The espresso bar at Always August with a Synesso machine and grinder, round wood tables and a large vase of cherry blossom branches in the foreground

Seoul

37.5665° N, 126.9780° E

Korea's most demanding baristas roast and pour across Seongsu's warehouses, Mapo's backstreets and Hannam's concrete boxes, a specialty scene now as serious as Tokyo or Melbourne.

The espresso bar at Always August with a Synesso machine and grinder, round wood tables and a large vase of cherry blossom branches in the foreground

Always August

Mangwon-dong, near the market · Seoul

Swedish style roasteryBeans to go

The weathered white former shoe factory building with an upper terrace, ivy and a black steel door around a brick paved courtyard

Anthracite Coffee Hapjeong

Hapjeong-dong, near Hongdae · Seoul

former shoe factoryBeans to go

A long wooden bar with woven-seat stools lined up under floor to ceiling windows looking out on trees, exposed brick to one side

Anthracite Coffee Seogyo

Seogyo-dong, near Hongdae · Seoul

exposed brick industrialBeans to go

The white brick storefront of Bamaself with a green and white striped awning, a green framed glass door and an open sign on the pavement

Bamaself

Wonhyo-ro, Yongsan-gu · Seoul

Italian style espresso bargreen walls and red roaster

A barista pouring water over a row of white drippers on glass servers at Brewing Ceremony, with a brass roaster drum behind

Brewing Ceremony

Seongsu-dong, near Ttukseom Station · Seoul

tiny Seongsu filter barLa Marzocco GS3

Red brick storefront of Bunker Company with the number 23 address plaque, a lit BUNKER sign, and a mountain photo triptych beside the entrance

Bunker Company Apgujeong

Apgujeong Rodeo, Sinsa dong · Seoul

competition pedigree espresso barBeans to go

A sunlit plywood counter seating area beside a garden view window with cherry blossoms, a pastry display in the foreground

Café Namusairo

Naeja-dong, near Gyeongbokgung · Seoul

two decade hanok roasteryBeans to go

Camouflage Coffee

Seongsu-dong, near Seoul Forest · Seoul

minimal Seoul Forest cornerBeans to go

The brick storefront of Champ Coffee Roasters, a CHAMP COFFEE sign above an open door and a 2009 founding plaque beside a bench

Champ Coffee Itaewon

Itaewon, near Usadan-gil · Seoul

Seoul roasting pioneerBeans to go

The lit up brick storefront of Choiga Coffee Hall at dusk, a wooden Korean sign above the open counter and red iron chairs set out on the covered terrace beside the red front door

Choiga Coffee Hall

Hwayang dong, Konkuk Food Street · Seoul

Dutch coffee drip wallBeans to go

The ornate wood paneled interior of Coffee Hanyakbang, stained glass windows, a mother of pearl inlay counter and a pastry case

Coffee Hanyakbang

Euljiro, near Euljiro 3-ga Station · Seoul

old apothecary roasteryBeans to go

The renovated interior of Coffee Libre Yeonnam, exposed brick hung with colorful pop art masks above white cafe tables and a vaulted white ceiling

Coffee Libre Yeonnam

Yeonnam-dong, near Gyeongui Line Forest · Seoul

first Q grader roasteryBeans to go

A leather banquette and round tables inside Coffee M Stable, lit by a swing arm lamp beside a steel framed window looking onto a glass covered plant terrace

Coffee M Stable Cheongdam

Cheongdam dong · Seoul

hi fi listening bar coffeeBeans to go

A concrete stairway beside a leafy tree in the courtyard approach to Coffee Nap Roasters Seongsu, with the shop's sandwich board sign on the paving

Coffee Nap Roasters Seongsu

Seongsu-dong, off Seongsuil-ro · Seoul

Seongsu side streetBeans to go

The white gabled Coffee Nap Roasters corner house with a red brick base and a glass front opening onto a cobbled street

Coffee Nap Roasters Yeonnam

Yeonnam-dong · Seoul

red brick seating hillBeans to go

The open garage front of Doduk and Kyubum under a corrugated awning with colourful COFFEE letters, with people queuing and chatting outside on the pavement

Doduk and Kyubum

Sangsu-dong, near Hongdae · Seoul

converted former garagein house Probat roasting

A wooden dining table with glass top beside a shelf of natural wine bottles, ceramics and bagged coffee

Dorae Knot

Mangwon-dong · Seoul

vinyl and stone counterdual SSP grinder bar

A round wooden table and stools inside El Café, a striped dark wall and Korea Coffee Week posters beyond

El Café

Huam-dong, below Namsan · Seoul

Blue Ribbon roasteryBeans to go

The glass fronted room of Felt Coffee Cheonggyecheon at dusk, with red curtain walls, a long wooden counter and benches, seen from the street through open doors

Felt Coffee Cheonggyecheon

Mugyo-dong, near Cheonggye Plaza · Seoul

red curtain opera hallBeans to go

Open two level coffee bar at Fivebrewing's Bangbae headquarters, with grinders and espresso equipment on a wood counter beneath an open staircase

Fivebrewing Bangbae

Bangbae bon dong · Seoul

two level brewing headquartersBeans to go

Lit FIVEBREWING sign above a wood panelled coffee bar lined with grinders and espresso equipment, a barista working with her back to the camera

Fivebrewing Jamsil

Jamsil, Sincheon dong · Seoul

lit FIVEBREWING signage barBeans to go

Fritz Coffee Company Dohwa

Dohwa-dong, Mapo-gu · Seoul

hanok mansion courtyardBeans to go

The stone steps and ivy covered brick gateway leading to the hanok entrance of Fritz Coffee Wonseo, with the Korean shop sign on the gatepost

Fritz Coffee Wonseo

Wonseo-dong, near Changdeokgung · Seoul

courtyard hanok settingBeans to go

A triangular wooden shelving unit displaying retail coffee bags and boxes, a small round table and stools by the window behind

GML Coffee

Hannam-dong · Seoul

26 bean filter lineupBeans to go

The grey brick front of Gray Gristmill with a glowing house shaped doorway, a glass window with a wooden bench and the GRAY lettering on the wall

Gray Gristmill

Sinsa-dong, near Garosu-gil · Seoul

one barista per cupBeans to go

Interior of a restored hanok coffee shop with exposed wooden roof beams, empty wooden tables, and a glass fronted shelf of retail coffee bags along the wall

H Coffee Roasters Seochon

Seochon, Nuha dong · Seoul

hanok beam roastery showroomBeans to go

The wooden counter at Haero Coffee in warm lamplight, a barista in a cap behind a grinder, glass jars and a pastry case, carved floral panels on the front and leaves softly blurred in the foreground

Haero Coffee

Seongbuk dong, near Hyehwamun · Seoul

hanok courtyard coffee houseBeans to go

John Small Roastery

Yonggang-dong, Mapo-gu · Seoul

bright light wood roomroasting next door

Three wooden stools with coloured round tops in front of a curved leather bench, with sunlight and long shadows across the tiled floor at Kihara

Kihara

Hyochang Park area, Yongsan-gu · Seoul

hillside near Hyochang ParkFrukt coffee only

Two people talking on the window ledge seat of Knit Coffee under a cream awning, with potted trees and a glass fronted room behind them

Knit Coffee

Namsan foothills, near Seoul Station · Seoul

daytime Namsan cafeDogs on the terrace

The plywood framed front of Korz with its black rounded KORZ lettering, wall lights glowing on a grey wall and blond wood stools and benches

Korz

Hangangno-dong, near Samgakji Station · Seoul

Kyoto roasted coffeeBeans to go

Retail bags of Clarimento coffee lined up on a plywood and concrete block shelf above a row of V60 drippers

Lounge Clarimento

Seogyo-dong, near Hapjeong Station · Seoul

vintage airport loungepurple 70s interior

A view through an arched stone doorway into Lowkey's spacious room, wooden tables on the left and the espresso bar on the right

Lowkey Coffee Seongsu

Seongsu-dong, near Seongsu Station · Seoul

six location roasteryBeans to go

The white doorway under the Manufact Coffee Roasters sign opening onto a narrow concrete stairway, with a potted plant and an oversized red mug by the steps

Manufact Coffee Yeonhui

Yeonhui-dong, Seodaemun-gu · Seoul

second floor roasteryBeans to go

The Matt Cafe interior with a long wooden communal table, stepped seating lit from below and bamboo behind glass

Matt Cafe

Nonhyeon-dong, Gangnam · Seoul

La Marzocco headquartersBeans to go

Mesh Coffee

Seongsu-dong, near Seoul Forest · Seoul

warehouse pour over barBeans to go

Protokoll Yeonhui

Yeonhui dong · Seoul

architect designed brick facadeBeans to go

The dark brick corner storefront of Recovery Coffee Bar with black and white striped awnings and a disco ball hanging over the entrance

Recovery Coffee Bar

Seongsu-dong, near Ttukseom Station · Seoul

latte art champion ownerDog friendly

A pink origami dripper on a stand over a patterned porcelain server beside a white gooseneck kettle on the bar, with warm lights and glasses behind

Ruli Coffee

Myeongdong, Jung-gu · Seoul

rare Panama lotsstemware filter bar

The glass shopfront of Smallow Coffee and Roasters with its window lettering and a wooden trestle table outside holding a hand grinder, a kettle, a cup and an open sign

Smallow Coffee and Roaster

Seongsan-dong, near Yeonnam · Seoul

residential block roasterAillio roasting

A black espresso machine with a steam wand and drip tray at Tailor Coffee, with paper filters and glass drippers on the shelf and a barista's hands working behind

Tailor Coffee Sinsa

Sinsa-dong, near Garosu-gil · Seoul

Probat roasted in houseBeans to go

A pair of bean grinders on a wooden counter, a barista in motion behind them at the bar

Travertine

Hangang-ro, near Hannam Station · Seoul

La Cabra alumni roasteryBeans to go

The alley entrance to Tremor Coffee Works, a traditional tiled roof over a steel and glass door with the shop's sign lit above

Tremor Coffee Works

Seogyo-dong, near Hongdae · Seoul

five seat espresso barDog friendly

Brushed steel storefront of Upstanding Coffee with the shop name cut into the facade above the glass entrance, a price list and event poster visible through the window

Upstanding Coffee

Haebangchon, Yongsan dong 2 ga · Seoul

stainless steel Haebangchon facadespiral staircase three floors

A barista in a blue shirt stirring a steel milk jug beside two glass drippers full of ground coffee on a bar at Utility Coffee Roasters

Utility Coffee Roasters

Wonhyo-ro, Yongsan-gu · Seoul

independent micro roasterBeans to go

Your Home Coffee Roasters

Mullae dong, Mullae Changjak Chon art village · Seoul

championship roaster storefrontBeans to go