10 Best Coffee Shops in Seoul You Need to Visit

Last updated on October 5th, 2025

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Seoul’s coffee shop scene is on another level—from the stunning aesthetics to the intricate desserts to the quality of their drinks. And to help you make the most of your cafe-hopping adventure, here are 10 of the best coffee shops in Seoul you need to visit!

Seoul is heaven for coffee lovers. Whether you’re checking off the top places to visit in Seoul or you’re wandering the streets of the Bukchon Hanok Village, you can be sure there’s a great coffee shop just around the corner.

So imagine my excitement when we arrived to live in Seoul for three months with our circus job—I felt like a kid in a candy store!

And while Seoul is known for its incredible coffee shop scene, with well-thought-out design and attention to detail, my biggest priority is always to have a good cup of coffee over the aesthetics.

That’s why, during my three-month stay in Seoul, I made it my mission to visit as many coffee shops as possible—looking for the cutest, but also the best coffee shops.

And after rigorous and very fun research, this is my concise list of the best coffee shops in Seoul.

From cafes tucked inside traditional hanoks to sleek modern spaces and tiny spots popular with business locals, this list has a little bit of everything—and all of them have great coffee!

So let’s get started!

10 Best Coffee Shops in Seoul For Coffee Lovers

1) Cerulean Insa: Sleek and modern coffee shop

Cerulean was the first great coffee I had in this city, and it changed me. Before this, I had had inconsistently okay coffees in aesthetic-looking places, and I had accepted that that was my fate in Seoul.

But Cerulean Insa gave me hope that this city wasn’t just about the looks but also about the quality of the coffee.

As you order your coffee, the barista will ask you to choose between two of their coffee blends—my favorite one being their burgundy blend with chocolate notes.

Here you can enjoy your coffee of choice in the hanok space in the back of the building, or in the glass-walled patio in the front of the cafe.

This is definitely one of the most the best coffee shops in Seoul for both coffee and aesthetics, with a blend of traditional architecture and modern design, AND consistently great coffee.

A winner all around!

If you find it, make sure to pin it in your maps because it might be hard to remember how to get there again.

2) Four Stones: Spacious and cozy coffee shop

Four Stones is one of the best coffee shops in Seoul for good coffee and one of those places that just ticks all the boxes for me: the place is gorgeous, the pastries are tasty, and their coffee is consistently good.

As you walk in, you’ll see a little window where you make your order, and as you step into the space, you are spoiled for choice with seating areas.

There’s the indoor cafe space, a green and cozy outdoor patio, and a smaller working nook close to the entrance.

The coffee is taken seriously, and the beautiful white-walled space with wood-trimmed ceilings invites you to take a seat at one of their many tables and slowly sip your cup of coffee.

For something unique, make sure to try their signature Four Stones latte, a strong and sweet drink that will give you the wake-up kick you need.

3) Astronomers Coffee: Snug basement cafe

If you are looking for a strong cup of coffee and a perfectly frothed latte, look no further than Astronomers Coffee, a modest little basement cafe located in the young neighborhood of Hongdae.

As you step down to the Astronomers Coffee, you are welcomed by a bare-bones coffee bar that kind of looks like someone stubbornly decided to start a coffee shop with whatever they had available—which I love!

The space has a rougher aesthetic, but still, it’s a vibe, and they serve a strong espresso and beautiful latte art.

Definitely one of the best coffee shops to try if you are vintage-shopping in the area.

4) Namusairo: Cozy coffee shop in a hanok

Namusairo is another great spot if what you’re looking for is a good cup of coffee to get you through your day.

Located inside a beautiful and renovated hanok, Namusairo is the perfect place to get your caffeine fix if you’re sightseeing around the Gyenbokgung Palace.

The space is minimalist and cozy, with white walls and wood details.

The seating options are varied, with some outdoor tables in the center area of the cafe, a bar seating area for laptop users, a bench section at the back, and—my favorite—a little attic nook.

If you’re lucky enough to find the little attic empty and wish to climb up to enjoy your coffee, just make sure to remove your shoes before going up.

5) Coffeology Specialty Coffee: Great coffee shop in a business district

This might not be one of the most uniquely aesthetic cafes in Seoul, having a more modern and simple look, but the coffee is so good that I think it deserves a mention.

Coffeology Specialty Coffee is located in the Insadong neighborhood, and it’s a simple, straight-to-the-point coffee shop, delivering a great cup of coffee for the business people in the area.

The location is so simple that it easily goes unnoticed. I discovered it by accident, but became a fan after having a perfect latte to go, which I give extra points for since I feel like, for some reason, lots of places sabotage their coffee when you order it to go.

A great spot to pick up your caffeine fix while exploring the neighborhood.

The venue might not be super aesthetic, but the logo is pretty cute, right?

6) Cafe Soodal: Aesthetic coffee shop with great coffee and desserts

Cafe Soodal is, without a doubt, one of the best coffee shops in Seoul all around.

This is why I was here at least twice a week while living in Seoul for three months.

Everything I tried was always perfect in every sense, meticulously presented and great tasting—and this goes from their coffee, to their tea, to their delicious cakes!

The space is beautiful, housed inside a renovated hanok; there are lots of sitting areas, and it’s very laptop-friendly.

I particularly love their natural latte, their mocha, and their layered cake—so good!

7) Blue Bottle Coffee: Top-quality coffee

Blue Bottle Coffee may not be native to Korea—it’s actually a California-based company—but they have a few locations around Seoul, and they are definitely worth a try!

Even though there are thousands of unique coffee shops to try in Seoul, I believe we cannot talk about good coffee in the city without giving a shoutout to Blue Bottle.

Blue Bottle has been one of the most consistently well-prepared coffees I have had in this city. The milk is always frothy to perfection, not too hot, not too cold, and without killing the foam, and the taste is always great!

If you get a chance to visit a Blue Bottle location, make sure to try their mocha—it’s one of my favorite ones ever!

8) Grandpa Factory Cafe: Spacious coffee shop with an extensive menu

Tucked away in the up-and-coming Seongsu neighborhood, you will find a wide variety of unique cafes. From the incredibly elaborate ones, like NUDAKE, to more rustic ones, like the spacious and inviting Grandpa Factory Cafe.

Grandpa Factory Cafe is one of the best coffee shops in Seoul’s Seongsu neighborhood for many reasons: the location is beautiful and spacious—it even has a tree house where you can drink your coffee in—they have an extensive food menu, which is rare in Korean cafes, and their coffee is great!

Definitely one of the best cafes to visit in Seongsu, especially if you also want a bite to eat with your coffee.

9) Komfortabel Anguk: Chic Scandi-style coffee shop

Komfortabel is a moody, elegant, and one of the most aesthetic cafes in Seoul, located in the Anguk neighborhood.

The place is straightforward, their menu is short, you can choose between two types of blends for your espresso-based drink, and there might be two to three options for a small pastry to snack on.

This Scandinavian-inspired coffee shop also provides Wifi and plenty of seating space, which makes it a great spot to work from.

This place really ticks all the boxes for me; a gorgeously-designed space with great coffee, and in a vibrant neighborhood worth exploring.

So make sure to check it out!

10) %Arabica: Popular coffee shop worth visiting

A very expected coffee arrival in Seoul is the Japanese coffee company, %Arabica.

This brand combines two things that Koreans appreciate: great coffee and beautiful design.

This is why it’s no surprise that as soon as they opened their location in the Coex Mall, people were lining up daily to try their famous coffee.

It took me almost until the end of my three-month stay in Seoul to find the place empty enough for me to have the patience to wait in line, and honestly, it did not disappoint.

%Arabica it’s known for its minimalistic aesthetic; all-white decor and gold details—which I love.

The espresso-based drinks are strong, and you can tell they take their time making sure every drink is prepared to perfection.

Which is why even though it’s relatively new to the city, I would consider %Arabica to be one of the best coffee shops in Seoul for good coffee.

Final thoughts on the best coffee shops in Seoul

Seoul is the perfect destination for any coffee and design lover.

However, with many cafes putting too much focus on the aesthetics and not so much on the coffee, sometimes it’s hard to find a good cup of coffee among all the cutesy spots.

So after testing many coffee shops in the city, this concise list of the 10 best coffee shops in Seoul is the summary of the places that have a little bit of both: cute spaces and great coffee.

And while this list might be short, I think it’s a great place to start your coffee shop-hopping adventure around Seoul.

Which one of these coffee shops are you most looking forward to visiting in Seoul? Let us know in the comments!