While the most popular cafe near Anguk Station remains Cafe Onion, walk a little further up the street if you’re feeling like eating brunch or waiting in a less crowded line. Or want to be surrounded by adorable Studio Ghibli-inspired characters.
chalkboard sign featuring an image of the house-turned-cafe and the iconic acorn characterchalkboard menu with illustrated pictures of food and drinkchalkboard featuring illustrated pictures of their fresh yogurt bowlschalkboard sign that greets you when you enter the alleyway
My friend suggested we visit Dotori (“acorn”) Garden when we initially had plans to meet at Cafe Onion. Even though I had arrived within an hour of their opening on a Sunday, the line was already really long, so I went to Dotori Garden to wait for her instead. There was hardly any line at all, although the few other times I’ve gone, there has been a bit of a wait to get in and seated. It is nowhere near as bad of a wait as Cafe Onion, though, and the pastries are just as good (if not better), so if it’s a nice cafe with good pastries and coffee you’re looking for, consider going to Dotori Garden!
First, the food pictures.
partition to ease the flow around the pastriesacorn shaped bread and salt breadmy friend’s favorite: their salt breadsample of their brunch menusandwiches available for immediate purchasemore sandwichesmore sandwichespound cake and, my favorite, canelesdelicious, delicious canelesacorn shaped madeleinesthere’s even merch available for purchase!pretzel brunch = A+
The cafe itself is a renovated house with several floors and ample outdoor seating. There are quirky, unique touches all around that make it a pleasure to spend time there.
gardening supplies hanging upcaneles while I wait for my buzzer to go off for my brunchDotori character hanging outsideview of the first floor upon enteringstuffed Dotori character next to a colorful stained glass lampcomfy couch in a cornerseriously, the stuffed plushies are everywherecute bookshelfanother cute bookshelf next to a grandfather clockwelcome chalkboard with wifi passworda pair of almond-shaped eyes painted on the wall with the word “return” underneath an arrowa pair of almond-shaped painted eyes on a wall with the word “bakery room” underneath an arrowcozy second floor vibesmore cozy vibesbeautiful round tiled flooroutdoor area with, you guessed it, another stuffed plushiesunset view from the main street; Namsan Tower can be seen in the distance
This is one of my favorite places to take new friends and meet old ones.
I don’t think you will! It’s an adorable place. My only issue the last time I went was I was placed in a different section which was not attached to the main building and they were burning too much incense and it really messed with my sinuses. Please do let me know what you think once you go!
Koffee & Kpop 
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