Kiersten2D cafes in Korea have become all the rage since the Netflix movie, To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, premiered in February. Cafe Or has an entire floor dedicated to the drawn experience, along with an outdoor patio, mural, and a cool artsy vibe.
Address
368-3 Danggeo-ri, Oseong-myeong, Pyeongtaek, South Korea
Follow Them
@cafe_or on Instagram
Try This
Mugwort Latte
You Should Know
Bring your camera and get ready for LOTS of photo-ops at this Instagrammable cafe but be warned, kids aren’t allowed upstairs.
About
Cafe Or has a bit of a hipster, artsy vibe to it that I love. It sits on the Oseong River in Pyeongtaek, South Korea so you can enjoy coffee with a stunning view from both levels.
The cafe has been open since at least 2016 and serves coffee, dessert and brunch. They also host small weddings if you’ve ever dreamed of getting married in a coffee shop (who hasn’t).
For your daily dose of cuteness, go to their Instagram and look at their cafe mascot wearing a hat 😆
Layout
This place was made for photo shoots which you can immediately tell from the butterfly wing mural on the side of the building. The only issue is that sometimes people park in front of it but you take what you get I guess. There’s a smaller version around the front of the building if you want to look more like a tooth fairy than a butterfly 🙃
Inside, you’ll walk through a small hallway in to a lobby type area with the register and a bit of 2D cafe decor.
The first floor is surrounded by walls of windows so you get to fully enjoy the lake. It was rainy and a bit chilly when we went so we stayed indoors but it was still delightful. There are bars and seating all along the windows to look out, along with tables in the middle.
Upstairs
Some say that this cafe has three floors… that’s a bit of a stretch to be honest. The second floor is more of a landing between levels. There is one small table and some coffee roasting equipment. However, it does offer a nice view of the bar and kitchen area if you like to watch the magic happen.
The third floor is really where it’s at. In late 2019, the floor became a 2D cafe. The owner is incredibly talented and hand painted the room herself.
There are tables, chairs, curtains, even a vanity, painted in 2D style. It’s surreal to walk into and so fun to take pictures in. Obviously, this is not the cafe from the Netflix movie but it’s closer, less crowded, and just as cool.
One of my favorite things about it is this wall with the drawn plants and neon sign. Its an awesome photo backdrop. The mini motor bike and telescope feel a little out of place but they’re easy enough to overlook.
One big thing to note is that kids are not allowed on the second or third floors. I believe this is for safety reasons. However, the owner is very accommodating and I’ve seen kids allowed up briefly for pictures.
Outdoors
Since it’s on the river, Cafe Or has made their outdoor space top notch. The patio wraps around the building; grab a table along the side or snag a lounge chair in the back overlooking the water.
You can see it’s strung with lights to create a cozy space in the evenings. This is also a great space for kids to play while parents chat.
Menu
Unlike other coffee shops, there’s no menu board up front by the register. They have individual menu booklets that you can take and look through before ordering at the counter. While there is an English menu, the staff speaks minimal English so it’s easiest to point at what you want.
The coffee menu has your standard offerings of lattes, cappuccinos, etc. I did notice that their menu includes things I haven’t seen very much in Korea like flat whites and espresso con panna. I opted for a drink off the specialty menu, the Mugwork Latte.
I’ll be honest, I had no idea what I was ordering 😅 There were no descriptions on the specialty menu board and I went with the first item in English that I saw. That being said, my gamble paid off!
It tasted like matcha with espresso and milk, topped with a sesame flavored puffed rice type thing. A little bitter and earthy from the (what I thought was) matcha, but balanced nicely with sweet espresso and milk. Plot twist: it wasn’t matcha; it was mugwort.
Upon further research, Korean mugwort, or ssuk, sounds like it’s straight out of Harry Potter. It’s a plant species with very specific harvesting timelines and is used in cooking as well as traditional medicine. I won’t get into the weeds on it (ha) but it’s definitely worth a Google.
It’s becoming more popular in modern dishes and this latte featured mugwort in a light foamy form.
My husband went a bit more traditional and ordered an americano. It was smooth and rich and was served in this adorable mug with a lid!
Food
The food menu features brunch favorites, both sweet and savory. They have lighter options like yogurt parfaits, or plates to fill you up like this loaded toast meal.
There’s also plenty of pastries and sweet treats to grab for a quick bite.
This cafe has so many exciting things to see and I loved the Instagram-worthy decor. I’m so happy to have a 2D cafe closer to us and the great menu is a cherry on top.
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