After lunch, I was walking along Hwangnidan-gil and it got so hot that I started looking for a café. That's when I spotted a hanok-style café with a garden, and the place I ended up at was Seonhwa hanok café!
Honestly, every spot on Hwangnidan-gil has a nice vibe, but Seonhwa is tucked a little way into an alley off the main street, so maybe that's why it felt quieter and I liked it even more.
It's close to Daereungwon and Cheonmachong, so it's perfect for grabbing a coffee and heading straight into your sightseeing route. It's a café that makes its own wagashi, so it's also famous for its pretty desserts.
Item | Details |
|---|---|
Hours | Weekdays (Mon·Tue·Thu·Fri) 11:00 AM–7:00 PM / Weekends (Sat·Sun) 11:00 AM–8:00 PM |
Last order | Weekdays 6:00 PM / Weekends 7:00 PM |
Closed | Every Wednesday |
Layout · Indoor Atmosphere
Seonhwa is a single-story hanok café made up of a main hanok building and a garden. We visited on a Saturday after lunch, and there was no wait when we went in; after about 30 minutes, one or two more groups came in. It didn't feel that crowded.
Garden · Outdoor Seating
There's outdoor seating in the garden too, so it seemed to run on a system where if there are no seats, you wait in the garden with a coffee and move inside once an indoor seat opens up.
It's a garden with lush green grass and trees, so it's also great for photos. That said, when we went it was hot, so we chose indoors over outdoors.
Hanok Interior
The interior is quiet overall. The high ceiling keeps it cool, but thanks to the natural texture unique to a hanok, that coolness doesn't feel cold—it feels warm, which I loved. The seating was mostly made up of 2- to 4-person tables.
Personally, my favorite was the window seat overlooking the garden. The sunlight comes in just right, and sipping a coffee while gazing at the garden with its grass and trees is simply healing.
Drinks · Desserts
Since Seonhwa is a café specializing in wagashi, it's a great place to enjoy coffee and dessert together. The drinks were divided into coffee / non-coffee / fruit tea / traditional & herbal tea.
Iced Americano · Iced Latte
We ordered an iced americano and an iced latte. The latte was nutty and delicious. The dessert wasn't on the sweet side, so it was a perfect balance to have alongside the coffee.
Signature Wagashi (Yokan-type)
This place's signature is, without a doubt, the wagashi. The dessert we had had a soft, not-too-sweet, yokan-like texture. Above all, it looks so pretty that it's great to capture in photos. The sweetness wasn't overpowering, so it paired really well with coffee.
For reference, Seonhwa is also famous as a café with two cute cats. They might not be around during nap time, but if you're lucky you can catch them roaming the café.
Facilities
Restroom
The restroom is inside the café and there are separate restrooms for men and women, so it's convenient to use.
Parking
Parking is not available. Seonhwa has no parking space of its own, so you'll need to use a nearby public parking lot. Hwangnidan-gil is a tough neighborhood for parking in general, so if you're driving, I recommend parking at a public lot and walking in.
Smoking Area
There was no designated smoking area. Smokers seemed to step out to the alley in front of the café to smoke.
If you want to quietly enjoy a coffee by a hanok window overlooking a garden, I recommend stopping by Seonhwa in Hwangnidan-gil! The wagashi desserts are pretty and not too sweet, so they're great to enjoy with coffee. Tie it together with a Daereungwon·Cheonmachong route and your itinerary will be nice and tidy. 😊
