20 INCREDIBLE CAFES IN KOREA – CHECK IT OUT!
BEST CAFES IN KOREA? MOST INSTAGRAMMABLE CAFES IN KOREA?
After living 3 years in South Korea, we discovered some of the most incredible cafes all around the country. Whenever we visited new places in Korea, we tried to look for some amazing coffee shops.
In this post, we compiled for you the list of what we think are the most incredible cafes in Korea.
If you’ve been living in South Korea for a while, you already know that Korea has tons of amazing coffee shops. Did you also know that Korea has more coffee shops per capita than any other country in the world? Crazy right!?
20 MOST INCREDIBLE CAFES IN KOREA
1. LOUNGE OIC IN GWANGJU
Well, we promised you incredible cafes in South Korea, and here is definitely one of them. Lounge OIC opened in August 2021 and it’s making a pretty big statement to the cafes scene in South Korea. In our opinion, OIC could even be listed as one of the most incredible coffee shops in the World! What do you think?
Lounge OIC will make you feel like in the middle of a tropical garden or even an oasis in the middle of the desert. You will be seated on a round table, surrounded by water, palm trees, and sand. The perfect setting for a very fine afternoon. Go there in the evening for a perfect romantic time with your loved one.
Lounge OIC is not only a coffee shop actually. They also serve food and alcoholic beverages and even have pool tables and other entertainments. If you are ever visiting Gwangju in Korea, make sure to visit Lounge OIC.
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2. COFFE PANACHE IN MOKPO
We discovered this amazing coffee shop while taking the ferry from Mokpo to Jeju Island. The coffee shop is located on a small island, which can be seen from the ferry. This incredible structure is located on top of the island, surrounded by the sea. So on our way back from Jeju, we decided to spend a few days in Mokpo (full guide here if you visit Mokpo) and visited Coffee Panache.
To get to Coffee Panache, you can drive there and cross a beautiful bridge to the island, but the best way by far is to take the incredible cable car which takes you from Mokpo harbor to Gohado Island, where Coffee Panache is located.
Mokpo Marine Cable Car is actually the longest (3.23 kilometers) and highest (155 meters from the ground) cable car in Korea (more info here)
Coffee Panache is one of the most incredible coffee shops we’ve seen in South Korea. First of all the structure of the coffee is so special, looking a bit like a Jenga Tower. Inside the coffee shop, the view of Mokpo City, the incredible Mokpo Bridge, and the Yellow Sea all around is really stunning. Make sure to visit Coffee Panache if you ever visit Mokpo.
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3. OEDO NURSERY IN GEOJE
Oedo Nursery is probably our favorite cafe in South Korea. First of all, it is located on the beautiful island of Geoje in the southern part of South Korea. To visit Geoje, check out our full guide here.
Oedo Nursery is located right by Gujora Beach, overlooking the sea and the surrounding islands. The view from the outdoor terrace is just incredible.
However, what’s even more amazing is the interior of Oedo Nursery. The coffee is built in a greenhouse with hundreds of plants inside. You basically feel inside a gorgeous garden with the delicious smell of coffee.
Oedo Nursery is a must-see if you visit Geoje. It was one of the highlights during our trip. We also went to Oedo Nursery at night to enjoy a dessert after our dinner in the fishing village nearby. That night we stayed outside on the terrace, just looking at the sea with the reflection of the moon. It was the perfect evening.
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4. JOYANG BANGJIK IN GANGHWADO
Ganghwado is an island located near Seoul, in the North-Western part of South Korea near the border with North Korea. We recently visited this unique island (full guide here), and discovered one of the most incredible coffee shops in South Korea. We couldn’t believe our eyes when we entered this unique place.
It’s the kind of place that you “must see to believe”. The photos in this post can hardly describe how incredible this coffee shop is!
Joyang Bangjik is actually a very old textile factory transformed into a very cool cafe! Ganghwa was a city of textiles with more than 4,000 workers in the 70s. Founded in 1933, Joyang Textile was one of the most important factories in the region.
Like most traditional textile factories, it went bankrupt after the development of more modern machines. 1 by 1 all factories closed down and workers left Ganghwado.
However, someone had the brilliant idea to preserve Joyang Bangjik and turned this place into a fantastic work of art. As soon as you enter this place you can feel the history of Korea and the Ganghwa textile industry. Many machines and buildings remained as it is. This place is rather huge, spreading over 990㎡ ! It took us almost 1 hour to discover the whole place before we could even sit down and enjoy our coffee still amazed by the magic of this place.
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5. WAVE ON IN BUSAN
If you ever come to Busan, make sure to plan enough time to visit at Wave On Coffee and chill by the sea.
Wave On is one of the most stunning coffee shops we ever visited in South Korea. We love modern architecture and Wave On is a stunning piece of architecture sitting on a cliff right by the sea.
The outdoor area is equally beautiful. We spent a few hours there, just chilling and enjoying our delicious cup of coffee. It is one of the best ways to spend a relaxing afternoon in Busan on the seafront. They have comfortable sofa beds if you even want to take a nap.
However, the best time to visit Wave On is during sunset.
If you come to Busan, you can check out this post to plan your trip, we listed the 30 best things to see in Busan.
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6. CAFE W181 IN GEOJE
We already talked about Geoje before with Oedo Nursery. However, Geoje has another stunning cafe, called W181.
Have you ever been on the French Rivera? If not, then W181 will make you feel like to you are in Cannes or Nice, by the Mediterranean Sea.
Grab your coffee, and chill on the long chairs by the pool overlooking the sea. A stop at W181 will be one of the highlights of your trip to this marvelous island. W181 is another incredible cafe in South Korea.
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7. CAFE DELMOONDO IN JEJU
Café Delmoondo is a must-see in Jeju. It is located in Hamdeok beach, one of the best beaches in Jeju.
Delmoondo is one of the most famous cafes in Jeju. The spot is indeed magical to admire the blue sea. Sipping a drink a few meters above the calm and clear blue waters is a memorable experience while in Jeju.
The best part of this cafe is to chill on the long chair located on the deck right about the clear emerald water of Jeju. Picture perfect!
If you are visiting Jeju, check out our full guide here.
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8. CHEONG SU DANG IN SEOUL
Cheong Su Dang is one of our favorite cafes in Seoul. Somehow it makes us feel like we are in Bali. Just the entrance is already so incredible, with the bamboo, lanterns, water, ponds etc. Right away you will feel so peaceful and relaxed. The entrance even looks like you are entering a spa.
Cheong Su Dang, has 2 branches, 1 in Ikseon-Dong, one of the cutest areas in Seoul (more info here), and the other branch is located in Hongdae, our favorite neighborhood in Seoul (more info here)
At night the atmosphere with the lanterns is even more incredible. Make sure to check out these coffee shops if you are visiting South Korea
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9. MUNJIRI 535 IN PAJU
When visiting this incredible cafe, you may feel you are actually visiting a Botanical Garden. But no, this is just another amazing cafe in South Korea.
Munjiri 535 is becoming an institution in Paju. Expect quite a lot of people on the weekends. However, since the place is rather huge you will always find a place to sit.
Paju is located near Seoul, on the west side. In Paju you can also explore the Heyri Art Village which is a very nice place full of cafes and galleries which is perfect for a day trip from Seoul (more ideas on day trips from Seoul here).
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10. CAFE THE KLAMP IN GYEONGJU
If you visit South Korea, a visit to Gyeongju is a must (99 things to see in South Korea here). Why? Well, Gyeongju is probably the most historical city in South Korea. Full post here about Gyeongju.
Gyeongju was the capital of the ancient kingdom of Silla, between the first century BC and the 10th century. At the height of the kingdom of Silla (7th – 9th century). At the time, Gyeongju was inhabited by around a million people!
This rich past has left many historical sites in Gyeongju most of which are also listed as UNESCO World Heritage.
Visiting The Klamp cafe in Gyeongju will bring you back in the period of Kings and Queens in Korea. This unique cafe is simply magical. You will feel transported to another era. Make sure to visit The Klamp cafe when visiting Gyeongju.
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11. CAFE SAN NEAR PYEONGCHANG
South Korea is mainly composed of mountains. Pyeongchang is a famous place for skiing in the winter or playing golf in summer (best ski resort in Korea here)
We discovered Cafe Sann during a road trip in Winter. We actually saw people running over the peak of the mountain with their parachutes to do paragliding. So we followed them in the car and reached the peak of the mountain. And there… surprise! the gorgeous Cafe Sann overlooking the beautiful mountain range and people doing paragliding. What a great spot.
The coffee shop itself is not the most incredible in terms of design, but the location and view of paragliders is so unique, especially during winter will all the snow. Make sure to it check out if you are in the area. It’s worth the drive up the mountain on a tiny road! Trust us…
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12. CAFE PLANTATION IN GOYANG NEAR SEOUL
If you love stunning gardens, then head to Goyang near Seoul to Plantation Cafe. This cafe is really one of a kind, located in the nature with a huge park. Plantation is not only a cafe, you can also enjoy barbecue with your family and they also have another building with a pizzeria. It’s the perfect day out if you live in Seoul and to enjoy a bit of nature.
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13. GREEM CAFE IN JEJU
You may wonder why we added a drawing in the image above. Well, look twice. See something strange? No, then look again! This is not a drawing. It’s a photo of one of the most incredible cafes in South Korea. Yes, a photo, promise!
Greem Cafe will make you feel that you are inside a comic book. This cafe has been designed so that you feel in a 2D world. Incredible, isn’t it?
Well Cafe Greem is located in Jeju, and it is pretty big.
Cafe Greem also exist in Hongdae, in a smaller scale, but very impressive still!
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14. THE PIANO IN SEOUL
We already talked about this cafe in our list of best outdoor cafes in Seoul here. For us, this cafe also deserves to be in the list of the most incredible cafes in South Kores
The Piano is a beautiful cafe carved on the side of the Bukhansan Mountain. The best part of this cafe is to visit the beautiful garden surrounded by the mountains.
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15. MAHOGANY / DORE DORE CAFE IN GANGHWADO
We already talked about Ganghwado above to mention Joyang Bangjik as one of the most incredible cafes in South Korea. Well, Ganghwa Island has another stunning cafe called Mahogany / DORE DORE Cafe.
This cafe is located on the hillside, near the coastline, and features a stunning garden with beautiful flowers and trees. This cafe has actually 3 different places within the same garden. Just choose the style and atmosphere you like the most and enjoy your ice latte!
We highly recommend a visit to Ganghwado if you live in Seoul. You can check out our full guide here.
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16. CAFE LEESOOOP IN CHEONAN
Are you missing the feeling of being in the country side? Then head to Cafe Leesooop. This place is located in Cheonan at about 1.5h drive from Seoul. From there, you will feel completely disconnected to the city in a beautiful green environment.
The very modern building contrasts perfectly with the natural surroundings and mountains in the background. Head there in Spring or Fall to see some amazing colors.
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17. TERRAROSA NEAR GANGNEUNG
Terrarosa has many different branches all around Korea, many of which are really incredible. One of the branches that stood out the most for us, is the one located a bit more inland from Gangneung, near Daegwallyeong sheep farm (more info on the sheep farm here).
This branch is surrounded by mountains and there is a beautiful and peaceful water stream just next to it.
They also have an amazing courtyard. Surrounded by modern buildings on 1 side and an old industrial building on the other side. The contrast is stunning. Make sure to stop by this cafe if you are in the area, it’s a real gem.
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18. CAFE SANARE IN SEOUL
If you like interior design, then Cafe Sanare is for you. And by the way, if you know the designer, please let us know, we want our future home to look exactly like this 🙂
Cafe Sanare is located in the northern area of Seoul, right by the Bukhansan Mountain.
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19. CAFE NOEULLY (노을리) IN JEJU
Heading to Jeju soon? Then check out this newly opened cafe called Noeully, in Korean: 노을리
Noeully is a great spot to see the beautiful emerald water of Jeju and also to watch gorgeous sunsets.
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20. CAFE TIROL IN JEONJU
Let’s finish this list of incredible cafes in Korea, with a big bang! The Tirol Cafe in Jeonju!
Thi is a Hanok-style design cafe, with a water area in front and a wooden boat in front! Can’t get more Instagrammable than that!
Besides, it’s located in Jeonju, one of our favorite places to visit outside Seoul! (READ: DISCOVER THE MOST AMAZING THINGS TO SEE IN JEONJU)
If you are visiting Jeonju, make sure to add this incredible place to your list!
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We hope that you enjoyed this list of the most incredible cafes in Korea. You’ve probably already saved some for your next trip.
We would love to hear from you if you find other incredible cafes in South Korea. There are many hidden gems and also many places are opening regularly.
We love discovering new places, hence if you have any recommendations of nice coffee shops, please let us know in the comments below.
