Seoul Neighborhoods: A Day in Mullae-dong

Today we’re exploring Mullae, a cool little neighborhood in western Seoul, just south of the river. The area was originally all factories, mostly steel, but with a financial crisis, artists began to move in and now cafes and restaurants are following suit. It’s an interesting mix of old factories and new culinary spots, and I really wonder how this neighborhood will keep its old culture and businesses alive.

First stop, 쉼표말랑 (maps, instagram) aka Comma Mallang. This little restaurant updates its menu daily and is always busy, even on weekdays. Be sure to either reserve ahead of time or arrive right when it opens to put your name on the list and come back later to eat. I was fortunate enough to get the one last table that wasn’t already reserved because I was there 15 minutes early.

The meal of the day was a yuja sauce mackerel that was absolutely delicious. It was a full meal so it came with a ton of side dishes and soup. The staff were really sweet and the food was totally worth the hype.

After lunch, I walked over to Mullae Banggu/문래방구 (map, instagram) for some coffee and dessert.

This cafe is famous for its peanut bread which is a usual street food you can find most commonly in the colder months. The bag of fried dough was about $2 and had big chunks of peanuts inside along with a sprinkling of powdered sugar. It’s served hot and fresh and goes great with an iced coffee.

The cafe also has a small shop and studio where their team designs stationary and other projects!

This neighborhood is filled with interesting little shops that often house studios in the back where the artists make their products. I got a silver ring from Jo은공방 (instagram, map) and then browsed the antiques, stationery, and housing goods at Bye by Buy (map). Mullae is really a neighborhood you just have to wander around and most shops open after 2pm.

I also stumbled upon two art-centric spots by chance. One is Piece of Peace (map) which is an artistic coworking space and community center. Unfortunately, it was closed when I went in so I was able to poke around but the empty building gave me the creeps so I’ll have to return when there are actually people there.

Another spot was Gallery Mullae (map) which was an alley devoted to small galleries and a large pub. Definitely recommend poking around there and seeing some up-and-coming artists’ work!

Tucked away in one of the infinite number of alleys in Mullae is a small cafe called 평화, or “Peace.” (maps) There are a few tables outside in the sun, but the rest of the seats are in a dark space filled with good music and incense. I got the seasonal fruit tea which was lemon and orange and it was so refreshing. The table next to me sampled a few of their desserts and they looked amazing, especially the ice cream! They also serve wine and accompanying food.

Instead of caving and getting some dessert, I moved on to get my sweet fix at the next destination - Pont Coffee, 폰트커피 (maps). This relatively new cafe set up shop in an old factory giving it a lot of charm. It was busy when I got there so be wary on weekends, but it was worth the noisy space.

And last but not least, I stopped by one of the most famous bakeries in the neighborhood, 러스트베이커리, Rust Bakery (map). Located in a former factory, the bakery is a huge building with lots of indoor and outdoor/rooftop seating. Everything is baked in-house and they have a wide variety of coffees and teas. I love that they kept the interior relatively untouched, so all the windows have that old factory feeling. Definitely stop by, but beware on weekends this is a trendy spot!

Since my stomach was at full capacity I couldn’t hit every spot, but here are some other bakeries and cafes to try out when you’re in the area!
베르데커피 (Verde Coffee) - http://naver.me/F7xAXc3U
Waves - http://naver.me/5uxcuKYK
Old Mullae - http://naver.me/Fa38MNS7
무슨클럽 (Museun Club) - http://naver.me/Fdsfdbw8
Cafe Salt - http://naver.me/5ncVqb3k
After Work Club - http://naver.me/Gi9scmWU
You Are My Gelato - http://naver.me/xyUVN0HJ