The coffee culture is extremely popular in Korea, especially with the working crowd. Holding a takeaway coffee cup seems to be part of the Korean fashion these days. Being a coffee lover myself, I am glad to get my caffeine fix easily in K land. Other than franchises like Starbucks Coffee, Paris Baguette Cafe, Holly's Coffee, BeansBins, A Twosome Place etc, many other independent cafes are sprouting up all over Korea. Some sell everything from pastries to shaved ice to smoothies and finally coffee, others are dedicated to serving just coffee. The prices at the franchise cafes are not cheap. Considering having a cup of caffe latte over a week, one would probably be spending about 350000 won (about SGD42).
Often, the best coffee places are hidden in the alleys or smacked between shops selling random items like household ware or traditional rice cakes in the traditional markets. I was surprised to find caffe latte at affordable prices ranging from 2500-3000won a cup, almost half the price of franchise cafés. Some shops only offer take-out coffee which explains the lower price.
Here's a list of noteworthy cafes I visited during my recent Korea trip:
Busan
Bupyeong Market is an interesting market which sells virtually everything. Immerse yourself in the local culture as you check out the little coffee shops. There was no English name for this take-out cafe. All I have is pictures. ;p
![]()
Other interesting coffee shops I spotted along the way in Busan:
Seoul
There are plenty of coffee shops in the alleys of Hongdae area. I chanced upon Table-A Branch 2. It is a cozy little cafe with only 12 seats and a bar counter. The young lady preparing coffee is fastidious and probably experienced in coffee preparation. The two Persian cats in the shop are nice companions to customers on a lazy afternoon. :)
This place offers one of the best cafe lattes I had in Korea thus far. Over a span of half an hour, there were about 7 customers who came in, mostly regulars. The lady was also busy refilling her coffee beans, a sign that business is good. Besides the usual espresso coffee, this shop also offers single origins like Kenya AA, Ethiopia Yirgacheffe and Colombia.
There are just too many recommended cafes in the Hongdae and Seogyo-dong area. A pity there is a limit to my caffeine intake and the dollars in my purse.
The other noteworthy coffee shop is Belief Coffee. I like the spacious seating area and welcoming service by the staff. There is a roastery in the shop where they roast their own beans. Like Table-A, they too serve single origin hand drip coffee. Coffee beans are freshly grinded upon order. Oh, how I love the sound of beans being grinded. Haha.
Gyeongju
If you are in Gyeongju, do take a relaxing stroll along Lake Bomun. The cherry blossoms were really lovely during the time I visited. If you are tired from the stroll, take a pitstop and have a cup of coffee at Cafe Mattina along the lake. The caffe latte was pretty good. My friend ordered grape juice which also received a thumbs up.
If you are looking for a caffeine fix worth your dollars, give the big names a miss and you might be pleasantly surprised. :)
Bupyeong Market is an interesting market which sells virtually everything. Immerse yourself in the local culture as you check out the little coffee shops. There was no English name for this take-out cafe. All I have is pictures. ;p
 |
| Drinking it the Korean way - not quite the way I like it |
Seoul
There are plenty of coffee shops in the alleys of Hongdae area. I chanced upon Table-A Branch 2. It is a cozy little cafe with only 12 seats and a bar counter. The young lady preparing coffee is fastidious and probably experienced in coffee preparation. The two Persian cats in the shop are nice companions to customers on a lazy afternoon. :)
This place offers one of the best cafe lattes I had in Korea thus far. Over a span of half an hour, there were about 7 customers who came in, mostly regulars. The lady was also busy refilling her coffee beans, a sign that business is good. Besides the usual espresso coffee, this shop also offers single origins like Kenya AA, Ethiopia Yirgacheffe and Colombia.
There are just too many recommended cafes in the Hongdae and Seogyo-dong area. A pity there is a limit to my caffeine intake and the dollars in my purse.
The other noteworthy coffee shop is Belief Coffee. I like the spacious seating area and welcoming service by the staff. There is a roastery in the shop where they roast their own beans. Like Table-A, they too serve single origin hand drip coffee. Coffee beans are freshly grinded upon order. Oh, how I love the sound of beans being grinded. Haha.
 |
| Thumbs up for smooth milk foam |
| Address |
|
| Phone | +82 2-332-6700 |
Gyeongju
If you are in Gyeongju, do take a relaxing stroll along Lake Bomun. The cherry blossoms were really lovely during the time I visited. If you are tired from the stroll, take a pitstop and have a cup of coffee at Cafe Mattina along the lake. The caffe latte was pretty good. My friend ordered grape juice which also received a thumbs up.
If you are looking for a caffeine fix worth your dollars, give the big names a miss and you might be pleasantly surprised. :)
