10 of The Best Cafés and Dessert Spots in Itaewon Seoul (2018)

Itaewon (梨泰院) is an area in Yongsan-gu just south of Myeongdong which is famous for its diversified culture. With its wide variety of trendy shops, bars, cafés and restaurants from different countries all over the world, it's not surprising that it has quietly become a hot landing spot for some of the city's top cafés and dessert spots. To save you time and effort, here is a list of my favorite cafés and dessert spots in Itaewon that are not to be missed.




Mont St. Clair
An import directly from Tokyo, Mont St. Clair should be a household name to those who are familiar with the Japanese dessert scene. Chef-owner Hironobu Tsujiguchi (辻口博啟) is an award-winning pâtissier and chocolatier, who represented Japan on a number of occasions in the international stage. With his new venture in Seoul, he's bringing with him some of his best known signature creations including C'est la Vie, a hexagon shaped white chocolate mousse cake.

Address: 112-3 Bogwang-ro, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, South Korea
Tel: +82 2-749-0660
Website: www.ms-clair.co.kr





Passion 5
Passion 5 is a space that combines a bakery, cake shop, chocolatier and gelateria all under the same roof. While their bread, chocolate and macarons are all something to die for, their calling card has always been their Japanese influenced pastries that are some of the most instagram worthy desserts in Seoul. Check out their snow white apple cake and more to make your trip to Itaewon even more memorable.

Address: 272 Itaewon-ro, Hannam-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, South Korea
Tel: +82 2-6207-1029
Website: www.spc.co.kr/spc/passion5/f1.spc





White Veil
While Lady M no longer has its presence in Seoul, long-time fans should be relieved that they can still get the same caliber of mille crêpes in Itaewon (at the very same location as the old Lady M Itaewon). For those who have grown tired of Lady M's original mille crêpes, come check out White Veil's extensive lineup of mille crêpes including tiramisu, marron, coconut and, cookie and cream.

Address: 127 Itaewon 1(il)-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, South Korea
Tel: +82 02-792-7707
Website: www.ladymkorea.kr





Glamorous Penguins
Tucked away at a little back alley off the main road near Hangangjin station, Glamorous Penguin is a small café with a big heart. They're very serious about their coffee and homemade cakes. Often making headlines are their red velvet cakes and carrot cakes which are some of the best ones in the business but if you happen to be in love with chiffon cakes, then you definitely can't go wrong with their earl grey chiffon cake, which is one of my personal favorites.

Address: 743-41, Hannam-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, South Korea
Tel: +82 070-7793-7178
Website: www.glamorouspenguin.com





Mafia Dessert
Situated on hilly Noksapyeong-daero 40-gil, Mafia Dessert is a popular dessert café that always draws a big crowd especially on the weekend. They are very famous for their signature tiramisu although I personally prefer their mille feuille and chocolate fondue cake with ice cream a bit more just for the fact that they're always on point.

Address: 451-7, Itaewon-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, South Korea
Tel: +82 02-1688-5166




Frank's
Frank's flagship store in Itaewon is not the easiest of all places to find but once you manage to locate it, you will be amazed with what they've got in store for you. They have a lot of outstanding items on their dessert menu but it was their acclaimed rainbow series, including the popular rainbow roll cake that put them on the map. Their rainbow roll cakes are freshly made twice a day (I was told 12:30 and 16:30) and normally gone within 15 to 30 minutes so adjust your travel plans accordingly!

Address: 258-228 Itaewon(2)-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, South Korea
Tel: +82 70-8156-5459
Website: www.facebook.com/paindefrank





ÉCLAIR by garuharu
Even before L'Éclair de Génie started making their expansion to Asia, éclairs with colorful toppings and fancy flavors are already available in Seoul courtesy of ÉCLAIR by garuharu. Opened in June 2014, this dessert spot on Gyeongnidan Street continues to dazzle locals and tourists with their growing list of innovative éclairs which currently includes hazelnut praline, coconut & mango and more.

Address: 247-9 Itaewon-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, South Korea
Tel: +82 2-337-8090
Website: www.garuharu.com






Bakehouse
Situated again on trendy Gyeongnidan Street (where else in Itaewon), Bakehouse is best known as a popular artisan bakery hidden in the basement level of a small complex but few are aware of the fact that they also have a cozy little dessert café on the ground floor. On top of the warm and inviting vibe, those with a sweet tooth will absolutely love their chiffon cakes (my favorites are their walnut banana and chocolate crunch chiffon) and strawberry souffle. 

Address: 1/F 251-63, Itaewon-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, South Korea
Tel: +82 02-796-7563





Sugar Lane
Back in May 2016, Sugar Lane became the first dessert shop in Seoul to focus on meringue desserts. Since then, they have evolved into more of a dessert bar that offers a wider variety of desserts including the always popular creme brulee and tiramisu. My personal favorite here is their pavlova with shaved pistachio which is both light and delicate.

Address: 341-6 Itaewon-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, South Korea
Tel: +82 02-790-5333
Website: www.sugarlane.co.kr




Gelati Gelati
Since taking over the space previously occupied by fellow artisanal gelateria Bastille, Gelati Gelati has quietly filled the void in Itaewon which was desperately missing a modern ice-cream parlour. Gelato lovers will always find a good mix of traditional and contemporary flavors here with crowd pleasers such as tiramisu, royal milk tea and salted peanut caramel but those who are more adventurous will find their rice and honey chestnut flavors even more pleasing.

Address: 118-19, Itaewon-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, South Korea
Tel: +82 02-790-3281
Website: www.facebook.com/Gelati-Gelati-311815495580392/






How to get there:
Take Subway Line 6 to Noksapyeong, Itaewon or Hangangjin station.