NUDAKE Haus Dosan — Restaurant in Seoul

"A place where your dessert fantasies come alive"

One of Seoul’s most ambitious retail outlets, the futuristic “HAUS” complex combines three of I.I Combination’s key brands Gentle Monster (eyewear), Tamburins (cosmetics) and NUDAKE (bakery) in one five storey flagship store (opened February 2021).

Summed up in their own words with the overarching theme “Make New Fantasy”, the basement bakery and café NUDAKE (누데이크) is one of the most eccentric dessert cafés in South Korea. Spatially the minimalist layout is unique with more art and cake displays than actual seats. The long table that leads from the entrance to the order counter includes a series of eye-catching visual displays, de-constructed old TVs and a line-up of pastries that include mini croissants (5x5mm), Pain au Black and Nu Brulee. Other cakes include:

1. Colosseo (Mascarpone cheese cake with black cocao crust)
2. Column (Layered blueberry compote with cream cheese icing)
3. Saint Honore Noir (Nudake's reinvention of a French classic; Black choux pastry with mascarpone and pistachio cream topping).
4. Peak (Matcha cream cake)

No expense has been spared by branding manager Ha Yezin (하예진); installation art by Frederik Heyman, visuals by Italian artist Andrea Artemiso, exclusive soundtrack by Venezuelan producer ARCA and the same espresso machine set-up as Starbucks Reserve all point to the seriousness of this project.

Established in 2011, Gentle Monster now has a total of 15 shops including three in UK, USA and China. Following the success of Seoul’s “HAUS” project it’s likely that the brand will take the concept overseas, showing off Korea’s advanced version of shop-in-shop retail.

Behind the Counter: Victoria Arduino Black Eagle, Mahlkönig EK43S and two Victoria Arduino Mythos...

Here’s my overall impression of Nudake: It’s quite an extraordinary place — far from ordinary. If you’re looking for unique desserts, unusual drinks, and an unconventional concept, this is definitely a spot worth checking out.

I’ve read some of the negative reviews, and most people seem disappointed by the taste of the desserts or the coffee not resembling what they’re used to. But I think that misses the point. Nudake is all about concept. Their main idea is: “We have our own vision, and we’re presenting something different.” The desserts, the drinks, the presentation — they’re all designed as visual art pieces. So the priority here isn’t taste — it’s visual satisfaction. And I feel like many people fail to see that.

Of course, some items we tried were absolutely delicious, and others were just average. But we got them mainly because we were curious about how they looked — the creativity behind them. Our favorite was the one with tomato. My coffee was pretty good too, and my wife’s drink was also very enjoyable. Sure, there were one or two things we didn’t love, but the effort put into the visual design truly deserves respect.

Also, the building itself was beautiful — with stylish glasses, perfumes, and more. If I ever visit Korea again, I’ll definitely...

NUDAKE Haus Dosan completely blew me away - this spot is on another level. From the moment you walk in, it feels more like an art gallery than a café. Everything about it - the design, the atmosphere, the aesthetics - is exactly what you’d expect from the team behind Gentle Monster. It’s sleek, creative, and super photogenic.

I really loved was the concept of the building itself. Haus Dosan isn’t just a café - it’s a multi-brand space combining Gentle Monster, Tamburins, and Nudake under one roof. The architecture and interior design are breathtaking, and the way each brand flows into the next makes it such a unique place to explore. It feels more like stepping into a creative world than a retail space.

Now, the pastries… wow. The crème brûlée was easily the best I’ve ever had. I also tried the specialty matcha and it was amazing, perfectly balanced and not too sweet. You can tell everything is made with so much care and detail.

One thing to note: go early! Most of the pastries sell out fast, and it gets busy quickly. But honestly, it’s worth the effort - the whole experience feels unique and elevated. If you love beautiful cafés, desserts that actually live up to the hype, and modern design, NUDAKE is a...