploring Hapjeong (합정) area. When lunch time came around, I passed by this place and took a look at their menu board to find that they actually serve pasta here. So in I went and I found myself in a small restaurant with an open kitchen next to my left and small tables on my right. There were only three tables and bar seatings on the main area of the restaurant, but I later found out that they have more seats at the back.

I look over their menu and decided to order their signature dish, which is the Poached Egg Pasta (수란 파스타) which costs ₩14,900. It is essentially a spicy linguini pasta with Egg Dang’s special cream sauce topped with chives, garlic, red pepper powder, bits of bacon and poached egg. I was actually craving for a creamy pasta so this was perfect for me. The portion was generous, the pasta was well cooked, and it tasted good. The cream sauce wasn’t too overwhelming. Maybe the spiciness from the sauce cut the creaminess of the overall dish, at least that was my guess. And the egg was perfectly poached as the yellow yolk oozed to the pasta after I cut into it, which I appreciate. The bacon bits might be a little bit on the salty side for some people, but I like food on the saltier side so it wasn’t a problem for me.

Overall, I quite enjoy Egg Dang’s Poached Egg Pasta and I probably come back to this place again the next time I have a creamy pasta craving.

Egg Dang • 에그당

Address: 서울시 마포구 서교동 396-4
Telephone: 02-3144-3170
Hours: 11:30 - 21:30 | Closed on Mondays

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Ellie • 엘리

Ellie (엘리) is one of the many cafes in Ikseon-dong (익선동) that retained the older hanok structure of the building and transformed the space into a modern cafe. The mix between old and new is a common theme for cafes around Ikseon-dong and I’m kinda liking it. Places like this gives a somewhat nostalgic and homey vibes when I walk into it. Ellie is actually one of the cafe that I visited during my early days of Ikseon-dong exploration before the area was as popular as it is now. I remembered the things that I love from my first visit were the natural lighting that came through from the glass ceiling and the overall layout of the space. Their drinks and cake selections are pretty good and seatings are plenty inside the cafe. I usually came here on weekdays so seating wasn’t a big problem, but the place do get crowded during weekends and you might have to wait for an open spot.

Although there’s no soft cushioned chair available at this cafe that could make sitting down for a couple of hours more comfortable, I found myself coming back to this place on different occasions already just for the cozy ambiance. One time I came to read, the other time just to get dessert, and last time I was there was when I had a night cap with a friend of mine after having dinner in the area. The only downside is probably they closed kind of early on weekends so you have to move somewhere else if you want to hang out with your friends after 10.30.

Ellie • 엘리

Address: 서울 종로구 수표로28길 21-6
Telephone: 02-2135-3360
Hours: 12:00 - 22:00 Sun to Thu | 12:00 - 22:30 Fri - Sat

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Maison de Sculp • 메종드스컬프

Maison de Sculp (메종드스컬프) is a cafe that is located on the quieter side of Hapjeong (합정). The cafe itself shared a two story building that resembles a house with its store section called Musée de Sculp (뮤제 드 스컬프) which sells curated high-end products. You can find foreign brands like Aesop, Maison Kitsune, AALTO, as well as local brands like one of their own, MUSÉD, in their shop.

As for the cafe itself, it’s obviously not as big as the store area. Although they do have an additional outdoor seatings if you wish to enjoy the weather outside. The interior is nicely decorated with prominently monotone colors and marble tables and it was pretty quiet when we were there. I went there with my cousin in the late afternoon and we decided to order a milk tea and a dessert to share so we don’t spoil our appetite for dinner. They were pretty good. After we’re done, we returned our tray to the counter and headed out to look for dinner.

Maison de Sculp • 메종드스컬프

Address: 서울 마포구 토정로3안길 17
Telephone: 070-8865-3017
Hours: 11:30 - 20:30 Tuesday - Sunday | Closed on Mondays

Instagram: @museedesculp

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