Coffes with good views of the city?

If you're in Namdaemun, walk over to the Seoul Library building next to City Hall. On the top floor there's a cafe called Library Cafe where you can sit by the window and look straight out at Deoksugung Palace and the mountains behind it. The coffee is just average, around 4,500 won, but the view of the old stone walls against the modern city is something you won't get from a rooftop.

For something completely different, take the subway one stop to Euljiro 3-ga and find Milestone Coffee in one of those old factory buildings. It's a tiny spot on the 4th floor with a window seat that looks down the alleyways and at the surrounding rooftops, not a sweeping skyline view but a real slice of old Seoul. Their hand drip is good, 6,000 won.

arrow_drop_up 5 arrow_drop_down

chat_bubble Reply ios_share

/

Reply

tbh if you want a view without the tourist crowds, head up to Seoullo 7017 which is right by Seoul Station, like a 10 min walk from Namdaemun. there's a small cafe called Cafe Aori on the elevated park and you can grab a takeaway americano and walk along the sky garden looking down at the traffic and old city walls. way less packed than Namsan and you get a different perspective of the city

or if you're okay walking a bit further, try Haru in the Jung-gu office building on Toegye-ro. it's on like the 15th floor and most people don't know about it, super quiet with floor to ceiling windows looking out over the Han River and the southern part of Seoul. their drip coffee is decent too, about 5,500 won

arrow_drop_up 5 arrow_drop_down

chat_bubble Reply ios_share

/

Reply

honestly the best view coffee near you is at The Royal Food and Drink in Myeongdong. it's a rooftop spot where you can see N Seoul Tower right in front of you, and they do a decent americano for like 6,000 won. the walk up the hill from Namdaemun is a bit steep but worth it for that sunset shot

if you want something more chill, try the Starbucks at the top of Namsan cable car station - cliche I know but the outdoor terrace is actually nice and you can see all of Seoul spread out. just go on a weekday morning when it's less packed

arrow_drop_up 4 arrow_drop_down

chat_bubble Reply ios_share

/

Reply

the whispering thing is real but its not about the sauce lol. that guy runs a 2am handoff with the chicken supplier, they drop off fresh birds from a farm near Chuncheon three times a week instead of using the frozen stuff most hongdae spots rely on. thats why the texture hits different, not the sauce itself. if u go back ask for the neck & wing combo off menu, its cheaper & honestly the best cut they do

arrow_drop_up 24 arrow_drop_down

chat_bubble Reply ios_share

/

Reply

the thing nobody mentions is that Dogdogdog's sauce gets its body from cheong, the Korean rice syrup, not sugar. thats why it coats the wing so thick and stays glossy instead of going sticky. i asked a guy who worked there and he said they also add a splash of maesil (plum) extract at the end off the heat. that fruity tang under the garlic is what you're tasting. go on a weekday before 6, weekends the wait hits 40 min easy.

arrow_drop_up 5 arrow_drop_down

chat_bubble Reply ios_share

/

Reply

honestly the "secret sauce" thing is prob just marketing. every fried chicken place in Seoul has a version of that story. the real difference at Dogdogdog is they double fry in rice bran oil and toss the wings in the sauce twice, once right out of the fryer and again after a 30 sec rest. thats where the crunch comes from, not some mystery ingredient. if u wanna taste the actual base, order the banban half plain half spicy and dip the plain one in the spicy sauce yourself.

arrow_drop_up 5 arrow_drop_down

chat_bubble Reply ios_share

/

Reply