One of Seoul’s oldest neighbourhoods, the old-school Ikseon-dong is a must-visit for those with a penchant for the past. Besides the Bukchon Hanok Village, Ikseon-dong is also home to the maze-like Hanok Street, where you’ll find numerous cafes and bars. One such cafe is Nakwon Station, a novel cafe designed to look like a retro train station.
Image credit: @cafe_travelive
Like other establishments in the area, Nakwon Station bears the hallmarks of a traditional hanok house, which were carefully preserved throughout the years.
Video adapted from: @so.so.ilsang
As the cafe is designed to look like an old-school train station, the first thing you’d see at the entrance of Nakwon Station is a retro train announcement panel that displays their logo.
Image credit: @020407.bang
Almost every spot in Nakwon Station can be an OOTD spot, but the most popular one has got to be the train tracks – complete with real gravel, rocks, and plants – in the middle of the cafe.
Image adapted from: @kj_seoul_cafe, @yoon_212
Overall, Nakwon Station’s wood-filled interior and plants makes it a great place to wind down with your friends over a nice cuppa and desserts.
Video adapted from: @y__ong.chu__
One of the most exciting things about Nakwon Station is their dessert conveyor belt. Similar to what you’d see in a conveyor belt sushi restaurant, the plates of desserts go round and round, ready to be picked up by a diner. Though conveyor belt restaurants aren’t anything new, the novelty of seeing the carousel only being filled with desserts is exciting to many diners.
Image credit: 블리윤
We recommend one of the bestsellers, Earl Grey Chocolate Cake (KRW8,000, ~USD5.55), which consists of strong Earl Grey and sweet chocolate cream sandwiched between layers of cake.
Image credit: @ming.__.g
Another must-try dessert is the Green Grass Cake (KRW8,000, ~USD5.55). Despite its name, the cake isn’t actually grass-flavoured.
Image credit: 쿠키네마미손
It is a green tea-flavoured cake with chocolate sponge layers and a generous topping of fresh cream and green tea powder. The balance of bitter and sweet flavours makes it perfect for all green tea lovers.
Image credit: 유니
Don’t miss out on Nakwon Station’s interesting beverages, which are just as mouth-watering as their desserts. Instead of ordering a basic Americano or latte, try Nakwon Station’s signature drink, Maple Cream Coffee (KRW7,200, ~USD4.99). The drink is also known as the Coal Coffee – for some reason – and consists of espresso, milk, and faintly sweet maple-flavoured cream.
Image credit: @yupol_
Another customer favourite is the Peanut Cream Latte (KRW7,200, ~USD4.99) which is made with peanut cream, espresso and milk, and topped with crumbly peanut-flavoured streusel.
Image adapted from: @delicious_whisky_mania
Nakwon Station’s drink menu is fairly extensive – other than coffee, tea, and lemonades, there is also alcohol such as red and white wine, champagne, and bottled beer. Nakwon Station is an all-day cafe and bar, so you can get coffee and alcohol anytime throughout the day.
Image credit: @kkkkkkkkkkkkam
Nakwon Station is located in Ikseon-dong Hanok Street, where you can also find exciting fortune-telling capsule machines and a stretch of restaurants selling delicious food from a plethora of countries.
How to get there:
Address: 33-5 Supyo-ro 28-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul
Opening hours: 11.30am-10.30pm, Daily
Contact: 02-763-1112 | Instagram
Also check out:
Cover image adapted from: @cara.0n, @yoojinoh0127, @ming.__.g
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