I found out late, via @rumaru’s Twitter, that Maybell Bakery, the hugely famous bakery in Itaewon, had opened a branch in front of Times Square in Yeongdeungpo. Maybell is the kind of place where you can’t get any bread if you show up even a little late, so when I heard they had opened a big branch, there was no way I wasn’t going. On top of that, they opened it in collaboration with Coffee Libre, so you can also taste some of the best coffee in the country.

They renovated an old textile mill building.

It’s a place with historical significance, but the building itself is just beautiful. Being a red-brick building, it also reminded me a bit of the Red Brick Warehouse in Yokohama. Using such a big, beautiful building as a bakery is a really bold idea. Seoul city got this one right.

Inside

The space is huge. The layout and the lighting are great too. I’m proud that a building like this exists in Seoul.

Coffee Libre’s coffee

They mean business.

Maybell’s breads

As expected, they look delicious. The quality is high and the prices are reasonable too.

Entrance to the exhibition hall

Further inside is the cafe space, and there were paintings on display as well.

My favourite, the fig bread

You could say this is the reason I came all the way to Yeongdeungpo today.

Épi

It looks huge in the photo, but when you actually eat it, it disappears in no time. Why is that..

Cookies

I can hear myself getting fatter..

The whole room

The atmosphere really is wonderful. Weekend, romantic, success.

Today’s pick

The brioche cream bun, which looked ordinary, was surprisingly good. The soft brioche goes really well with the cream.

Coffee

Hmm.. they drew a heart for Valentine’s Day, but it fell apart right away..

Today’s highlight: a cross-section of the fig bread

It’s packed full of figs. How could you not love this..

The bread was really delicious, and the space itself was so beautiful. It would be great for when you want to enjoy a little trip in the city on a weekend. It felt like another tourist attraction had been born in Seoul.

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