Dongyang Bakery Cafe
Standing tall where a salt farm used to be, Dongyang Bakery Cafe offers pastries and drinks derived from the expertise of some of South Korea’s best bakers and baristas.
Huge space with a touch of industrial vibes
Image credit: @dongyang_bakerycafe via Instagram
Sometimes you go out of your way to visit a cafe and find that it’s packed to the brim with other like-minded individuals, which means you either can’t find a seat or your relaxation time now has other people’s conversations as a backing track.
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Dongyang Bakery Cafe has 2 entire warehouse-sized buildings’ worth of space, so you won’t have to worry about finding a seat and peace here. The seats are also spaced out well to ensure that conversations remain private.
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The spacious interior is also decorated beautifully with different motifs. Different corners of the space have different themes, from pastel to forest themes, so you can choose a seat in a space that speaks to you most.
Image credit: @dongyang_bakerycafe via Instagram
Dongyang Bakery Cafe also has an outdoor area to lounge at, if you want to bask in the natural sunlight, or bring along your pet.
World-renowned baristas & chefs
Image credit: 메타세콰이어 via Naver
Even though the decor is great, you’ll want to visit Dongyang Bakery Cafe for its menu. The eatery employed not 1, but 4 renowned individuals in the pastry and coffee worlds to design their food and drinks offerings.
Image adapted from: 갱뿌 via Naver, 갱뿌 via Naver
The breads and pastries are designed by baker father-son duo, Lee Kwang Jik and Im Se Hoon.
Im Kwang Jik is the CEO of Haeundae Dalmaji Bread and Geumhwa Foods, and has completed many international baking courses held in countries such as Japan and France. Im Se Hoon is South Korea’s youngest baking master.
Image adapted from: 갱뿌 via Naver, 갱뿌 via Naver
Also, the drinks at Dongyang Bakery Cafe are designed by coffee masters Jo Yong Jae and Cha Mi Gyeong.
Both of them are representatives of Coffee Natural Specialty, and regularly hold brewing master classes. They have also won various brewing competitions, which speaks volumes about their skills and expertise.
Diverse selection of unique pastries
Image credit: @dongyang_bakerycafe via Instagram
Having spoken about the great baker minds behind the bread menu, the variety of bakes you can get here is staggering, to say the least.
Despite having been designed by masters, the bread and pastries remain rather affordable; each piece hardly goes above KRW7,000 (~USD4.80), and they are made using quality ingredients too.
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Some of their unique offerings include the Salt Baguette (KRW4,800, USD3.30) and Mammoth Bread (KRW6,300, ~USD4.40).
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Croissants are mainstays in bakeries, and Dongyang Bakery Cafe goes above and beyond with their Gorgonzola Croissant that sells for only KRW5,500 (~USD3.80).
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The cafe also has various desserts and treats such as tarts and cakes to offset the savoury breads and complement their drinks.
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Try their Chocolate Madeleines (KRW3,500, ~USD2.40 each), which are bite-sized chocolate pastries that people with a sweet tooth won’t want to miss out on.
Image credit: @dongyang_bakerycafe via Instagram
For beverages, check out their Iced Americano (KRW6,000, ~USD4.10) or Cream Latte (KRW9,000, ~USD6.20) that will complement their delicious pastries.
While slightly pricier on average compared to the breads, the coffees designed by 2 master brewers are definitely worth every cent you pay for them.
Getting to Dongyang Bakery Cafe
With its aesthetic and spacious seating, Dongyang Bakery Cafe is the perfect cafe to drop by and wind down if you’re in the Incheon area. The good food that come with wallet-friendly prices and good views it offers will make your visit a memorable one.
How to get there:
- From East Incheon Station, take bus 306 at the roundabout outside Exit 4 for 32 stops.
- Alight at Seorimmok stop and turn right at the road junction.
- Dongyang Bakery Cafe should be on your right.
Address: 922-1, Nambuk-dong, Jung-gu, Incheon
Opening hours: 10am-9pm, Daily
Contact: 0507-1436-0901 | Instagram
Note that the last order is at 8.30pm.
Avid cafe-hoppers who are looking for unique cafes to visit during their time in South Korea should check out the daisy paradise Mahogany Coffee, Angelinus Island with a stunning view of cherry blossoms, and Happy Bear Day cafe that sells adorable desserts. Not to forget, Gwendo is a cafe that delivers your coffee on a conveyor belt, while Nakwon Station at Ikseon-dong has a real train track within the premise.
Cover image adapted from: @dongyang_bakerycafe via Instagram, @dongyang_bakerycafe via Instagram, @dongyang_bakerycafe via Instagram