TOP 20 BAKERIES IN SOUTH KOREA

The South Korean cuisine is some of the best in the world, and they offer a lot in terms of main and side dishes as well as street food. Still, while in Korea as an expat or tourist, you may find yourself craving bread, cake, and other pastries. While the Korean food culture leans towards rice rather than bread, it is not uncommon to find bakeries where bread, cakes, pastries, and snacks are sold.

In recent times, Koreans have developed a love for bread to be taken with their coffee for breakfast or brunch. While this bread can be found in supermarkets, bakery-baked bread has a special advantage over factory-made ones, which is why more and more bakeries are opening up all over the country. These bakeries use Western baking methods but with a Korean twist in order to cater to the palates of the indigenes. For mouth-watering pastries and bread, here are the top 20 bakeries to visit in South Korea:

1.  Chef Cho
2. Maybell Bakery
3. The bread blue
4. Brown bread
5.  Passion 5
6. The bakers table
7. Ops
8.  Paris baguette
9.  Paul & Paulina
10. Café onion bakery
11. Kyo bakery
12. La Alaska
13. Peter Pan Bakery
14.  Tartine bakery
15. Our bakery
16. Publique
17.  Taegeuk dang bakery
18. Mr. Holmes Bakehouse, Korea
19. Richemont
20. Dear Bread

Are you curious to know more? Keep reading 😌

1. Chef Cho

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If you have any doubt about the quality of baked goods offered at this bakery, the number of people filing in is sure to quell any doubts. If not, Chef Cho bakery makes provisions for customers who wish to taste the baked goods before purchasing. Located in Mullae-dong, Seoul, Chef Cho opens daily from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m.

While they have some of the best bread, the bakery is renowned for its delicious cakes, especially the Ganache Earl Grey Cake. You can place orders for the cakes and other pastries. Meanwhile, you’d find more blueberry pies in the summer at this bakery, while strawberry pies are more popular during the winter.

As long as you’re in Seoul, be sure to drop by Chef Cho for your cakes, pies, cupcakes, and other pastries.

2. Maybell Bakery

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This very popular bakery is located in the Hannam-dong district of Seoul and is known for its delicious and affordable baked bread. While this bakery opens at 11 a.m., you have to be there early as the shelves are most likely to be empty by early afternoon. There are two locations, not too far from each other, with the major difference being the size and space to sit. The main location in Itaewon does not have as much space, although it is more popular, with long queues in front daily.

Maybell bakery recipes include chestnuts, walnuts, and figs in baking. They also have vegan options for their bread, like grain rye bread, rosemary rye loaf, and cranberry rye bread, which makes it one of the few with this option.

The bread loaf offered by this bakery is so top-notch that it is carried by most eateries in Seoul. You want to try a loaf if you find yourself in Itaewon.

3. The bread blue

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The Bread Blue is a vegan bakery in Sinchon, Seoul, that sells bread and other delicious pastries. The pastries are so delicious that it is hard to believe that they are not made with eggs and milk. Due to the fact that the bakery has several universities located nearby, it is most often patronised by students who come to take advantage of the spacious environment and the delicious pastries.

At the Bread Blue bakery, you get an assortment of vegan baguettes, cakes, bread, and a lot more baked goods. If you are lactose intolerant and want to still enjoy mouth-watering pastries, Bread Blue is the place for you.

4. Brown bread

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If you are looking for a place to get a champagne loaf, ciabatta, and white baguette loaves, then Brown Bread is the bakery to visit; they offer both bread and other baked goods for sale. Unfortunately, for those who love pastries for breakfast, this bakery opens at 11:30 am and closes at 6 pm. They do not open at all on Sundays and Mondays.

Both the interior and exterior of this bakery give off a professional vibe, and the staff is not only knowledgeable but quite helpful as well. Brown Bread gives you high-quality bread in an organised and relaxing setting.

5. Passion 5

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The name derives from the fact that they provide five different products: bakery, dessert, café, chocolate, and patisserie—something for everyone. This is a high-end establishment and a subsidiary of the SPC Group, which is why it is located in Itaewon, Seoul. Not only do they sell baked products, but they also offer drinks for sale.

They have a visually appealing display of cakes and chocolates with amusing and endearing names for them. The goods sold here are unique, and there is a provision to sit and enjoy your purchase right there in the building.

6. The bakers table

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This bakery is located in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, and has a variety of baked goods available, so you are most likely to get any pastry you’re craving here. Not only do they have popular pastries, but you can also get food like pretzels, soups, and sandwiches at the bakery table. They also have things like wines, spreads, and other ingredients for a toast breakfast at home.

In case you want to have breakfast or lunch there, there are comfortable seats available, and you can order from the main menu. Any day is a good day for a relaxing brunch here. European expats and tourists patronise this bakery repeatedly because of its variety in terms of pastries and food. Not surprising, as the bakers table has a European pastry chef and owner.

7. Ops

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Unlike the others on this list, this bakery has its main location in Busan with franchises in Seoul and Incheon. This bakery is one of the top bakeries in Busan and has existed since its inception in 1989. Baked products from Ops have no preservatives or artificial flavours or colours, making use of natural yeast in their baking. Their specialties include a large cream puff, hakwojeon bread, and the Pollack roe baguette.

Whether you shop at the main location in Busan or at one of its other franchises, the pastries offered at Ops are a treat for the taste buds.

8. Paris baguette

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This is a top-notch bakery, and while its headquarters are in Seoul, South Korea, it has franchises in many other countries, including France, the United States, and China. There are a variety of bread, cakes, and pastries to choose from, all of them spectacularly delicious. You can also get coffee. Salads and sandwiches are available if desired.

You just have to check to know, but there is a Paris baguette in almost every city in South Korea, established for your enjoyment.

9. Paul & Paulina

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This is one very unique bakery, as they do not make use of additives or bread improvers, instead using fermented yeast. With Paul and Paulina, you know you are getting fresh bread, as they sell only bread that is made that day due to the lack of additives. You also have the opportunity to watch the bread-making process, and there are free samples available as well.

The best thing yet is that the bread is affordable in addition to being natural, extremely healthy, and delicious. They are open from 12 p.m. to 7 p.m., but you must arrive early if you want to buy anything because they sell out quickly due to their freshness.

10. Café onion bakery

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This is a combination of a bakery and a café, and it has a beautiful interior designed just like a hanok, which is a traditional Korean home. They provide a variety of baked goods like tarts, bread, and croissants, all freshly baked and available every day of the week.

They have two locations, one at Anguk and the other at Seongsu-dong. In both locations, the ambiance is calm and relaxing, with both outdoor and indoor seating spaces. People come to eat and take pictures due to the spacious and beautiful setting of the café onion bakery.

11. Kyo bakery

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This bakery is open every day of the week and provides all manner of baked goods. Their specialty is the Paris baguette, and they are known for being creative when baking, resulting in unique and mouth-watering baked products. If you want to try a Paris baguette made in different ways or you want a break from the normal pastries, you should head over to Kyo bakeries to treat your taste buds to exceptional pastries.

12. La Alaska

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This bakery is located in Gangnam, Seoul, and has the best cakes you’d ever taste. They sell not only bread and pastries; they have wonderful cakes, sandwiches, ice cream, and even salad. This quaint bakery has a rustic ambiance and gives off a welcoming vibe.

The variety of snacks and the relaxing atmosphere ensure that you’ll spend a lot of time at La Alaska, a time that will be well spent. They are open from 9am to 11pm, are very easy to find, and even provide English service for the convenience of foreigners.

13. Peter Pan Bakery

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This chain bakery has both a physical and an online store, so their baked goods are available to all at their convenience. Peter Pan Bakery specialises in organic bread, and you can choose either rye or whole wheat bread. They also sell traditional Korean rice cakes.

The physical locations are in Seoul, Seodaemun-gu, and Jeungga-to and are open from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Whether you visit their brick-and-mortar store or purchase from their online website, you get tasty baked goods.

14. Tartine bakery

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There are four locations of this very popular bakery in Korea, with the original store being in San Francisco and its first South Korean location in Hannam-dong. The bakery is known for being spacious and large enough to accommodate a lot of seating. They offer pastries and snacks like sandwiches, cheesecake, croissants, cookies, and the like. They make these baked goods with an expert blend of both western and Korean flavours.

Tartine Bakery opens daily from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. and offers breakfast, brunch, and lunch menus. While their products are somewhat pricey, the thrill to your taste buds is well worth every bite.

15. Our bakery

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This bakery has people trooping in and out from its opening time of 11 a.m. until it closes at 11 p.m. Located in Seoul, it sells some of the best cinnamon buns and French choux your taste buds will ever come into contact with, in addition to other baked items. The interior of this bakery is spacious, making it very comfortable to visit when you want to purchase baked goods.

16. Publique

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This French-style bakery is located in Mapo-gu, Seoul, and attracts a lot of patrons from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. when it opens. It is a half bakery, a half shop that offers a variety of baked goods made from imported French flour, including vegan options made from rye, wheat, and whole wheat.

You have the option of purchasing what you want and leaving, or you can sit there and enjoy your purchase. Be warned, it gets a bit crowded during rush hour, and you might not get seats.

17. Taegeuk dang bakery

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This bakery has been in Seoul since the 1940s, and it is still delivering delicious baked treats today. Its popularity has remained strong since its inception, as it offers patrons classics and modern baked goods alike. Taegeuk dang bakery serves delectable specialties like oranda cake and madeleine, as well as coffee and ice cream to go with the pastries.

18. Mr. Holmes Bakehouse, Korea

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The specialty of this Seoul bakehouse is the cruffin, which is a hybrid of the croissant and the muffin. It is the first international outlet of the San Francisco Company, and it has been doing very well since its establishment in Garosugil, Seoul. The taste of the cruffin is the same as the one made in San Francisco, as the Seoul staff had to go over there for two months to learn and perfect the recipe.

People flock to this establishment not only to taste their delicious and unique cruffin but also to take a picture in front of the “I got baked in Korea” LED sign.

19. Richemont

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This bakery has a variety of baked goods, including cakes and rolls. They open by 8 am and close by 10 pm, Wednesday to Sunday. You can head over to Seongsan-dong, Seoul, to get a taste of the baked awesomeness that this bakery has to offer, especially in the morning when you can meet the breakfast buffet.

Richemont is always getting better as they prioritise their customers’ satisfaction and ensure there is always good service.

20. Dear Bread

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As it is located near the university, it follows that the prices of these baked goods are affordable. Students flock to this bakery to purchase the fresh and healthy bread they offer. There is no space for sitting, so you’d have to make your purchase and leave. On the bright side, there are free samples to help you make your choice.

The majority of bakeries in South Korea are found in the capital city of Seoul, where there is a youthful and vibrant energy. More and more bakeries will be established as time goes on, and you can have all the fun visiting them and trying out the baked treats they offer.