Quirkiest Cafes in Seoul
No one does weird and quirky like Seoul, South Korea. Wild and outlandish experiences have become almost a selling point for their tourism industry, and with such a saturated market it’s no wonder coffee shops have to offer something unique to stand out from the crowd. While this is by no means an exhaustive list of the weird and wonderful in Seoul, here are some of our favourite cafes from our week in the city.
Their green tea ice cream is no joke
We’re starting off strong, here and jumping right into the weird. South Korea has this curious fascination with (and I’m not even kidding here) poop. Yeah. I don’t know either, but for whatever reason, poop is seen as really cute in this country, and you have to admit the presentation of these treats - despite being in a literal squat toilet - is pretty cute.
We got our coffees here iced, but if you order them hot, they will also come out in the iconic toilet-shaped mug as well.
The inconspicuous entryway into Zapangi
Obviously, we just couldn’t pass up the Mermaid Cake
It’s pretty impressive when the front door of your cafe is literally the star of the show. I really did feel like a secret agent walking into Zapangi through what looks to be an inconspicuous albeit-aesthetically-pleasing vending machine.
The tin cakes were especially beautiful (and delicious), although it was difficult for even a sweet-tooth like me to finish an entire one. They also had some awesome strawberry milk, which, let’s face it, you have to try at least once if you go to South Korea.
There was no shortage of great photo spots, here
The wide array of desserts to choose from at the cafe
The abundance of pink had me falling instantly in love
The Stylenanda Pink Pool Cafe is actually the top floor of the Stylenanda clothing shop, located in Hongdae. If you’re in the mood for it, you could go for a little bit of a shopping spree on the way up to the cafe.
Aesthetically, Stylenanda was my absolute favourite. I do love me some pink, and this cafe had TONS of it. Their desserts were gorgeous to look at and tasted amazing. There’s also a room off to the side of the dining area dedicated to pretty pastel photo ops, seen in the pictures above.
William and Bentley, the two cutest sheep in Seoul
Hongdae has no shortage of odd and quirky shops, so is it really so surprising to find out that there’s a cafe housing two adorable sheep? The pair of wooly friends live right outside the front of the Thanks Nature Cafe, and you almost forget for a moment that you’re in the largest metropolitan city in the country.
Enjoy your own meal or coffee inside the shop, then follow up by spending some quality time with William and Bentley, the two sheep currently representing Thanks Nature cafe. Under the watchful eye of staff, you can feed and pet the animals to your heart’s content.
Two of those iconic flower pot desserts
Banana Tree is a cute little hole-in-the-wall in Sinsa-Dong, so unassuming you might miss it if you’re not keeping a sharp eye. They are known for their pudding cups that they fashion to look like potted flowers, complete with the shovel-shaped spoon and chocolate crumbs made to look like the soil.
If you’re interested in coffee, they also have a cotton-candy-topped latte that they are quite well-known for as well. The flower pots do seem to be the main selling point, though.
My finished phone case from DB Story
If you’re looking for a unique and personalized souvenir to bring home with you, then Dibistory Cafe should definitely go on your list. You can enjoy colourful, fruity drinks while you decorate and create your own phone case. They have an absolutely enormous selection of materials to choose from, including charms, paints, glitter and so much more.
It’s easy to spend hours there creating your perfect masterpiece, and my sister and I had a blast. Plus they have a wide selection of unique and eye-catching beverages available for free to anyone who pays to decorates a case!
Thinking of Traveling to South Korea?
Read my article What to Know Before You Travel to South Korea for tips on how to avoid that culture shock and make the most of your experience!
