Pour-over coffee, hand-brewed or hand-drip coffee. The rich flavor of hand-drip coffee, which takes a longer time to extract all the flavor and oil from the powder than coffee made quickly by a machine, is hard to go back to once you know it. Here are eight of the best places for hand-drip coffee in Seoul.
1. Anthracite
A renovated former factory in Hapjeong was the start of Anthracite. With branches in Yeonhee , Seogyo , Hannam, and Jeju, it has become a favorite hangout for locals and a haven for coffee lovers. The hand-drip cafe emphasizes the coffee-making process and even hosts coffee cupping sessions to explain the journey from bean to cup.
📍Yeonhee, Seogyo, Hannam, and Hapjeong, Seoul │ Jeju Island
2. Lowkey
With three branches in the neighborhood, this hand-drip powerhouse is a stalwart of Seongsu-dong. All of their coffee is roasted in-house, and they are so confident in their beans that they offer a subscription service to locals. They are especially known for their savory lattes, and they also offer a sensory class for those who are serious about coffee. They also sell capsules for machines, cold brew bottled coffee, and more.
📍 Seoul Seongsu, Seongsu Hayground, Songjeong, Yeoksam, Yeonhee
3. NamuSairo
Opened in 2002, Namusairo has been around since the days when hand-drip coffee was a rarity. They constantly visit coffee farms in Ethiopia, Guatemala, and other countries to secure good ingredients. If you’re not sure what to choose from the many varieties of beans they’ve developed, ask for a recommendation. If you share even vaguely similar tastes, you can’t go wrong. Drip bags are also available, and there is a coffee bar in Bundang called Picnic Among the Trees.
📍 Seoul Sajik │ Gyeonggi Bundang
4. Terra Rosa
The pioneer of Korean coffee roasteries that made Gangneung a coffee destination. It’ s Terrarosa. You used to have to travel to Gangneung to get a taste of their coffee, but now you can find them all over Seoul. This is another brand that takes great care in the production process from fruit to tea, and the beans are roasted at their headquarters in Gangneung. There are also breads and desserts to go with your coffee.
📍Seoul Gwanghwamun, National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art Seoul, Cheonggye Plaza, Seogyo, Arts Center, POSCO Center, COEX, Yangjae, Gildong │ Gyeonggi Seojong │ Gangneung
5. Café Libre
Our last stop is Café Libre, famous for its iconic masks. The Yeonnam branch, which is said to be the branch that popularized Coffee Libre, has a nostalgic atmosphere reminiscent of an old Korean medicine clinic. They update their bean list weekly and also sell capsules for machines.
📍 Yeonnam, Blue, Myeongdong Cathedral, Seoul, Times Square