A Multi-Story Sensory Experience: Exploring a Stunning Cafe in Hongdae

reply 0 hit 447 date 25-10-17 09:06

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Recently, I've been having fun searching for pretty Seoul cafes on social media. While scrolling, I stumbled upon a Hongdae cafe that caught my eye at first glance, so I decided to visit. I was especially drawn to the fact that it's a rare large-scale cafe in Seoul. I was surprised to find such a spacious and stylish cafe right in the heart of Hongdae.

The cafe uses the entire building, making its scale impressive. Every corner is decorated like a photo zone, so both my eyes and my camera were busy all day. Let me introduce you to the charms of this cafe I visited.

Exterior

Did you know there's such a large cafe near Sangsangmadang? It's close to Hongdae's main street, making it easily accessible, and the eye-catching exterior makes it easy to find. More than just a large space, this place is also known for its coffee. It's one of the few Seoul cafes where you can taste 'Panama Geisha,' one of the world's finest coffee beans. It's already well-known among coffee lovers! I was impressed by the attention to detail despite the large size, and my expectations were high from the first impression.

1st Floor Elevator

The elevator is right inside the entrance! It operates from 11 AM to 9 PM, perfect for a leisurely visit. What was especially impressive was that when you order coffee on the 8th floor, you can freely use all floors from the 1st to the 8th! Even one floor of the cafe is large, but they open all eight floors... I could really feel the scale of a true 'large Seoul cafe'. The anticipation exploded as I went up in the elevator! Now, let me introduce you to the spaces on each floor!

8th Floor

(Order here!)

As befits a large cafe, you order on the 8th floor and then freely use each floor. So, we took the elevator straight to the 8th floor. From the moment I entered, I was completely overwhelmed by the enormous size and stylish interior. The space itself is spacious and comfortable, so it didn't feel crowded at all, even with many people. What impressed me most was that each floor had a different theme and completely different seating arrangements, so I felt like I was entering a new cafe every time I moved to a different floor. The cleanliness was also outstanding, as if the cafe was constantly being maintained.

The tables and seats were neatly arranged, so I was satisfied with any seat I chose.

With this scale and concept, I felt it was more than just a Hongdae cafe and one of the best large cafes in Seoul. The coffee is delicious, and the atmosphere is great, so I highly recommend it as a Seoul cafe tour course! There were many foreigners too, so I highly recommend it.

Menu

I was surprised once again when I saw the menu. There was a bakery with a wide variety of desserts that are known to be delicious. A big advantage is that it's not just a large Seoul cafe, but a Hongdae cafe with excellent coffee and dessert quality!

In particular, you can taste 'Panama Geisha,' the world's finest specialty coffee beans, making it a mecca for coffee lovers. I was very surprised to see Geisha coffee available. I'm amazed that there's a cafe like this in Hongdae!

This place made me realize that the truly delicious coffee shops are like this. I was impressed that it's a large Seoul cafe, but what really impressed me was the dessert quality! From egg tarts, dacquoises, salt bread, to various handmade cakes - the variety is amazing, and they all look perfect and taste amazing.

They look so good that you want to eat them before taking pictures... and when you take a bite, they definitely live up to your expectations.

Usually, desserts at large cafes feel like an addition, but here, the desserts are so complete that they could be sold separately. If you want to spend a fulfilling cafe experience with a really delicious cup of coffee in a beautiful space with pretty desserts, this is definitely a Seoul cafe you should check out.

Our Order

Vanilla Latte 8.9

Strawberry Latte 8.9

Cherry Ganache Cream Cake 7.0

Intense Matcha Cake 8.0

I finished ordering. After ordering on the 8th floor, I took some pictures from my seat. The 8th floor has a great atmosphere. I personally have a hard time with very bright lighting, but the lighting here was comfortable, which was perfect. Since each floor has a different theme, I was curious about the other floors, so I went around in the elevator taking pictures.

9th Floor (ROOFTOP - VIEW)

I thought the 8th floor was already large, but I was surprised again when I went up to the 9th floor rooftop. A wide-open space unfolded as if touching the sky.

I couldn't believe you could feel such a relaxed atmosphere in the heart of Seoul. In particular, this rooftop is designed with a staircase shape, so the higher you go, the wider your view and the closer you feel to the sky. The stairs have stylish graphic designs, making them perfect as photo zones, and the subtle lighting on each floor adds to the atmosphere, making it very emotional around sunset. It rained a bit today, so I went inside, but I thought there would be no better place than here when it's not raining.

It's rare to see a rooftop so well-decorated among Seoul cafes. If you want to fully experience the charm of a large Seoul cafe, I highly recommend going up to the 9th floor!

7th Floor (K-POP MEDIA)

The 7th floor is a unique themed space, decorated as a K-POP MEDIA zone. The large screen on the wall constantly shows stage videos of K-pop artists, and the comfortable, plush sofas in front of it are the key points of this floor! It feels more like a small lounge than a cafe seat, so everyone naturally leans back or lies down to enjoy the music and videos.

Sitting down, I thought this was probably the most comfortable seating in any large Seoul cafe. Perhaps that's why I saw so many couples!

However... a small(?) variable occurred for me! A sudden sty in my eye made the lighting a bit much, so I sadly had to move to another floor.

6th Floor (LP MUSIC)

The 6th floor is an LP MUSIC zone that truly captures the analog feel. From the entrance, the displayed LPs catch your eye, and the subtle music flowing throughout the space creates a different atmosphere from the other floors.

I definitely felt that a lot of attention was paid to the sound in this space. Even the same song sounds much richer and deeper here, so I highly recommend this floor to those who want to sit and focus on the music for a while.

If you like music, be sure to visit the 6th floor! It's perfect for enjoying a cup of coffee with atmospheric music.

5th Floor (GALLERY)

The 5th floor is a GALLERY zone that feels like entering a small art museum.

In this space, you can directly appreciate the works of world-renowned installation artist 'David Gerstein'. The colorful and cheerful colors and shapes added vitality to the entire space.

In addition to the works, the large windows harmoniously blend with plants, creating a unique atmosphere where art and nature meet.

I filmed the harmony of David Gerstein's works and the plants that encompass the entire floor. Take a look~

Isn't it rare to find a large Seoul cafe with an exhibition space like this where you can enjoy coffee while appreciating art?

4th Floor (STONE VALLEY)

Finally, the 4th floor 'Stone Valley' zone, which I liked so much that I moved my seat there. This space is a healing space that makes you feel like you're in the middle of nature. It features a video of ocean waves, a small pond with flowing water, and plants growing on stones, all blending together.

Thanks to the large windows filled with plants, I couldn't feel like I was in the middle of Hongdae, even though it's in the heart of the city.

Personally, this was the most beautiful and comfortable space among the various themes of the Hongdae cafe. I would definitely want to enjoy coffee and dessert in this seat next time.

I couldn't resist the Cherry Ganache Cream Cake, which looked so pretty! I was excited from the moment I bit into it, with plump red cherries densely placed on top of the cream. The layers of soft cream were light yet contained the rich savory flavor of the cream, and the rich dark ganache added depth to the flavor, making the sweetness not too excessive and perfectly balanced.

The refreshing and slightly bitter acidity of the cherries met the rich bitterness of the ganache, allowing me to feel a complex harmony of flavors in one piece. Thanks to the sweet yet clean aftertaste that spread throughout my mouth, it was the perfect dessert time with a cup of coffee!

I knew why the name included 'Intense Matcha' after just one bite. The deep and bitter flavor of matcha was really strong in this cake, and above all, the chewy texture retained the richness of the matcha, so I think matcha lovers would definitely love the taste. The layers of moist sheet and rich matcha cream melted softly in my mouth, yet the chewy cream left a luxurious aftertaste, so I would highly recommend it to those who prefer deep flavors over sweetness.

In a word, it was the 'matcha cake that is serious about being chewy'. It would be more delicious with a slightly less sweet drink than coffee!

☕ Warm Vanilla Latte

The Vanilla Latte was a smooth and savory milk base with a subtly spreading vanilla scent that felt really warm. It contained a clean, non-sweet vanilla syrup, so it paired well with cream desserts or rich cakes without being overpowering. There was almost no acidity in the coffee, and thanks to the savory and creamy body, I felt warm from the moment I took a sip. It was the perfect combination to enjoy with dessert.

???? Only Iced, Strawberry Latte

The Strawberry Latte here was only available iced, and I knew why as soon as I took a sip. Cool and refreshing fresh strawberry puree was generously laid out at the bottom, and the top was layered with rich and smooth milk, so the visuals were pretty, and the taste was a combination of sweetness and refreshment that exploded at the same time.

I felt that the freshness of the strawberries and the savory taste of the milk blended best when drunk iced, so I thought the Strawberry Latte was done right! It was a satisfying drink even when drunk alone without dessert.

3rd Floor (PLANT)

The 3rd floor is a green healing zone, the PLANT zone.

From the moment the elevator door opened, I felt like I had entered a botanical garden, with abundant leafy plants and various types of cacti filling the entire space.

In particular, I really like cacti, and although the thorns are a bit scary, I find their unique shapes, diverse colors, and shapes really attractive. Perhaps that's why I lost track of time in this space, looking at each cactus one by one.

I really felt relaxed and my eyes were healed. Above all, the air actually felt different on the 3rd floor, and I felt the phytoncides being emitted thanks to the plants. It's like meeting nature in the city!

It's rare to find a cafe that has put so much effort into creating a plant space, so I recommend that plant lovers spend time on this floor.

In Conclusion

Above all, this place has an elevator, making it easy to move between floors, and the fact that it's a large Seoul cafe that utilizes the entire building with different themes makes it a truly special experience. You can feel the atmosphere of each floor no matter where you sit, so it's never boring. The quality and taste of the desserts were both satisfying, and above all, the fact that you can enjoy coffee using 'Panama Geisha', the world's finest coffee beans, is a definite charm point of this cafe!

If you're looking for a Seoul cafe that has sensitivity, taste, and size, this is definitely a Hongdae cafe I would recommend. If you want to spend a sensual day and heal with good coffee and desserts, be sure to visit :)