Bamaself

Bamaself is a small Italian style espresso bar on a side street in Yongsan, a few minutes on foot from Namyeong Station. The front is painted white brick with a green and white striped awning and a green framed glass door, so it is easy to walk past. Inside, the walls are deep green, the counter is bright yellow and a cherry red roaster stands in full view, a nostalgic room in contrast to the stark white of many cafes.

The drinks follow the traditional Italian approach, with espresso pulled on a two group Faema E61 and a rotating siphon program for filter coffee. The bar opens at ten and closes at six on most days. It is closed on Thursdays, and on Wednesdays it keeps a short midday window from eleven to half past two, so it is worth checking the day before making the trip.