Veronica à Séoul (베로니카 아 서울)

Do you like s'mores? What about cupcakes? Then Veronica à Séoul (베로니카 아 서울) is likely to exceed your expectations in regard to the aforementioned goodies!

Located only a few minutes from the Guro Digital Complex subway station (구로디지털단지역), Veronica Seoul is a laid-back sanctuary.

The cafe wasn't difficult to find, but there weren't any signs outside to alert us to the location. So make sure you're using your GPS or following our directions closely!

We arrived only an hour after the cafe opened and were pleased to find that we were the only ones there. Yay anti-social behavior!

The cafe is beautifully decorated. Dried plants and pictures are in every corner with an open counter where you can place your order.

Coffee/food review: the coffee was delicious - we were both pleasantly surprised! Ashley ordered the s'more and Kimmy opted for the red velvet cupcake. The s'more came with not one, not two, but THREE graham cracker-cookies covered with melted chocolate and a single slightly gooey marshmallow. Perfect for when you are suddenly overcome with summer camp cravings. As for the cupcake, Kimmy lost her mind over the cream cheese frosting. It was legit cream cheese frosting. And the cupcake itself was super dense and (sorry, I hate this word, but I gotta use it) moist.

They also had other baked goods available that they seem to create daily as well as beer and other delectable things. Something for everyone!

All in all, a really great atmosphere with really great baked treats. Enjoy!

Address

Veronica à Séoul
Seoul Dongjak-gu

Sindaebang-dong 596

베로니카 아 서울
서울 동작구

신대방동 596

Directions

Just follow the directions below:

~from the Guro Digital Complex subway station (구로디지털단지역)

• Go to Exit 6
• Turn right and walk down the street until you get to the crosswalk
• Cross the street and turn right again 
• Walk up the street one block (past the GS25) and take the first left
• After a few feet, the cafe will be on your right

Alternative Directions

If you have Kakao or Naver Maps, just type in 「베로니카아서울」

If you have Google Maps, you also have to type in the Korean name: 「베로니카아서울」*

*when we checked Google, it said that this cafe was permanently closed? But like... we were literally just there? Hmm...

Participants

Ashley (instagram)
Kimmy (instagram) (soundcloud)

Seoul Casserole (instagram) (twitter) (youtube)

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Cafe Grange (카페그랑주)

This week, we stumbled upon a recently remodeled cafe called Grange (그랑주) in Hongdae that looks ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS OMG

Okay, where to begin? Well, let's start with the entrance: the door is bubblegum pink with a gold handle, and on the floor, spelled out in penny-tiles, is the word, "hello." Um, precious much?

Immediately after entering the cafe, we knew this place was special. The inside is adorned with leafy-green plants and a beautiful dangling chandelier. Sia would be proud.

At the bottom of the curved staircase, you have the option of utilizing the large touch-screen menu (perfect for those ani-social social club days) or you can go straight to the counter and place your order with a human.

The barista/kitchen area is all marble, paired with diagonal subway tiles and neon lights. It's insane how wonderfully elaborate the entire cafe is. Like, the details don't even stop there! For example, even the floor is bedazzled!

Oh, and we can't forget the bathroom. Yes, the BATHROOM. Just go see it for yourself. It's awesome.

I know, it sounds like we're making this up, but I promise you, we're not.

Let's briefly switch gears and talk about what we ordered. We both decided on tea for the afternoon - white and chamomile. On the menu, they have a plethora of drink options (literally all sorts of things) but they also have an artisan tea collection. Desserts and brunch items are available as well.

The tea was served to us in delicate, clear glass mugs with the cafe's logo printed on the side. They looked great, they smelled great, and they tasted great, too.

It's the perfect atmosphere to work or study, so we recommend you bring the necessary equipment and plan on staying for a while. We think you'd enjoy it - we sure did!

So if you wanna fly like a bird through the night and feel your tears as they dry, then swing on over to Cafe Grange!

Address

Cafe Grange

Seoul Mapo-gu

Seogyo-dong 355-2

카페그랑주

서울 마포구

서교동 355-2

Directions

Just follow the directions below:

~from the Hongdae subway station (홍대입구역)

• Go to Exit 9
• Walk straight until you get to the big intersection across from Spao and Forever 21
• Turn left up the street
• Take the first right and walk a minute or two
• Cafe Grange will be on your left

Alternative Directions

If you have Kakao or Naver Maps, just type in 「그랑주」

If you have Google Maps, just type in "Cafe Grange Hongdae"*

*it looks like there are a few cafes with the same/similar name in the area, so make sure you visit the Mapo-gu (마포구) one!

Participants

Ashley (instagram)
Kimmy (instagram) (soundcloud)

Seoul Casserole (instagram) (twitter) (youtube)

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Sarr (사르르)

Are you looking for a relaxing, ultra minimalistic cafe? Perhaps one that also serves you floofy pancakes and aromatic coffee beverages? Then let us introduce you to Sarr (사르르) in Hongdae!

Yet another gem found on a little side street parallel to one of the most chaotic areas in Hongdae - Sarr was a really pleasant brunch-time experience.

The entire front of the cafe is windows and the inside is populated by only grey chairs and tables. Definitely one of the most, if not the most, minimalistic and relaxing atmospheres we've had the pleasure of visiting.

So the way you order is by going up to the front counter. They have a little iPad there that has the menu on it. There's 4 or 5 pancake options as well as a decent selection of coffee and teas. We ended up getting the Buttercream Pancake and the Banana Pancake and paired them with an americano and a vanilla latte.

You have the option of having your beverage served to you first or you can have everything brought to you at once (and that's what we did). It takes a few minutes for them to prepare the pancakes, so that's why they ask.

The pancakes themselves were super fluffy and very much cake-like. They both came sprinkled with blueberries and syrup. The Buttercream Pancake had an additional dollop of actual buttercream and a little cup of vanilla ice cream on the side. The Banana Pancake, on the other hand, was presented with extra syrup and, of course, a banana.

We both agreed that everything was absolutely delicious, but be prepared for a sugar overload. Some people will be fine with this, especially for breakfast, but personally, I was really glad that I had ordered a plain coffee to help cleanse my palette between dainty little bites (also known as: shoveling everything directly into my face).

Just FYI: it was a little expensive. I think we each paid around 15,000 won for our meal + coffee. But, then again, you are getting a full meal, so overall it's not too bad.

Next time, we definitely want to try out some of the teas on the menu, too, especially now that the weather is getting cooler and cooler.

So check out Sarr to get your gourmet pancake fix!

Address

Sarr

Seoul Mapo-gu

Seogyo-dong 354-9

사르르 홍대점

서울 마포구

서교동 354-9

Directions

Just follow the directions below:

~from the Hongdae subway station (홍대입구역)

• Go to Exit 9
• Walk straight until you get to the big intersection across from Spao and Forever 21
• Turn left up the street
• Take the first right and walk a minute or two
• Sarr will be on your right

Alternative Directions

If you have Kakao Maps, just type in 「사르르 홍대점」 or "Sarr"

If you have Google Maps, just type in "Sarr Hongdae"*

*there are multiple locations, so if you want to check out the same one we visited, make sure you choose the 홍대점 one!

Participants

Ashley (instagram)
Kimmy (instagram) (soundcloud)

Seoul Casserole (instagram) (twitter) (youtube)

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Woo Waa (우와)

If you're in the mood for a chill atmosphere with some insanely delicious okonomiyaki and yakisoba, then Woo Waa (우와) is the ultimate dinner destination for you!

Nestled on a secret side street behind some major clubs like Aura, Cocoon, and Zen is an okonomiyaki haven called Woo Waa.

Woo Waa is located on the second floor of an art studio with no signs or symbols of any kind. The first time Kimmy was looking for this fabled place, she walked past it maybe 15 times before she realized the El Dorado of yakisoba was right in front of her all along.

So with that being said, you can pretty much guess that this place is a bit of a secret (shhhhh~)

Some things to keep in mind when visiting this magical locale: 1) The menu is only in Korean 2) It's small, so if there's a wait, you'll need a Korean phone number for them to contact you at to let you know when your table is available.

Advice: brush up on your reading skills if you'd like to take on this adventure! You can do it! We believe in you!

Here's the low down: They have a recommended menu that we 100% recommend that you follow their recommendations because what they recommend is delicious and are good recommendations in our opinion concerning recommendations.

Anyway, we ended up ordering the Classic Yakisoba (클래식 야키소바) and Tomato Okonomiyaki (토마토 오코노미야끼) - you have the choice of three meat options: Pork (돼지고기), Chicken (닭고기), and Seafood (해산물). We went with the chicken for both and were both more than satisfied with that decision. The chicken was super flavorful and juicy!

They also have soda, beer, and cocktails on the menu, if you wanna get fancy.

If you arrive with only two people in your party, you can be seated next to the chefs and they will cook the food on a hot plate right in front of you. It's a really fun and intimate experience where the chefs will explain the eating etiquette when they serve you - so cool!

Try to get there a little after they open so you won't have to wait in line and can grub right away.

Definitely one of our most favorite dinner places in Hongdae that we visit regularly and we hope you will, too!

Address

Woo Waa

Seoul Mapo-gu

Seogyo-dong 364-10 2F

우와

서울 마포구

서교동 364-10 2층

Directions

This one is a little more difficult to find:

~from the Hongdae subway station (홍대입구역)

• Go to Exit 9
• Walk straight until you get to the intersection with Spao and Forever 21
• Turn left and walk up the hill 
• When you reach the intersection in front of the university, turn right
• Walk past The Body Shop (on the right side of the park)
• Keep going until you pass Lucky Factory (on your right - if you passed Artbox, then you've gone too far!)
• Make a left down the street after the yellow Vietnamese restaurant
• Keep walking and you'll see a white building - and you're there!

Alternative Directions

If you have Kakao Maps or Naver Maps, just type in 「우와 홍대」*

*this time, we couldn't find the location on Google Maps... we tried English and Korean, and it's only coming up in Kakao Maps or Naver Maps ㅠㅠ

Participants

Ashley (instagram)
Kimmy (instagram) (soundcloud)

Seoul Casserole (instagram) (twitter) (youtube)

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