Tucked away from the energetic student area of Hongdae, Mangwon-dong was formerly known to be the impoverished part of Seoul. Today, the area is home to a number of picturesque cafes boasting an incredible array of gastronomical delights guaranteed to brighten up your Instagram feed. Bask in the uniqueness of this underrated part of the city with a cup of coffee from these cafes!
Zapangi Cafe
Receive a warm entrance at the iconic neon pink vending machine of trendy Zapangi Cafe. Be sure to make use of your waiting time to snap a picture or two (or three, or as many as it takes). Drinks and cakes ordered are served in simple glossy metal tins and milk style glass bottles aptly reflecting the slogan of the cafe - “tin and bottle”.
For the cake enthusiasts, you will be spoilt for choice with flavors like sweet potato, strawberry and the well-loved tiramisu. Be sure to put in an order for the insta-worthy mermaid cake, decorated to look like a diving mermaid! Looking for something sweet to sip on? Froom classic coffees to sodas and even specialty drinks like the Rainbow Shabet, you can sit back and enjoy your afternoon treat in style.
Address: 400-2 Mangwon-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul South Korea
Tel: +82 2-325-8185
Opening hours: 10AM - 11PM, daily
Viva Salon Cafe
Operating as a second-hand vintage toy shop and cafe, Viva Salon Cafe is hard to miss with its bright scarlet exterior and plethora of popular toys on display.
While you can find a range of lemonades, tea and coffee similar to cafes elsewhere, their signature menu cannot be overlooked. This menu lists the popular Cookie Monster Latte, Charlie Brown Latte, Christmas Latte and more! Perfect for toy and cartoon lovers, this cafe will surely put a huge smile on your face.
Address: 400-8, Mangwon-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul
Opening hours: 11AM - 10PM, Tues - Sun
Cafe Dong-Kyung
Without a doubt, Cafe Dong-Kyung is the place to go for the perfect cup of coffee. Known as “the place to go for coffee before you die”, your visit to Mangwon-dong is not complete until you have a taste of this beloved brew. The interior is tastefully decorated with albums and there are hints of Japanese elements adding on to the aesthetically-pleasing space.
Some of their best coffees sold here include Vienna coffee, Einspanner coffee and almond mocha java. This cafe is also known for its notorious waiting time so get ready to wait in line for your cuppa!
Address: 21, Mangwon-ro 6-gil, Mapo-gu, Seoul
Opening hours: 1PM - 10PM, Tues - Sat
Atmosphere
Looking for a spot to simply lounge and relax? Then the Atmosphere is your go-to cafe. With its simple and minimalistic design, the focus of the cafe stays on their cute cartoon-inspired desserts!
Colourful and quirky, you would fall in love with the charms of these sweet macarons which are perfect for a splash of colour on your Instagram feed. You can also have a taste of their unique Korean dessert, injeolmi or sweet rice cakes made with Korean bean power. The kitchen features an open concept so you can watch the patissier work their magic as you enjoy their scrumptious creations.
Address: 54-1, Mangwon-ro, Mangwon 1(il)-dong, Seoul
Tel: 070-8692-4162
Opening hours: 1PM - 10PM, daily, except for first Monday of the month
Social Club Seoul
Tastefully decorated to exude a sense of elegance, enjoy a cup of coffee in style at Social Club Seoul. With an extravagance of the color white, you will notice white linens, and long white drapes and sparkling chandeliers to complement the sophisticated ambiance.
Visiting this cafe is also always refreshing as the menu changes every two weeks to a month so you can try something new every time.
