Hanok-Inspired Onhwa Café in Dongmyeong-dong

By Ophélie Papier

For coffee and sweet food lovers, Dongmyeongdong Café Street is definitely for you. Dongmyeong-dong was once a wealthy neighborhood of Gwangju but lost its dynamism when people left the area to move into apartment complexes. The neighborhood is full of wonderful small cafés that cater to all tastes and offer a unique atmosphere and different drink menus. I found myself lost amongst them, and I ended up visiting the famous Café Onhwa (카페온화 광주점) built in a gorgeous neo-hanok style, which offered a menu full of artisan coffees, teas, and soufflé pancakes.

Café Onhwa is a branch of the premium Onhwa café franchise established in 2019. You will find them in other cities such as Seoul, Suwon, Yeongjong, Daejeon, and elsewhere. Its logo is Korea’s national flower of Korea, the rose of Sharon or mugunghwa (무궁화), which means “eternal blossom that never fades.” Even ancient records show that even before the Gojoseon era (ancient Korean kingdom), the mugungwha was treasured as a “blossom from heaven.”

For this reason, Onhwa’s motto and name stand for “blossoming the flowers of happiness with a pleasant, warm taste” (입안에 감도는 따스함으로 천천히 행복을 꽃피우다), derived from the Chinese characters 溫 (on, warm), and 花 (hwa, flower).

The neighborhood is one to be admired during the day and night, as it brings us into a cozy atmosphere. These low-rise buildings offer a tranquil atmosphere, and it never feels overcrowded. The harmony and blend of both modern and traditional-style houses only adds to its charm.

The café is tucked away on a half-residential and half-café street. During the weekend, you may find it a bit crowded and perhaps have to wait a while before entering the café. If it is very busy, you cannot stay longer than two hours on weekends.

The café is surrounded by windows, and the exterior has a modern pillar-like structure that allows you to always see the outside while adding a private dimension to the interior. Inside, the café is quite small, but almost all the tables are located near the windows, which makes the atmosphere very charming. If you are a terrace addict like me, the café offers a small courtyard in the back. Also, behind the counter space, a beautiful white porcelain attracted my attention. It shows off Onhwa’s rose-of-Sharon logo, which you can also spot on their products for sale near the door.

WHAT TO ORDER?

If you are a coffee lover, go for a hand drip, moka pot, or einspänner coffee. There is a large panel of choice flavors for each of them. Even for the Americano, one of the most basic coffee options, there are five different flavors.

If you are a tea lover, you can go for latte, fruit, and herb teas. With my friend, we tried an iced matcha latte and an iced milk tea; the flavors was really enjoyable. The matcha latte was served in a glass and the milk tea in a bottle to pour into a glass. You are allowed to take the cute bottle home with you.

If you wish to eat something sweet, the café offers a variety of tasty soufflé pancakes made with flavors such as strawberry, chocolate, mandarin, and honeycomb. As I am a strawberry lover, I chose the strawberry one. I discovered an explosion of flavor with the first bite. The pancakes were very soft and flavorsome, with a light Chantilly cream that blends perfectly. You can also watch your pancakes being prepared with loving care behind the counter. I really enjoyed eating Onhwa’s strawberry pancakes.

How To Get There

From Gwangju Airport, it will take around 45 minutes to arrive at Café Onhwa. All you need to do is to take the subway’s Line 1 for 11 stops and get off at the Culture Complex Station. Take Exit 4 and walk 15 minutes. It will cost around 1,200 won.

If you are craving pancakes, it is time to visit Café Onhwa!

Information

• Address: 광주광역시 동구 동계천로 151-31

151-31 Donggyecheon-ro, Dong-gu, Gwangju City

• Open Hours: Daily 11:00–22:00; last order 21:00.

• Telephone: 062-236-0012

• Instagram: onhwa_cafe

Sources

Café Onhwa. (n.d.). Introduction. www.cafeonhwa.com/kr/company/ intro.php

The Ministry of Interior and Safety. (n.d.). The national flower: Mugunghwa www.mois.go.kr/eng/sub/a03/nationalSymbol_3/screen.do

Ophélie Papier is a final-year master’s degree student majoring in languages, cultures, and societies of Asia at Aix-Marseille University, France, and is currently an exchange student at Chonnam University. She loves traveling and to learn about Korean culture, history, art, and cuisine. Instagram: @Hutopia_Planet