Cafe Comma Hongdae (Seoul, SOUTH KOREA) ★★★☆☆

For the longest time, Hongdae was a staple in our itinerary whenever we visited Seoul; however, it seemed to have quietly faded from our travel radar in recent years. Perhaps this was the right time for a proper revisit. After all, the vibrant neighborhood was once one of the busiest shopping areas in the city before the pandemic.

I have already booked our lunch venue nearby via Catchtable so we have some gotten ourselves some spare time for a quick drink before lunch. To make the most of our free time, I decided to take the family to Cafe Comma, a much-loved café near Hongik University Station known for its cozy charm and excellent coffee.

I had previously read about Cafe Comma’s collaboration with Pâtisserie Yann Couvreur, offering exquisite French pastries right here in Hongdae. Unfortunately, it turns out that the partnership ended a couple of years ago (along with the presence of Yann Couvreur in Seoul). A bit of a downer for me.

It’s not difficult to see why the cafe has been so popular among local Seoulists. The bookstore-inspired decor is always a crowd-pleaser and the sun-drenched interiors create an inviting atmosphere just perfect for unwinding.

Gelato watermelon smoothie (₩7,500) – I swear it felt more like 35 degrees than 31 as reported. So, a frosty and thirst-quenching drink is exactly what the doctor orders.

This is like having watermelon flavored shaved ice with a scoop of vanilla gelato on top. Definitely cool us instantly.

Black sesame cream latte (₩7,000) – This came with really deep nutty flavors.

It has the Cafe Comma right on top. ❛❛❛

Everyone got the promised 20 minutes of Me Time mostly just scrolling through our smartphones and soaking up the vibe. Now, we’re ready to hit our lunch spot which fortunately isn’t too far away. 

Food Rating: 6/10

Price: ₩₩₩

Address: 153-32 Donggyo-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul, South Korea

Closest Metro Station: Hongik University

Tel: +82 2-322-4469

Website: https://cafecomma.com/

Opening Hours: 10:00am - 10:00pm daily