Always August

Always August started in Daegu and has since become a name recognized well beyond that city, with the Mangwon-dong room sitting on a quiet residential street a short walk from Mangwon Market and Mangwon Station. Plants, ceramics and warm wood furniture fill a space that reads more like a living room than a roastery outlet, and the shop splits its bean list between its own roasts and blends partnered with Coffee Libre, one of Korea's founding specialty coffee names.

Pour overs come with a printed brewing guide so a first time visitor can recreate the cup at home, and the dessert case changes with the seasons alongside the coffee list. The cafe keeps a small outdoor terrace where dogs are welcome, and closes on Sundays.