Cafes in Seoul

I have a slight obsession with coffee shops. So, one of the main activities I was excited for when visiting Seoul was checking out all the amazing cafes they have to offer. Walking down a street, you will come across maybe three or four cafes on just one block. They all looked so intriguing, but I knew I had to be selective if I wanted to get some sleep at night. Also, in Seoul it is common that each customer must order an item in order to hang out at the cafe. No wifi free loaders allowed. So, keep that in mind when planning out your cafe adventures. Be sure to check the hours of each cafe as well. It appeared to me that most cafes opened around 10AM, which is extremely different from the states.

Below is the list of cafes that I was able to visit, which was mainly in the Hongdae area where my Airbnb was located.

Hello Kitty Cafe

Address: 364-14 Seogyo-dong, Mapo-gu
Subway Stop: Line 2: Hongik University, Exit 9
Known for: Hello Kitty everything! Adorable pink HK “home” with an abundance of drinks and desserts to order – all of course with cute Hello Kitty designs on them.

Thanks Nature Cafe

Address: 486 Seogyo-dong, Mapo-gu
Subway Stop: Line 2: Hongik University, Exit 9
Known for: Two amazingly adorable sheep. The owner has two pet sheep that he’s taken care of since they were babies. They are behind a gate right outside the cafe, but customers are free to go in the pen and pet them. This cafe also offers up tasty waffles that are a must order.

Blind Alley Cafe

Address: 74 Cheongpa-ro 47-gil, Yongsan-gu
Subway Stop: Line 4: Sookmyung Women’s Univ, Exit 10
Known for: Raccoons! This cafe allows you to play with raccoons during your visit. They are put in a separate room since raccoons tend to scavenge for items. So, keep your pockets empty when entering the room. Also, beware of the white raccoon – he’s quite vicious.

Caface

Address: 358-51 Seogyo-dong, Mapo-gu
Subway Stop: Line 2: Hongik University, Exit 9
Known for: Selfies! This cafe is perfect for all selfie lovers out there. You take a picture in the photo booth and then they print the photo onto a layer of whipped cream atop your drink. We had so much fun with this. It took a while for me to actually want to ruin the photo and drink my latte.

Ryan Cafe

Address: This cafe is located inside Kakao Friends shop in Hongdae. The grand opening was the week I visited, so I do not have the exact address. It is directly across the street from exit 1 of Hongik University station.
Subway Stop: Line 2: Hongik University, Exit 1
Known for: Kakao Friends with a focus on Ryan. This café goes above and beyond to make you feel like you’re in a Kakao wonderland. They have stuffed animals, huge sculptures, decorated desserts, and more all dedicated to Kakao friends. Everything is ALMOST too cute to eat.

You Are Here Cafe

Address: 38 Donggyo-ro 25-gil, Donggyo-dong, Mapo-gu
Subway Stop: Line 2: Hongik University, Exit 9
Known for: This cafe is supposedly themed around travel and the idea of the “you are here” pinpoint on a map. However, I was a bit disappointed as nothing in the decor stood out to me. I saw this cafe on many lists of ones to visit, but I honestly believe it can be skipped.

Sang Sang Cafe

Address: 364-4 Seogyo-dong, Mapo-gu
Subway Stop: Line 2: Hongik University, Exit 9
Known for: Puppies! This cafe is filled with the cutest dogs. There are plenty of puppy cafes in Seoul, so we decided to go to one located near us in Hongdae. The venue was clean and the owners seemed to really care for the dogs. I am always hesitant on visiting animal attractions in fear of mistreatment of the animals, but that was the not the case here. The workers were all very loving. (3,000 won entrance fee with 5,000 won drink order)

Café LN

Address: 5, Bukchon-ro 11na-gil, Jongno-gu
Subway Stop: Line 3: Anguk Station, Exit 2
Known for: It’s traditional and comforting atmosphere in the middle of Bukchon Hanok Village. There’s a cute outdoor terrace in the middle of the café. However, it was too cold out when we visited, so we couldn’t enjoy the outdoor area. There’s ample seating and a variety of beverages to order from.

Although I wish I was able to visit more cafes, I am so pleased that I was able to check out the ones listed above. My favorite was Thanks Nature due to the delicious waffle and cuddly sheep. The Hello Kitty Cafe truly brought me back to my childhood and triggered my obsession with anything Sanrio related. Two cafes I wanted to visited but didn’t have the time to were Ddong Cafe aka the poop cafe and Banana Tree. So, be sure to add those to your list as well!