A strawberry latte shaped like a rose made from strawberries—so extravagant it’s almost too pretty to drink.

Text and photos by /MIKA

South Korea is a country that places great emphasis on appearance and presentation, as evident from how popular plastic surgery is, XD. Coming to Seoul this time, I felt their obsession with beauty has only intensified—their strawberry latte was crafted to look like a beautiful blooming rose, completely winning over the hearts of young women. And us girls? We totally ignored the fact that the strawberries were just frozen slices, completely captivated by the presentation. Whether it tasted good wasn’t the point—the beauty was what mattered most. Could this be why South Korea’s plastic surgery industry is so advanced? Haha~

Hongdae is a very youthful city. From Monday to Saturday nights, the streets are filled with street performers and concerts. Young people gather to shop, sing, and dance in small groups, with singing, clapping, and laughter everywhere. I love this vibrant, youthful energy of Hongdae—it’s dazzlingly exciting. Of course, Hongdae isn’t just about that; even its architecture is uniquely charming, like this Alice in Wonderland-themed café—how eye-catching is that? Who could walk by without being drawn in?

It’s practically a local landmark; everyone takes a photo here as a “I was here” moment.

Next door is the famous Samgyeopsal Eight Colors No. 2 branch—this street is packed with delicious food and fun shops.

Right across from Alice in Wonderland is the AtoZ Cafe’s strawberry latte. It’s actually quite easy to find—it’s at Exit 3 of Hongik University Station, walk straight to ETUDE HOUSE, turn right, and you’ll see it along the way~

The café is quite spacious, more like a restaurant-bar hybrid. It has a dark, cozy atmosphere, which is great for ambiance but not ideal for photos.

The interior decor is understated luxury—very beautiful but also very dark ← how many times do I need to emphasize this? XD

They serve desserts, coffee, drinks, cocktails, and more...

This place is actually perfect for dates or charming someone—you can’t see much in the dark, XD.

I forgot what this cocktail was called, but it was something like lemon liqueur. I remember it being sweet and tangy, really tasty, with stunning color coordination. And this place is so extra—they even have a mannequin display and give out cookies, which are crispy and pretty good.

Here comes the strawberry latte~~~ Doesn’t it look just like a blooming rose!! So gorgeous—it caused an outcry the moment it was placed on the table. Everyone rushed to take photos with it; who even cared if the flower part was edible~

Since October isn’t strawberry season, only frozen strawberries are used. Naturally, its main purpose is for show rather than eating. Actually, the strawberry latte itself tastes pretty good—sweet, fragrant, with a hint of sour milkiness. But since the strawberries aren’t fresh, the texture is still noticeably different. Still, girls love this kind of thing; we fall for the looks. So for dessert shops, as long as the presentation is good, they automatically earn at least a 60 out of 100.

The fruit yogurt is made with lots of blueberries and strawberries, plus sugar-glazed cookies. I personally really like it because I’m a fan of sweet-and-sour flavors~

It’s not super cheap, but the taste is decent, and the presentation is flawless. Conclusion: it satisfies my vanity for photos, and just checking in here was worth it.

AtoZ cafe
Address:?聘 ??桓? 探?迟 13-42 1蔚
Transportation: AtoZ Cafe, Exit 3 of Hongik University Station. Walk straight to ETUDE HOUSE, then turn right.
Walk along the road until you see the eye-catching Alice in Wonderland building—the café is right across from it.
 

"Traveling is to return to your original place with deeper meaning.
MIKA’s Travel Food Diary"