SEOUL
NUDAKE
This delightful café, created by the Gentle Monster company, features an assortment of unique and whimsical croissant themes displayed throughout the restaurant, along with innovative shapes and flavors in their dishes. Upon entering, you'll find a long table topped with a large croissant sculpture and a variety of their pastries. You can choose anything you like from the table and place it on your designated tray using tongs. Upstairs, you'll discover more decorations, including small croissant sculptures nestled between the linings of chairs and used as the feet of sofas. While I wanted to try everything, I settled on the famous peak cake, walnut vanilla oniwassant, chocoissant, and croisticks. They exceeded my expectations, with the Peak Cake being my favorite due to the delicate yet impactful flavor of the matcha cream in the surrounding croissant. I enjoyed savoring each bite with my iced latte in the middle of the day at the café. If you'd rather not sit and stay, they also offer takeout.
Recommended Dishes:
Iced Latte with Oat Milk
Peak Cake with Matcha Cream
Walnut Vanilla Oniwassant
Chocoissant
Croistick
Tee Scale Rating: 8.6/10
CHEONGSUDANG
After seeing this café pop up all over my social media, I decided to check it out to see if it lived up to the hype… and it did! Upon entering the café, you walk down a charming alley filled with small restaurants and step over a pond on stepping stones, surrounded by bamboo. Both the exterior and interior are aesthetically pleasing, as are the drinks and cakes. I had the matcha fromage cake, which had a consistency similar to tiramisu. I would only recommend getting the matcha if you are a big fan, as the taste can be a bit overwhelming. The other cake flavors, such as the chocolate and strawberries and cream, looked incredible as well. On another note, I have never had a better iced matcha latte and cannot recommend this drink enough.
Recommended Dishes:
Matcha Fromage Cake
Iced Matcha Latte
Tee Scale Rating: 8.4/10
SALT 24
This quaint bakery offers delicious pastries and is renowned for its salt croissant, which adds an elevated taste to the already delectable base. It boasts a wide array of croissants, all equally beautiful in preparation, taste, and design. This is the perfect place to pick up a bite to eat in the morning or afternoon.
Recommended Dishes:
Pistachio Croissant
Chocolate Chip Cookie
Salted Croissant
Chocolate Croissant with Cocoa Powder
Tee Scale Rating: 6.5/10
CAFÉ KOMPLEX
This aesthetically pleasing café instantly makes you feel cool as you walk into its bright and open interior. To the right of the entrance, you'll find a coffee bar along with a short table displaying their homemade London buns and croissants. In the center, cute tables dot the sides, and in the back, there is a store featuring clothing and accessories created in collaboration with local artists each month. Enjoy your drink and snack while browsing through the store, which is the perfect place to pick up gifts for the special people in your life.
Recommended Dishes:
PHomemade Strawberry Jam and Fresh Milk Cream London Bun
Butter Croissants
Tee Scale Rating: 7/10
CAFÉ HIGHWAIST
This charming English inspired café in Iksun features a beautifully curated space, with bakery products artistically displayed on top of books. The display case showcases adorable cakes with the most perfectly cut edges I have ever seen. I visited around 3 PM and found it bustling with a steady stream of customers enjoying an afternoon snack of cake paired with tea or coffee. Be sure to check out this delightful café for a fun place to chat with friends or enjoy a treat!
Recommended Dishes:
Iced Black Tea
Victoria Homemade British Cake
Plain Teddy Scones
Red Velvet Puppy Cake
Tee Scale Rating: 6.5/10
AKIRA BLACK
Located at the Four Seasons Hotel, Akira Back is a culinary masterpiece that you must experience during your stay. The staff is lovely and offers wonderful recommendations to ensure you get a taste of all the coveted dishes from this renown chef. While they offer two tasting menus, I chose the à la carte option and was thoroughly satisfied. I started with the unique tuna pizza, where the thin, crunchy crust is topped with perfectly sliced tuna and just the right amount of aioli and truffle oil. I highly recommend doing the same as this dish is a standout. The fish served here is expertly cut and fresh, enhancing the dishes spectacularly. The Inaniwa udon was an excellent main course to share, as it was large enough for two people even when it was split. Although I didn't save enough room for dessert, the matcha petit fours were so delectable that I asked for seconds. Be sure to make reservations in advance.
Recommended Dishes:
Tuna Pizza with Umami Aioli andTruffle Oil
Yellowtail Jalapeño with Micro Coriander and Citrus Soy
AB Spicy Tuna Taco
Inaniwa Udon with Spring Onion and Seaweed
Cucumber Salad with Roasted Sesame Seeds and Amazu
Tee Scale Rating: 8.4/10
PLANT CAFÉ
Plant Café is an excellent choice for a casual plant-based and vegan meal, whether for lunch or dinner, as the cozy interior is perfect for a relaxed night out. The process is simple: choose your table, read over the menu, and order at the cash register up front. The food is served hot and delicious! I loved the cauliflower wings with Buffalo sauce and highly recommend trying them when you're in the mood for comfort food. They also offer bakery services and takeout. No reservations are necessary.
Recommended Dishes:
Hummus Bowl & Toast
Cauliflower Wings with Buffalo Sauce
Cajun Chick’N Burger and Fries
Tee Scale Rating: 7/10
GWANGJANG MARKET
This market is renowned for its authentic Korean food stalls and is one of the oldest markets still operating in Korea today. Here, you can find a range of classic dishes that are not only available for takeout but also have small seating areas at the stalls for immediate consumption. This market is vast, and your step count will soar as you explore. In addition to food, there are stalls dedicated to clothing and fabrics. I recommend spending at least 45 minutes to an hour here, as the market's expansive layout and intricate stalls are sure to captivate you!
Tee Scale Rating: 8/10
LOTTE MALL FOOD COURT
Located at the base of the Lotte Mall, this food court is the perfect place to pick out food gifts/packages for friends, go grocery shopping, or try a variety of different snacks ranging from sweet to salty. Many different companies have set up charming stalls here, making it an ideal spot to take a break and enjoy a quick bite in the midst of your shopping.
Tee Scale Rating: 8.2/10
