Coffee Place — Restaurant in Gyeongju-si

Few buildings in Korea, let alone cafes, have a view like Coffee Place in Gyeongju. Unchanged for centuries the coffee counter and take-away bench look directly out onto giant burial hills from the Three Kingdom Period, close to 1500 years old. It’s no surprise this historic city, famed for it’s UNESCO World Heritage tombs and laid back vibe is known in Korea as the “Museum without walls”.

Coffee Place opened in 2010 and has long held the position of Gyeongju’s first and foremost speciality cafe. Keeping a close eye on changing trends and increasing local competition, the brand’s directors have recently completed a major renovation to the cafe as it enters it’s second decade of operation. The interior was completed refitted, new appointments were made to the roasting team and a filter-coffee focused menu was introduced to match the growing demand by regulars to try premium hand-drip coffees.

At the time of visiting the following range of seasonal single origins were available for filter, espresso and purchase as roasted beans:

1. Guatemala El Panorama (Bourbon Variety, Fully Washed Process, 1500-1800m Altitude)
2. Colombia San Carlos (Pink Bourbon Variety, Washed Process, 1400m Altitude)
3. Kenya Gititu (SL 28 + SL34 + Ruiru II Variety, Washed Process, 1750m Altitude)
4. Ethiopia Bereketi (Geisha Variety, Natural Process)

Behind the counter: Nuova Simonelli Aurelia II Espresso Machine, Hario V60 filter coffee bar, Mahlkönig EK43 and Mahlkönig K30...

Coffee Place may have a very simple interior with a minimalist seating area, but the real magic happens beyond the counter. This spot is hands down one of the best coffee places in Korea, ranking in my top three. With a diverse selection of beans from around the world, skilled baristas, and professional coffee machines, it delivers an exceptional coffee experience. There's no kitchen or food available, but you won't miss them—you'll be too busy ordering a second round of coffee instead. Highly recommended for true coffee...

This is probably the best coffee we’ve had so far on our trip. The beans were fantastic clearly, as the short latte was crisp and aromatic. I wish we could have spent more time in Gyeongju just so we could have come to this coffee shop again! It has such a good vibe, everyone is nice and it’s clearly just about the coffee. I’d...