Cafe Onion

A renowned cafe known for its minimalist design creating a serene and inviting atmosphere. It’s great if you want to read a book or want to do some work. The coffee is also quality which is really important to me. There are over 17,000 cafes in Seoul and a lot of them have beautiful, creative drinks but I can no longer do that for the gram when I really just want a good cup of coffee. You can find pastries, cakes, and light bites while you’re here. It’s got a great vibe so don’t skip this  one.

Meltingdown in Yeonam

If you’re looking for a stylish and trendy cafe that you’d find on TikTok, this is the one. It has a really fun atmosphere with exposed brick walls, wooden accents, and decent seating. The desserts are probably what you saw on social media and they are very cute. Not only are they massive and look good, but some of them are bunny shaped which makes them too cute to eat. They also have great specialty coffee. It’s definitely a hidden gem worth visiting (maybe by now, it’s not so hidden!).

Rainreport 

This is a fully immersive experience and more than just a cafe. You can hear the sound of raindrops throughout the cafe through water drips and ripples. It’s a fairly new cafe that obviously has a very calming ambiance and is minimalist in design. In the center, there’s also an installation of screens that show rain as if you’re in, like watching the weather forecast on TV. It’s definitely a relaxing experience.

Happy Bear Day

In the less popular neighborhood of Hapjeong, there is a cute cafe by the name of Happy Bear Day. It’s a bright, colorful spot you can’t miss and equally cute on the inside. The desserts are beary cute and bear-shaped cookies costing around $3. If you want a whole cake, you can find that here, too.

Cheong Su Dang Cafe

This is probably one of the most popular and most aesthetic cafes. It is a Hanok-style cafe in the neighborhood of Ikseon-dong. It’s a cafe you definitely want to chill at, meet with friends, or just read a book given its tranquil vibes. Once you walk in, you’ll see a bamboo forest with a small pond and those stepping stones leading to the cafe. You can also find dessert here.

Shini Doga

Another tranquil cafe with a bit of forest, stepping stones, and a pond leading to the entrance of the cafe. This one is tucked away from the busy streets of Hongdae. It’s a simple cafe with white interior. It’s limited with their pastry and dessert selection so I’d only go for the coffee.

Mooni Cafe Seoul

Located in one of the upscale, trendy, cool neighborhoods called Apgujeong, you’ll find this “pink dollhouse” cafe. In Seoul, this building will stand out because it is a white and pink dollhouse building with a garden. The outdoor seating gives Parisian vibes with its al fresco seating. Inside, you’ve got 3 floors and each floor has different themes. You can find a wide spread of sweet treats and plenty of photo opps.

Dohwa Seoga

A cafe fit for an introvert who is also looking for an activity. Ideally, a perfect place on a rainy or extremely hot day where you can’t be outside. This is a drawing cafe so you do have to pay an entrance fee and also buy a drink but it’s worth it if that’s what you’re looking for.

Layered Yeonam

This is a dessert cafe and it took over TikTok by storm. They claim to have over 13 scones. I ended up going to this but inside a mall, so it wasn’t as cute as the other location and there was also a line. I was craving a matcha latte but they don’t have that here just as a fyi. The scones were yummy, jam and butter are extra. It’s got a very cottage core aesthetic which is very fitting.

Peach Gray

Another drawing cafe that specializes in watercolor drawings. This is a much smaller cafe than the drawing cafe above and they don’t have a separate fee for drawing because it is included in the cost of the drinks. It’ll be pricier and with a time limit on weekends and cheaper on weekdays.