Nattejoa, Seoul — The Tiger Cafe That Roasts Its Own Coffee
My cousin was in Seoul this week, and we were walking around near Namdaemun Market with no real plan when I spotted a little sign on the street that said "weekly roasting," the name of a cafe, and that it was 40 meters ahead. I'll always go look when a sign says somebody roasts their own coffee, so we walked down the street, and 40 meters later there were two life-size white tigers sitting out front of a bright orange cafe called Nattejoa.
Look for the White Tigers
Nattejoa sits on a side street in Hoehyeon-dong, a few minutes' walk from Hoehyeon Station, with tall glass apartment towers going up all around it. The building itself is a small, low, one-story shop with a green awning and an orange front, and the sign over the door says Roastery Caffe. The tigers are the shop's mascot, and I've been calling it the tiger cafe ever since.
Across the front window it says, in Korean, that they serve coffee they roast themselves, clean hand drip and a nutty, rich latte, and then "everything about coffee, come here!"
Smaller Than It Looks
When you first walk in it feels like a tiny shop, and then you turn the corner and it opens up into a much bigger room than you'd expect from the street, with wooden tables and chairs and plenty of space to sit down with your coffee.
The whole place is eclectic. There are souvenirs and odds and ends everywhere that have to do with Seoul or with coffee culture, a wall of drip bags, coffee gear on the shelves, and right in the front window there's a small red drum roaster, which is where all of their beans get roasted.
The Espresso
I ordered an espresso, and it was 3,000 won, which is a little over two dollars. It was bright and fruity up front with a nutty undertone underneath, and the crema was thick and dense, a real foam symphony. It was honestly incredible, and I drank it standing outside on the street next to the tigers.
The Owner
While I was out there, the owner came outside to talk to us. He asked where my cousin and I were from and whether the espresso was to my liking, and I told him it was truly fantastic. Inside there's a whole wall covered in photos of customers who've come in and taken a picture with him.
I read through some reviews afterward. People who've talked with him say he sources a lot of different beans himself, works out a roast for each one, rests each bean for a different number of days after roasting, and even changes his water temperature and pour speed depending on the coffee. One local wrote that they've been coming for five years and that the beans are worth buying for home.
If You're in Seoul
- The shop: Nattejoa (Na-tte-jo-a), 23 Toegye-ro 12-gil, 1st floor, Jung-gu, Seoul. About a 4-minute walk from Hoehyeon Station (Line 4), Exit 1, close to Namdaemun Market.
- How to find it: Look for the orange storefront and the two white tigers, or the small "weekly roasting" sign on the street.
- What to order: The espresso, 3,000 won.
- Hand drip: From 5,000 won for the house blend up to 9,000 won for a natural, with a Kenya, a Yirgacheffe and a Guatemala Antigua on the board when I was there.
- Take home: Drip bags for 1,500 won each.
- Hours: Weekdays only. A blog from earlier this year listed Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., closed on weekends. Check before you go.
- Parking: None, so take the subway.
- Instagram: @nattejoa
I'll definitely be going back, and next time I want to sit down inside and try one of the hand drips.
— Jonathan
Dialed In Co. Coffee Passport, stamp no. 7 · Nattejoa · Seoul, South Korea