Korean café culture guide: themed cafés, study cafés, ordering and etiquette

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Korea has an extraordinary number of cafés. Many Koreans spend more time in cafés than in each other's homes, using them to meet friends, study, work and date. For a visitor they are rest stops, sights and photo spots all in one.

Kinds of café

Chain cafés: Korean and international brands on almost every street, reliable and open late.
Independent design cafés: converted houses, warehouses and rooftops with striking interiors. Many visitors plan routes around them.
Bakery cafés: large cafés baking their own bread and pastries, sometimes in out-of-town buildings people drive to at weekends.
Themed cafés: animal cafés, character cafés, board game cafés and cafés tied to a K-pop idol's birthday event, which fans decorate for a few days.
Hanok cafés: traditional houses turned into cafés, common in Ikseon-dong, Bukchon and Jeonju.
Traditional tea houses: serving Korean teas and sweets rather than coffee.
Study cafés: quiet spaces with individual desks rented by the hour or by pass. They are for silent study, not for chatting, and many run on self-service kiosks.

A note on animal cafés: Korea has restricted cafés that keep wild animals such as raccoons and meerkats. Cafés with dogs and cats remain common. Choose places that clearly look after their animals.

How ordering works

Find a seat first if the café is busy, especially at weekends. Leaving a bag on a chair is common.
Order and pay at the counter or a kiosk. Many kiosks have an English option.
You are usually asked whether it is for here or to take away. Many cafés serve dine-in drinks in mugs or glasses.
Take a buzzer, or watch the screen for your number.
Collect your order at the pick-up counter.
When you leave, take your tray and cups to the return counter. Some cafés ask you to separate ice, liquid and rubbish.

Etiquette and unwritten rules

Order at least one drink per person. Many cafés post this on the door.
Long laptop sessions are normal at chains but less welcome in small independent cafés at busy times.
Some cafés set a time limit at weekends.
Some cafés are no-kids zones, which is displayed at the entrance.
Keep voices down in study cafés and quieter cafés.
Leaving your phone or laptop on the table while you visit the toilet is common in Korea, but use your own judgement.
Free Wi-Fi is usual; the password is often on the receipt or a sign.

What to order

Iced Americano is the default all year round, even in winter.
Seasonal specials appear on every menu: strawberry drinks in winter and spring, bingsu and fruit ades in summer.
Latte variations with grains, sweet potato or injeolmi.
Dessert is half the point: croffles, cakes, salt bread, bingsu. See our Korean desserts guide.

Opening hours

Chain cafés generally open early and close late. Independent cafés often open late in the morning, and many close one day a week. Some popular cafés open only on certain days or close for private events. Check Naver Map, which usually lists hours and days off, before a special trip. Many cafés stop taking orders shortly before closing.

Where to go

Seongsu-dong: converted factories, roasters, bakery cafés and pop-up stores.
Yeonnam-dong: small cafés along the Gyeongui Line Forest Park.
Ikseon-dong: hanok cafés in narrow alleys near Jongno.
Gangneung's Anmok coffee street: cafés facing the sea.

Our guide to Hongdae, Yeonnam and Seongsu covers those neighbourhoods in more detail, and our Gangneung guide covers the coast.

Tips

Weekends are crowded everywhere; visit popular cafés on weekday mornings.
Some cafés have waiting lists through an app or a tablet at the door.
Photography is generally welcome, but ask before photographing staff or other customers.

What is the best café you have found in Korea? Share the area and what to order, or ask for recommendations, in the comments.