A smiling cashier flashes a peace sign while serving customers at Cafe Onion in Seoul, South Korea. (Trevares Johnson/Stars and Stripes)
Who knew that onions could be this sweet?
At Cafe Onion in Seoul, South Korea, the first thing I noticed wasn’t the trays of croissants, but the warm welcome from two French women standing at the entrance.
They weren’t staff, just travelers from Paris who waved me over like a long-lost cousin. Between laughs, they urged me to order the pain au chocolat, rating it a nine out of 10 compared to the bakeries back home.
Before I moved on, they left me with a French phrase to carry into the cafe: le festin — a feast, plentiful and deeply satisfying.
Inside, the place buzzed like an international airport terminal. I heard Korean, French, Spanish and English across the tables. Despite the linguistic maze, the service never missed a beat. Every cashier I overheard spoke fluent English.
When I finally reached the counter, the cashier caught my eye and smiled. We chatted for a while and in my to-go bag he dropped in some free coffee and pastry samples.
A Lotus Biscoff pastry sits ready to be served at Cafe Onion in Seoul, South Korea. (Trevares Johnson/Stars and Stripes)
Freshly baked fig-topped croissants from Cafe Onion in Seoul, South Korea. (Trevares Johnson/Stars and Stripes)
He asked where I was from, shared how Onion brings in people from all over the world, and laughed about how the cafe really is “like an airport lounge but with better food.”
It’s the style of service — casual and thoughtful — that gives Onion its charm. From the cashier who offered free pastry samples to the French travelers who waved me in like family, there’s a sense of openness here that you don’t always find in Korea, where service can sometimes feel brisk or distant.
With multiple locations around Seoul, this chain manages to feel both modern and welcoming.
If you have the time, it’s worth stopping by. Not just for the croissants or coffee, but for the chance encounters. You never know who might greet you at the door, or what new friends you’ll leave with.
Cafe Onion, one of the city’s trendiest cafes, has two locations in Seoul, South Korea. (Trevares Johnson/Stars and Stripes)
Cafe Onion
Two Locations: Anguk Branch, 5 Gyedong-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul. Nearest metro is Anguk Station, Line 3. A 5-minute walk from Exit 3. Another branch is at 8 Achasan-ro 9-gil, Seongdong-gu, Seoul
Hours: In Anguk, open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Friday; 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. The Seongsu branch opens at 8 a.m. on weekdays and 10 a.m. on weekends.
Dress: Casual
Information: 070-7543-2123, @cafe.onion on Instagram
