A Caffeine Haven: Caffe 꽃을 피우고

What if I told you that there was a place that had a course menu with no food on it? You’d probably think I was crazy.  Being of sound mind, I can assure you there is such a place… a haven for coffee lovers if you will.

Caffe 꽃을 피우고, which roughly translates to “the flower blooms,” specializes in hand drip coffee, using coffee beans they roast right there in the cafe. However, this isn’t the most interesting thing they have to offer. The real drawing point would definitely be their 3 course coffee menu.

Upon entering the cafe, you are greeted by the friendly staff of male baristas and escorted to a table. Once you have been seated and have a moment to look at your menu, a sharply dressed barista will come to take your order. Shortly after, you are brought the “Appetizer” coffee, which is a hot dutch coffee served in an espresso cup.

Once you are finished, the barista will return to see if you are ready to receive your “Main” coffee, which is the hand drip coffee of your choice. I settled on a caramel macchiato, which turned out to be one of the best I’ve ever had in Seoul. It had a nice aroma and was a lovely balance of coffee and caramel flavor.

The staff is very attentive, and is always on the look out to see if you’re ready for your next course. However, they never want to rush you, so if you need more time all you have to do is say so and they’ll come back later. Finally, once you are ready, you are given the “Dessert” coffee, which is an iced dutch coffee served in a martini glass.

Now I know what you’re thinking, “A course serving of coffee in 강남 (Gangnam), how much is that going to cost me?!?” Actually, no more than anywhere else. You pay for your “Main” coffee and the other two are included. Drink prices range from ₩5,000~₩8,000. Their premium hand drip coffees are a bit on the steeper side, but if you like to keep it simple like me, it’s only ₩6,500 for a caramel macchiato. 3 cups of coffee for ₩6,500? Yes please!

The overall design of the cafe reminds me of a speakeasy with its faded brick interior and muted yellow, red and brown color scheme all trimmed in a sleek black. A long wooden bar serves as a working space for the sharply dressed male baristas, while the rest of the cafe is filled with casual wooden tables and chairs and potted plants. This dimly lit place of casual elegance is everything you’d expect from 강남 (Gangnam)… classy, chic and populated with the fashionably dressed business men and women of Seoul.

The experience is actually quite nice, like fine dining, but with coffee and well worth the price. It’s a great place to sit back and relax or enjoy the company of a friend, while feeling super fancy. So, the next time you’re in 강남 (Gangnam) and in need of a caffeine fix you should definitely stop by Caffe 꽃을 피우고. You’ll be glad that you did.