South Korea Food
I love coffee. I really do. There’s nothing like that first sip of a warm latte on a cold winter morning. It almost feels like a warm hug. But have you ever tried starting your day with matcha? Better yet, have you ever tried starting your day in Seoul by visiting a matcha cafe?
A matcha latte can feel equally comforting as a cappuccino. However, I have to admit that it took me a few tries until I got used to its flavor. After this somewhat interesting initial phase, there was no going back. I was hooked!
I’m a huge fan of matcha. I love a warm matcha latte, a cold foam matcha drink, a nitro matcha, a lavender matcha, you name it. When I start my mornings with this wonderful green tea beverage, I feel less anxious, and my energy levels last a lot longer.
And the good thing is that when on vacation in South Korea, I don’t need to change anything about my matcha routine. Seoul has many incredible matcha cafes. But there’s a specific one, from a specific brand, that is considered the most popular one for a reason. In case you are not familiar with it, let me start by introducing you to the brand: Osulloc.
Osulloc is the most famous premium tea brand in South Korea and their tea is produced in Jeju Island. You can find their matcha cafe locations all throughout Seoul. This post is all about the Osulloc matcha cafe locations I have visited in South Korea so far.
Osulloc Tea House Seongsu-dong
I visited the Osulloc Tea House in Seongsu-dong in October of 2022. This matcha cafe is located on the 2nd floor of the Amore Pacific store. Let me tell you, what a wonderful thing it is to fuel before shopping. This matcha cafe is quite compact when compared to the other ones I have visited. However, it has a rooftop that makes it stand out.
If you’re not familiar with Seoungsu-dong, it is a trendy industrial area with many interesting cafes, restaurants, stores, galleries, and even a beautiful park called Seoul Forest. Needless to say that sipping your matcha drink at the Osulloc Tea House rooftop just makes you feel extra cool.
I ordered a cold foam matcha drink with boba balls and the barista even added some cute art on top. Because it was a beautiful and sunny fall day, I sat on the rooftop to enjoy my matcha drink while catching up on some vitamin D.
After enjoying my delicious matcha beverage, of course I did some shopping. I purchased the OSULLOC Matcha Powder, the OSULLOC Tangerine Blossom Tea, the OSULLOC Honey Pear Tea and a box of the Osulloc To-Go Matcha Sticks. I also bought a couple of the OSULLOC Thank You Tea Boxes to give as gifts to friends and family.
The box of the Osulloc To-Go Matcha Sticks is one of my favorite products from this brand. When prepared with warm oat milk, it becomes a delicious creamy drink sent from the Gods.
When you visit Seongsu-dong, I highly recommend visiting this Osulloc location, sipping some drinks at their rooftop, and buying some tea to bring back home. The OSULLOC Thank You Tea Box not only is beautiful, but it also has a great selection of their most popular teas. It makes a great and meaningful gift from South Korea.
Osulloc Tea House Seongsu-dong :
7 Achasan-ro 11-gil, Seongdong-gu, Seoul, South Korea
They are open Tuesday through Sunday 10:30am to 8:30pm
Osulloc Tea House Bukchon
In May of 2023, I visited the Osulloc Tea House Bukchon location. As the name suggests, it’s across from one of the entrances of the famous Bukchon Hanok Village. The building is very modern even though everything around it has a more traditional Korean architectural style. There is a beautiful Zen Garden near the entrance where a lot of people stop for pictures. I visited this matcha cafe on a weekend, so it was very busy.
A store is located on the ground floor of the building and it is a great place to buy some gifts to bring back home. There is a Tea Lounge on the 2nd floor, where people can enjoy their tea sets; a Tea Room on the 3rd floor, where people can take brewing classes; and the Bar Sulloc on the 4thfloor, where people can try non-alcoholic tea drinks, desserts and even ice cream while enjoying the view. On the 4th floor, there are options to sit both indoors and outdoors.
After a little bit of shopping, I headed upstairs to the Bar Sulloc, where I ordered a mouthwatering cold matcha latte with oat milk. I sat on a small table outside to enjoy my drink and the beautiful view.
At their store, I got the OSULLOC Premium Matcha Powder, 2 boxes of the Osulloc To-Go Matcha Sticks (as mentioned above, one of my favorite products), and a box of the Osulloc Jeju Green Tea Chocolate Bar, which is another gift sent from heaven. Other than that, I purchased some boxes of the OSULLOC Naturally Sweet Cold Tea Sachets, in all four different flavors, both for myself and as gifts.
I definitely recommend a visit to this relaxing and unique matcha cafe location. It’s a great place to fuel before or after walking around the Bukchon Hanok Village.
Osulloc Tea House Bukchon:
45 Bukchon-ro, Gahoe-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea
They are open Monday through Thursday 11am to 9pm, and Friday t through Sunday 11am to 10pm
Osulloc 1979 Flagship Store
In September of 2023, I visited the Osulloc 1979 Flagship Store location in Yongsan-gu. The cafe can be found in one of the entrances of the Amore Pacific World HQ.
The building is absolutely gorgeous. It is very modern and it has a lot of options for activities inside: the more casual Osulloc cafe, the more traditional Osulloc cafe – where you can try their high tea sets, the Amore Pacific store, the Innisfree store, some restaurants, and even the Amore Pacific Museum of Art.
The more casual matcha cafe is located on the 1st floor, across from the more traditional one. However, in order to have a traditional high tea experience, you need to make a reservation in advance.
I was happy to enjoy a warm oat matcha latte and a matcha sunshine cake at the more casual cafe. The dessert was a limited edition squared shaped cake that when cut in half, revealed a rising sun. There were four different layers inside the cake and the sun had a tangerine flavor. It was delicious, refreshing and a great complement to the drink.
This time around I purchased a few boxes of the Osulloc Jeju Green Tea Chocolate Bar. And by a few, I mean eight – one for each month until my next visit. I also got a box of the Osulloc Green Tea Covered Almonds, a box of the Osulloc Matcha Cookies, and a box of the OSULLOC Green Tea Latte Double Shot.
Osulloc 1979 Flagship Store:
South Korea, Seoul, Yongsan-gu, Hangang-daero, 100, 아모레퍼시픽 빌딩 1층
They are open Monday through Friday 10am to 7pm, and Saturdays and Sundays 11am to 8pm
The Best Matcha Cafe
On your next visit to Seoul, you will find many delicious matcha cafes that will give you enough energy to walk around the city all day long. Just make sure to stop by at least one of the Osulloc Tea House locations when you are in South Korea. You will understand why they are considered the best cafe for any and all matcha lovers.
I became a big fan of the Osulloc Tea House. They offer a great selection of teas and matcha products. If you love matcha flavored desserts, whenever you visit one of the Osulloc Tea House locations in South Korea, grab at least one box of the Osulloc Jeju Green Tea Chocolate Bar. Thank me later!
My much loved recommendations can also be found here.
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