Korea’s Cheapest Little Luxury: Takeout Coffee

Even on a rainy day, inexpensive takeout coffee is one of Korea’s easiest pleasures. Small cafés and budget chains are everywhere—often just steps from a subway station or apartment complex.

Chains such as Mega MGC Coffee, Compose Coffee, and Paik’s Coffee specialize in large drinks at small prices. An iced Americano generally costs around ₩1,500–₩2,000, while an iced latte is usually ₩2,700–₩3,500. Ordering is normally done at a counter or touchscreen kiosk, and drinks are prepared within minutes.

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The Secret Comfort of Winter Cafés in Seoul

There’s a special kind of calm that appears in Seoul during winter. The city stays busy, of course, but step inside a warm café in Gangnam, Hongdae, or even a tiny alleyway in Ikseon-dong, and everything slows down. The windows fog, the heaters hum quietly, and people wrap their hands around hot drinks like they’re holding onto little pieces of warmth.

Winter cozy
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Empty your mind, fill your belly with cake.

Tucked along the peaceful Yangjae Stream in Dogok-dong (도곡), you’ll find a charming lineup of cafés, bakeries, and restaurants perfect for a relaxing stroll or a quiet bite. One standout is Sim Jae (心斋), a specialty dessert café known for its creative fusion-style cakes sold by the slice. While this location focuses on cakes, Sim Jae’s other branches also serve up tarts, bagels, brownies, and a variety of other handcrafted treats—each one as thoughtfully made as its serene name suggests.

Sim Jae bakery in
Specialty cakes and cheesecakes (wormwood, to the right)

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Easy to Learn Korean 1616 – Obsess over something (part two).

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Coffee fever – Seoul has the highest number of Starbucks shops in the world.

If you’ve been to Seoul, it’s not surprise that Seoul has a record 284 Starbucks coffee shops.

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Specialty cafes popping up around Seoul.

If you’re interested in specialty cafes that serve drinks and desserts beyond a latte and a bagel, check out this story at the Korea Times. The article has some great pictures too.

My favorite: green tea adzuki bean sherbet.

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Easy to Learn Korean 977 – Cause and effect.

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