Cafeography
Seoul · Jamsil & Seokchon Lake

Cafés in Jamsil & Seokchon Lake

Lakeside cafés around Seokchon Lake, the Songnidan-gil lanes in Songpa-dong and coffee under Lotte World Tower.

Photo: Constantine Kim, Pexels License

Jamsil used to be an island. A great flood in 1520 cut a new channel and left it between the Songpa River and the Sincheon; Seoul began damming the Songpa River in 1971 and finished the landfill in June 1978, and what remained of the channel is Seokchon Lake (석촌호수).1

Lotte World Tower now stands over it, 555 m and 123 floors, opened on 3 April 2017 at Olympic-ro 300.2 South of the lake's eastern half, Songnidan-gil (송리단길) blends Songpa-dong with Itaewon's Gyeongnidan-gil.36 It was quiet housing until cafés and restaurants began to arrive, and the name dates from about late 2017.3

Local tip: In blossom season, take your coffee from the lanes south of the lake, on Baekjegobun-ro 41-gil or 45-gil, then carry it to the water. Riff Coffee Bar on 43-gil opens at 10:00.

At a glance

132Cafés listed
12With opening hours
07:00Earliest opening
22:00Latest closing
  • Opens earliest: 에스오엠(SOM), from 07:00 (Daily 07:00–22:00).
  • Closes latest: Riff Coffee Bar, until 22:00 (Daily 10:00–22:00).
  • Most common features: wi-fi (7%), open late (7%), specialty (7%).

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Coffee chains in Jamsil & Seokchon Lake

Chain

Mega MGC Coffee 메가커피

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Starbucks

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Ediya Coffee 이디야커피

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A Twosome Place 투썸플레이스

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Getting to Jamsil and Seokchon Lake

Jamsil station, on Lines 2 and 8, is the stop for the tower.2 In 2024 it was Seoul Metro's busiest, with 156,177 passengers a day, helped by its underground transfer center, the Line 8 extension to Byeollae and, the city suggests, a record baseball season.4 Seokchon station on Line 9 is the other way in: exit 1 is about 490 m from Seokchonhosu-ro 258, on the lake's café street.5

Songnidan-gil and its numbered lanes

The lanes took the overflow when the cafés along the main road could no longer hold the lake's visitors.3 Rents followed: in 2018 a shop of about 33 m² was paying ₩1.3–1.5 million a month, up from ₩800,000–900,000 a year earlier.3

Baekjegobun-ro (백제고분로) and its numbered lanes have the most cafés in the area. On 41-gil, Coffeeyah is at no. 22, with outdoor seats, Blue Whale at no. 31 and Bewitched Espresso Bar at no. 36, with Antique Coffee at 21-16. Riff Coffee Bar on 43-gil opens daily 10:00–22:00. On 45-gil, One The Other at no. 29 keeps 11:00–22:00, and 이월 로스터스 at no. 14 and 호이안로스터리 at 3-18 both roast specialty coffee.

Seokchon Lake and the blossom crush

The cherry trees came with the lake park: by 2007 Songpa District had planted 592 king cherries and 320 weeping and wild cherries, and residents donated about 300 more.1 The blossom road runs 2.5 km.1 The 2025 festival, on 2–13 April, drew about 8.62 million visits, so plan for crowds that fortnight.1

On Seokchonhosu-ro (석촌호수로), Knickerbocker Bagel at no. 268 has Wi-Fi and outdoor seats and opens 09:00–18:00 on weekdays, 09:00–19:00 at weekends. Wicker Park at no. 298 keeps 12:00–22:00 daily, also with outdoor seats, and 서정적살롱 is at no. 274. On Seokchonhosu-ro 18-gil, Workers Coffee Roasters serves specialty coffee.

Roasters beyond the lake

Songpa's roasters spread well past the water. 푸가 커피 로스터스 is at Olympic-ro 35-gil 124, 신양로스터스 at Ogeum-ro 18-gil 3, 일리 로스터스 (一理 Roasters) at Songpa-daero 40-gil 9 and 이로리로스터스 on Baekjegobun-ro 18-gil. 기투커피로스터스 and 넬 쿠오레 델 카페 커피 로스터스 are in Bangi-dong.

Otter at Songpa-daero 458 has Wi-Fi and outdoor seats and opens 11:00–20:00 Tuesday to Sunday. Near the tower, Billy Angel is at Olympic-ro 240 and Sky Friends Cafe (스카이 프렌즈 카페) inside no. 300.

First and last coffee in Jamsil

에스오엠 (SOM) in Samjeon-dong starts early, daily 07:00–22:00. 레드브릭175, a bakery at Baekjegobun-ro 175, opens 09:00–21:00. Many cafés here close at 22:00 rather than later: Cluster does on Fridays to Sundays, and miikflo every day. Aficionado Coffee shuts for an hour from 15:30, then reopens until 22:00.

Sources

  1. 삼전도 굴욕의 역사 메워낸 자리…시민이 심은 벚나무엔 봄이 핀다, Seoul Shinmun (April 2026), accessed November 2026
  2. Lotte World Tower, Wikipedia, accessed November 2026
  3. [현장] '제2 경리단길 될라' 젠트리피케이션에 멍드는 송리단길, Bizhankook (December 2018), accessed November 2026
  4. 서울 지하철 이용객 1위? 강남역 아닌 '여기', Seoul Metropolitan Government, Mediahub (February 2025), accessed November 2026
  5. Cafe Cinnamon, Seoul Danurim Tour, accessed November 2026
  6. Songnidan-gil Street (송리단길), Korea Trip Tips, accessed November 2026
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In Jamsil & Seokchon Lake, also browse: Specialty coffee Wi-Fi Open late Outdoor seating Bakery cafés

FAQ

Jamsil & Seokchon Lake cafés: questions

What is Songnidan-gil near Jamsil in Seoul?

Songnidan-gil is the café quarter south of Seokchon Lake's eastern half, a blend of Songpa-dong and Itaewon's Gyeongnidan-gil. It was quiet housing until cafés and restaurants took the overflow from the lake road, and the name dates from about late 2017. Its lanes branch off Baekjegobun-ro, notably 41-gil, 43-gil and 45-gil.

How was Seokchon Lake in Jamsil, Seoul, formed?

A flood in 1520 left Jamsil as an island between the Songpa River and the Sincheon. Seoul began damming the Songpa River in 1971 and finished the landfill in June 1978, joining Jamsil to the south bank. The lake is what remained of that channel, and a 2.5 km blossom road now runs beside it.

How do you get to cafés at Jamsil and Seokchon Lake in Seoul?

Jamsil station on Lines 2 and 8 is the stop for Lotte World Tower and was Seoul Metro's busiest in 2024, with 156,177 passengers a day. From Seokchon station on Line 9, exit 1 is about 490 m from the lake's café street on Seokchonhosu-ro.

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