Top 10 Brunch Places in Seoul

Korea’s food and dining culture is blooming, with more local dishes to taste than you can even imagine. From street food, to chain restaurants there is no end to the great food options you can find!

However, sometimes you’re craving a wholly unique kind of meal. On these occasions the usual options just won’t quite cut it.

Sometimes it’s Sunday and you want nothing more but to fill your stomach with some carbs, eggs, and bacon. That’s when you’ll be calling your friends to hit the streets for brunch!

South Korea has more to offer than you think. Why stick to your regular Western style brunch with pancakes and omelets, when Korea does fusion SO well. Yes, you can also find amazing brunch in Seoul indeed!

Here are the ten best Seoul brunch places in no particular order. Which one will you be visiting this upcoming Sunday?

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#1 Gunja : Cook The Bread

Perhaps a brunch in a hotel you’ve never heard of, by a station you hardly ever hear of, isn’t the brunch you ever expected to have? But Cook The Bread, by The Designers Hotel in Gunja, is the kind of brunch that will definitely surprise you. This small bakery and café offers several interesting options on its brunch menu, with the morning muffin being our recommendation. Move over McDonald’s Breakfast Menu, for the best morning muffin in town can be found right here! Served with a patty, tomato, and fried egg on top, plus cheese sauce, steamed mushrooms, greens and mashed potatoes on the side, it’s a brunch that leaves you satisfied but not too stuffed to enjoy the rest of your meals on that day.

#2 Seoul Forest : Chedda & Oli

When you’re busy frolicking around the big forest standing in the middle of Seoul, you’re also bound to get your tummy rumbling with hunger. That’s one reason why it’s so great that Chedda & Oli is located right by the outskirts of the forest; but definitely not the only reason, for its food tastes amazing as well! Their Caesar salad is absolutely divine, and their sandwiches – especially the chilli shrimp one – will legitimately make you sad once you’ve finished the last piece because it’s so good you wish you could just keep going on and on eating!

#3 Gangnam etc : Butterfinger Pancakes

Looking for a more basic style of breakfast and brunch? Then this is THE place! The franchise can be found all around Seoul, offering pancakes, waffles, and other types of brunches. We do recommend trying out their sandwiches, too, however, as they are surely what you’d call delicious enough to send your stomach on a trip to paradise!

#4 Dongdaemun : Café Majo & Sady

If you can bare to eat a pancake with a cute cartoon character on it, Café Majo & Sady, located just a few minutes away from Dongdaemun History & Culture Park Station, is your perfect choice. The brunch is similar to Butterfinger Pancakes, but the layout of the pancakes is the twist. In addition it is also a dessert café with all sorts of chocolate-y treats and beverages for you to fall in love with.

#5 Konkuk University : Indigo Place

Some of you probably would love the idea of combining a more Scandinavian-style pancake with some scrambled eggs, and Indigo Place will deliver! Not only that, but their burgers are also an amazing alternative for brunch if you’re not feeling like having it the regular ol’ way. The terrace and rooftop areas make it the perfect spot when the weather allows, and it’s quiet enough to also make for a great study spot if you’re busy cramming for an upcoming exam but also finding yourself in need of food.

#6 Gyungridangil : Bimbom

Up on a hill rests a brunch place that really is worth the hike up – and more! To get the absolute best deal, go for their brunch set menu, offered in a layered high tea setting style. The bacon crepe is divine, the French toast will leave you wanting more, and the eggs benedict is to die for!

#7 Apgujeong : My Song

Their extensive brunch menu will take you ten minutes just to choose which one of their salivating dishes you’d like to fill your stomach with each time you go; because you’ll definitely want to visit more than once! This brunch spot is especially an egg lover’s paradise, tucked away in a quiet location with a European interior and a terrace for the summer season’s brunches.

#8 Songdo, Incheon : Grow

OK, we’re cheating here just a teensy bit since this brunch spot is actually not located in Seoul – though it is perfectly accessible on the metropolitan subway line – but bear with us, it’s most definitely a brunch place you will not want to miss out on! It might seem silly at first to travel up to 2 hours on the subway to get to a brunch cafe known for salads, but their dishes are some of the most creative and delicious ones you’ll ever come across, while simultaneously remaining healthy and affordable.

#9 Gyeongbokgung Station : Cafe Doum

The area nearby Gyeongbok Palace, on the opposite side of where Insadong is located in, likely isn’t the first neighborhood you’d ever think to dine in. However, if you’re willing to make the trek, you’ll not only get the delight of walking through a new neighborhood, one that’s bustling and yet so peaceful, but you’ll come across several cafes that could take your breath away. Cafe Doum in particular will sweep you off your feet if you give it a go! Their food menu consists of paninis and croissants, and whichever item you choose you’re guaranteed to be happy by the end of your meal. And if you’ve always wanted to get the opportunity to try fresh vegetable juice, especially the kind that is more or less creative, these beautiful and tasty juices are like custom made for you!

#10 Konkuk University Star City Mall : BRCD

This is where you’ll want to go when you want to indulge in a brunch with a twist! The omelet, the fries, the bread, and the salad are all absolutely delicious. To top it off, why not wash it down with a mocha stout, or try one of their other dishes like steaks or fried rice? And if you still somehow have space left in your stomach after the great meal, their tarts and tiramisu desserts are to die for.

Did we miss your favorite brunch restaurant? Is there another hidden gem in Seoul just waiting to be discovered? If you know of one then be sure to share with us in the comments below!

Aren’t you just getting excited to get some brunch in Seoul now? While you wait for your next brunchscapade to arrive, why not pass the time by learning Hangul with this fun 90 Minute Challenge? You’ll be reading Korean menus in no time!

Photo Credit: BigStockPhoto // Laura Töyrylä