Cheongsudang Café

Highly popular over the last 2 years, Cheongsudang Cafe is one of the most beautiful cafes located in the Ikseondong area. Since its opening, the cafe has seen throngs of customers visiting it for their extremely Instagrammable desserts, drinks and atmosphere

These days, the cafe is packed with tourists throughout the day who has Cheongsudang at the top of their list of Korean cafe to visit. The name Cheongsu means clear water which is the main feature of the cafe. From the entrance of the cafe which is pebble stones over a flowing stream, the entire cafe eludes a serene atmosphere

The cafe is converted from a huge Hanok house which spans many smaller rooms and courtyards allowing customers to choose to chill out in the space they prefer. There are water features, ponds and man-made streams in various corners of the cafe amidst the luscious natural greenery and bamboo garden to transport customers into a tranquil environment which seems out of the modern city

The main beverage and desserts order station is in the centre building which is right at the entrance after the pebble stone path. They serve a variety of hot coffee, tea as well and soda drinks. Some of their most popular desserts are the Soufflé Castella and fromage cake which are made only upon ordering

We ordered the strawberry fromage cake which was plated in this pretty stone dish and decorated with strawberry slices and chocolate flakes. The cake is creamy, milky and well-sweetened. The cake was very light as well and could easily be finished by one person

We also ordered a chestnut Mont Blanc which was served on a dark stone block and decorated with a dried chestnut. The dessert itself was smooth and creamy with a fragrant chestnut paste which is not overly sweet. The cream and chestnut paired well and were light on the palate

We ordered 2 iced fruit tea sodas as well as a hot black tea and while the tea tasted good, there was nothing too spectacular. Instead what intrigued me was the pot used for the black tea which was using the concept for drip coffee. It was a fancy way of serving tea which added to the experience of enjoying tea in a bamboo garden

Overall, I really enjoyed my break at Cheongsudang as the environment really did transport me to a tranquil garden which allowed me to slow down my pace. The drinks and desserts are generally decent although slightly pricey but they are really pretty for photos. The entire space is great for photos and because I went during odd hours, there was no queue at the cafe and I could immediately get a seat. During peak periods, it might be difficult to get a seat and I have seen people queuing for at least 1 hour for a seat

Address: 31-9 Donhwamun-ro 11na-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea

Operating hours: 10.30 am to 9 pm