Instagram is the main way that I find cafés to visit here in Seoul, and Cafe Skön was one of those ‘gram spots that I immediately put on my list. Located in the popular Yeonnam-dong neighbourhood that is rife with great restaurants and cafés to stop at, Cafe Skön caught my eye with its cute, photogenic drinks and snacks. So, while I had my mum visiting, I stopped by to see for myself if it really was as good as had been professed on social media.
Cafe Skön is just a stone’s throw away from a whole host of popular cafés such as the super-famous Café Greem (previously Cafe 연남동 239-20) and the scandi-retro Stamp Coffee. However, even with such good competition around, Cafe Skön stands out all by itself, with its beautiful, spacious building, great tasting menu and picture-worthy presentation to match. Said menu offers cute but quality desserts including their Insta-famous cheeky cookie, and a moist lemon-shaped lemon cake among other things.
As per their name, Cafe Skön is known for its scone plate, but scroll through its hashtag and you’ll know the British classic is not the cafés standout star. The key menu item is most definitely the decorated cookie. This funny little chap is a large walnut and chocolate chip cookie decorated with curious eyes and a cheeky smile, and he tastes AMAZING. After trying it, it was no surprise to me why they had these stacked up in the simply-labelled ‘COOKIE’ boxes – they’re the best for both the taste buds and social media. (Easy marketing, amirite?)
As for the drinks, they don’t let the side down. Cafe Skön has a drinks list to rival its desserts, and the quality to match. The special is called the triple crunch – an einspänner with a salted caramel cream on the top – and the place is also popular for its milk tea.
Besides catering to the foodies, Cafe Skön also offers something for the stationery hoarders in the form of a decently sized selection of stickers, sticky notes and other pretty office supplies. (It took a lot of self-restraint to not buy any new paper tapes and postcards while I was there!) Couple this shop with their sleek but friendly décor, and the whole atmosphere of the place is simple and cool but welcoming.
Café Skön is three floors of friendly vibes and funky stationery, with a menu to match. Their cheeky little cookie is one to beat, and its location makes it perfect for part of a café tour of Yeonnam-dong.
Opening hours: Every day 10:00 – 22:00.
How to get there: Line 2, Gyeongui-Jungang, Airport Railroad, Hongdae station, exit 3.
Address: 239-4 Yeonnam-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul. / 172 Seongmisan-ro, Mapo-gu, Seoul.
Visit their Instagram: @cafe_skon
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