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Cafe Kiso: a fruit-sando dessert café near Korea University (Jongam, Seoul)
Cafe Kiso (기쁜소식, meaning Good News) is a tiny, plant-filled dessert café in Jongam-dong, a few minutes from Korea University, best known for its beautiful fruit sando. If you want a cozy, photogenic dessert stop near campus, this is an easy recommendation.
Where it is
The café sits in Jongam-dong, Seongbuk-gu, near Korea University and Wolgok Station on Line 6. A cute poster of a fruit sando marks the entrance. We arrived around lunch and it was already full, so we put our name down and waited.
Opening hours
Open daily 12:00 to 18:00 (last order 17:30). Closed days are posted on the cafe’s Instagram, so check before you go.
What to order
We had the fruit sando, a café latte, and a lemon ginger tea. There is also a strawberry sando in the fridge by the counter, and choosing between the two is genuinely hard. The lemon ginger tea was gingery but clean and not too sharp. The fruit sando looked gorgeous, the fruit was fresh, and the cream was pleasantly sweet — a dessert that pleases both the eyes and the mouth.
The vibe
It is a small, old space with tables packed close together, but it feels cozy rather than cramped — full of plants and little objects the owner has placed with care. When our table was ready the owner called and cheerfully answered, “Hello, this is Good News!” — a fitting name. Around half the tables were couples on dates, so it works well as a date spot or a relaxed catch-up with friends.
Verdict
Lovely atmosphere, genuinely tasty sando. I will be back — next time for the strawberry sando. If you are looking for a warm, cute dessert café near Korea University in Jongam-dong, Cafe Kiso is well worth it.
Frequently asked questions
Where is Cafe Kiso?
Cafe Kiso (기쁜소식) is in Jongam-dong, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul, a short walk from Korea University and Wolgok Station (Line 6). Address: 26, Jongam-ro 10-gil, Seongbuk-gu.
What are Cafe Kiso's opening hours?
Daily 12:00 to 18:00, with last orders at 17:30. Closed days are announced on the cafe's Instagram.
What should I order at Cafe Kiso?
The signature fruit sando, the strawberry sando, plus a café latte or the lemon ginger tea.
Do I need to wait for a table?
It fills up around lunch, so expect a short wait. The owner takes your number and calls you when a table opens.