In the world of processed manufactured goods with ice creams, Krispy Kreme donuts and cakes topped with colorful icings flying all over dessert shops, more and more Koreans are turning to the O.G. style for dessert, best demonstrated by the resurgence of rice cake cafés across the nation. Called tteok(떡) in Korean, these rice cakes are a popular form of traditional Korean dessert – either made by pounding or steaming rice, and usually sticky and chewy in content. Think of the sticky rice cakes in the popular Korean street food, tteokbokki. Here we have compiled a list of the top five rice cake cafes in Korea for a more traditional experience on your next visit.

01 Damkkot （담장옆에국화꽃）

Address: 92-3, Banpo-Dong, Seocho-gu, Seoul, South Korea
Website: damkkot.com

02 Jilsiru Tteok Café （질시루）

Run by the Institute of Traditional Korean Food, Jilsiru tteok café boasts a range of rice cake products along with Korean traditional dolls and fabrics on display. Having two branches in Seoul – one in Insa-dong and the other in Changdeokgung Palace area – those who order rice cakes or drinks at the Changdeokgung store can get free admission to the Tteok Museum located above the café.

Address: 164-2, Waryong-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea (Changdeokgung Store) /
30-5, Insadong-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea (Insa-dong Store)
Website: jilsr.com

03 Daraeheon （다래헌）

Founded by a Korean calligrapher, Daraeheon is a traditional tteok café that not only offers a panoply of traditional rice cakes in an affordable price but also boasts a Korean-style traditional interior by the menus written in calligraphy. Daraeheon’s signature tteok is mangaettok, which is made by steaming sticky rice carrying red bean paste wrapped in smilax leaves.

Address: 661-18, Sinsa-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, South Korea
Website: daraeheon.co.kr

04 Café JAISO（카페 자이소）

If all the suggestions above were too traditional, here’s a café founded by two young entrepreneurs that offers fusion rice cakes with witty names. From “Welcome to Osaka” to “Burger in Affair,” Café JAISO offers a unique range of fusion rice cakes by mixing ingredients from all over the world in traditional rice cakes, such as a sandwich-like cheese rice cake topped with nuts, and a plain rice cake with the Japanese takoyaki fillings.

Address: 120-2, Samsung-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, South Korea
Website: jaiso.co.kr

05 Bizeun（빚은）

Too busy to pay a visit to the rice cake cafes above? Bizeun, whose name means the Korean word to make rice cakes, is a rice cake franchise currently holding 41 branches across Seoul and 118 locations nationwide, offering up to 250 different types of rice cakes. Although Bizeun is primarily a store, it still has room for a nice little chat over rice cakes and traditional Korean teas.

Address:May vary, but the Insa-dong branch can be easily accessed.
16, Insadong-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul
Website: bizeun.co.kr

TEXT: JISU J