Kaesong Juak and iced coffee at Silladang

Ikseon-dong Hanok Cafes: My Honest Review of Seoul Coffee & Silladang

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Last Saturday, around 4 PM, I finished some work in Dongdaemun. The weather was just too perfect to go straight home, so I started walking along the Cheonggyecheon Stream with a friend toward some Ikseon-dong Hanok Cafes to grab a sweet dessert and a solid cup of coffee. The place was buzzing with life—couples on dates, families out for a stroll, and travelers from all over the world enjoying the sunshine. We even got lucky enough to spot a mother duck and her ducklings swimming between the lush grass and the clear water along the way.

After walking for a while, we climbed up the stairs and headed toward Nakwon Music Arcade to get to Ikseon-dong. Being a weekend with such great weather, every corner of Jongno felt alive and energetic. I personally visit Ikseon-dong whenever I want to snap some aesthetic photos or just relax with a good brew. The way the traditional Hanoks blend with modern vibes in those narrow alleys is something I always tell my foreign friends they “must see.” Today, I’m sharing two spots in Ikseon-dong that never disappoint: Seoul Coffee and Silladang.

Seoul Coffee: A Trip Back to the 1980s

Walking into Seoul Coffee, a standout among Ikseon-dong Hanok Cafes, feels like a quick trip back to the 1980s. They’ve taken a 100-year-old Hanok and decided not to hide its age. Instead, they kept the rough, rustic walls and combined them with vintage barber shop signs and old-school furniture. When you sit down, make sure to look up—the original wooden rafters are still there, covered by a glass roof that lets the natural sunlight brighten the whole space. It’s the perfect spot to just sit and watch the dust dance in the light.

Seoul Coffee entrance in Ikseon-dong Hanok village

If you’re not sure what to try first, here are my personal recommendations from their menu:

  • Butter Loaf Bread (Ang-butter): This is their absolute bestseller. You’ll see thick slabs of high-quality butter and sweet red bean paste stuffed inside either a snowy white milk bread or a jet-black squid ink bread. It’s incredibly satisfying and not too sweet.

  • Vienna Coffee: To me, this is the perfect partner for the butter bread. The coffee is strong and bold, topped with a thick, velvety cream that doesn’t melt away too quickly.

  • Cube Ice Cream: If you want a taste of real Korean nostalgia, this is it. They’ve turned traditional snacks into little frozen cubes. My favorites are the Dalgona (honeycomb candy) and Injeolmi (roasted bean powder) flavors. It’s like eating a frozen version of the snacks I used to buy after school.
Ice cream and affogato at Seoul Coffee

Seoul Coffee – View on Google Maps

Silladang: The Elegant Art of K-Desserts

Just a few minutes’ walk from the retro vibes of Seoul Coffee, you’ll find Silladang, another gem among Ikseon-dong Hanok Cafes. While Seoul Coffee feels like a hip hangout from the 80s, Silladang feels like a calm, hidden courtyard where time slows down. It’s the kind of place where you can really appreciate how beautiful and delicate Korean traditional sweets can be.

The atmosphere here is much more serene. Sitting in their quiet courtyard, you get a sense of the “slow life” that’s hard to find in the middle of a busy city like Seoul. If you’re looking for something more refined than a standard pastry, this is your spot.

SILLADANG Hanok cafe with a scenic garden

Here’s what you shouldn’t miss at Silladang:

  • Kaesong Juak (The Star Dish): This is the main reason people flock to these Ikseon-dong Hanok Cafes. It’s a traditional doughnut made by kneading glutinous rice flour with Makgeolli (Korean rice wine) and then frying it before soaking it in ginger syrup. The first bite is incredibly crispy, followed by a chewy, juicy texture inside. It has a subtle sweetness that feels deep and natural, rather than sugary. If you’re curious about how other historic spots are evolving, you should also visit [Gwangjang Market], where 100-year-old traditions now meet the latest trendy desserts.

  • Omija (Five-Flavor) Tea: To balance the richness of the fried Juak, I always recommend their Omija tea. It’s a bright red tea that hits five different tastes: sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and spicy. It’s incredibly refreshing, especially when served cold in their courtyard.

  • Gift Sets: One thing I love about Silladang is their attention to detail. Their packaging is so elegant that I often pick up a small box of Juak to give to friends as a gift. It’s like taking a piece of Korean art home with you.
Iced drinks and Kaesong Juak at Silladang Cafe

Silladang – View on Google Maps

Pocha Streets and Nakwon Romance

When the sun starts to go down, the energy of Ikseon-dong Hanok Cafes naturally moves out into the bigger streets. If you walk just a few minutes toward Jongno 3-ga Station, you’ll see the city change right before your eyes. The quiet, narrow alleys open up into the famous Jongno Pocha Street. Those iconic orange-tented stalls (Pojangmacha) start lining the road, becoming the true heart of Seoul’s nightlife.

There’s something special about sitting on a simple plastic stool under those orange tents. Ordering a plate of spicy stir-fried pork or grilled fish with a bottle of Soju while the city lights flicker around you—that’s where the real “Jongno romance” is. It’s not fancy, but it’s real.

And while you’re in the area visiting Ikseon-dong Hanok Cafes, don’t just pass by the Nakwon Music Arcade. Most people know it for the musical instruments, but the real treasure is the small, old restaurants tucked underneath and around the building. These places have been serving local favorites like Gukbap (hot soup with rice) and handmade noodles for decades. It’s unpretentious, cheap, and has a raw, local vibe that you just can’t find in modern districts like Gangnam. You can find more details on where to get the [Best Gukbap in Seoul] in my dedicated guide for solo diners.

Navigating these narrow, historic alleys can be tricky. To make sure you don’t get lost, I recommend checking out these [4 Seoul Travel Apps] that work much better than Google Maps here.

Seoul is a city that’s always in a hurry, but in places like Ikseon-dong Hanok Cafes and Jongno, things seem to slow down just enough for you to take a breath. Whether you’re grabbing a quick bite of buttery bread at Seoul Coffee or sitting down for a drink at a street stall, these are the moments that make the city feel alive. If you want to see a side of Seoul that isn’t all about tall buildings and bright lights, these alleys are exactly where you need to be. For those who want to keep the night going, I’ve also mapped out the [Best Seoul Night Route] that takes you through nearby Jongno and Deoksugung Palace.

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