Insadong | New Old Tea House
A 100 year old hanok was turned into tea house cafe?! Come with us to check it out!
One of the amazing things about Korea is that no matter where you go, you can always find a piece of Korean history integrated into various areas all over the country. From the stone statues in Jeju, to the palaces in Seoul, there's a piece of history wherever you go. The same applies to the culture. Ever been curious about Korean tea practices or Korean architecture? Well we found a place that can intrigue your interest of both. Come with us as we explore the New Old Tea House located in Insadong, a teahouse built in an 100 year old hanok (Korean traditional house). Its location makes it perfect for relaxing after a long day of sightseeing in the area.
Information
Location: 서울 종로구 인사동길 47-8
47-8 Insadong-gil, Jongro-gu, Seoul
Transportation: About a 7 minute walk from Line 3's Anguk Station Exit 6 (461m)
Hours: Tu - Su 11am - 9pm; M 10am - 7pm
Why We Recommend It
The now 30 year old cafe was built in an 100 year old hanok. That means the building is now 130 years old!
The cafe is filled with the aroma of trees, antiques, and cushions with traditional patterns so you really get a sense of history when you enter.
In front of the tea house, you can feel the sunlight and listen to the birds chirping which makes you feel like your'e in the countryside, rather than in one of Seoul's most popular tourist areas.
You can taste delicious Korean traditional tea and Hangwa for free!
Our Visit
When you enter the alley on the way to the New Old Tea House, you're greeted with the sound of chirping birds in the narrow alley. With the rays of sunlight shining in the otherwise non-populated alley, you can feel the warmth of the area before you've even had sip of tea.
We arrived to the front entrance that said 신옛찻집 or New Old Tea House written on the sign with an overflowing bush decorating the signage. It provided a very natural feeling as we made our way towards the entrance.
We could tell we were in the right place just by looking at the entrance. We were greeted by a large menu of traditional teas, which are pretty hard to find these days in the cafes so we were anticipating trying them.
When you enter the cafe, you are greeted by a garden right in the middle of the horseshoe shaped hanok. There is so much greenery to compliment the historic architecture and the sounds of birds chirping outside whisks you away from the bustle of Seoul and into a countryside blissful getaway, perfect for tasting tea.
From the opposite side you can see some Korean liquors and various ingredients placed on the shelf. They add a sense of sincerity to the atmosphere of this traditional place. The owner did a really great job setting the atmosphere in this place.
When the owner bought this place, the building was just over 100 years old; now they have been running this cafe since 1993. The interior takes advantage of the charm and elaborate design of the old house and carefully integrates elements of tea culture to create atmosphere that this place so naturally exudes. With the all the natural and traditional items in the cafe, the cafe has an aroma reminiscent of those items.
The antique feeling was continued by the use of pictures and pots placed throughout the cafe. There was also an ondol room available to use during the winter. An ondol is the floor heating system used to warm places in the cold weather.
The furniture gave a thrift-store feeling since none of it matched. It felt as if every piece had been collected from nowhere different, telling its own story in its place of the cafe. The large pots helped emphasize the feeling of being in a hanok as well.
On the menu, you will find a great list of traditional teas. Since this is not very common, we definitely recommend you try one. Whatever you pick, the tea will most definitely have a deep taste that will leave you feeling healthy and energized.
We finally decided to order Red Bean Shaved Ice and Injeolmi, but the lady also gave us two free Hangwa as well!
The Injeolmi (5,000 KRW) was very light and chewy. It was covered in a savory bean powder that wasn't too sweet and complimented the sweet rice on the inside. It felt like the perfect picnic snack.
The Red Bean Shaved Ice (12,000 KRW) was also delicious. The red bean past was handmade so you could feel the beans inside the sweet mix. The shaved ice was also topped with a bean powder, and almonds that gave the sweat red bean the perfect savory mix that made the overall taste pop.
In other words, it was the perfect configuration of Red Bean Shaved Ice. If you want to try the original taste of Red Bean Shaved Ice, we recommend you try it here for sure.
The free Hangwa (a Korean treat) were very sweet and melted in our mouths. It was the perfect thing to end our visit.
Tip: All drinks and desserts are able to be ordered for take out! Doing so, you will receive a 1,500 KRW discount (probably since there is limited seating.)
Thank you for joining us on our visit to the traditional hanok cafe, Old New Tea House in Insadong. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us at support@creatrip.com. Also, remember to follow us on Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook to stay up-to-date on all things Korea.