The name sounds so familiar, and I immediately realized the name is similar to one of my favorite coffee shops in Sofia – Memento. How can I forget all the lovely conversations over a cup of hot coffee with my dear Bulgarian friends?

omento Brewers is not your typical Seongsu coffee shop. The mare fact they open at 8 AM tells you how different it is. Most coffee shops in Korea open around 11 AM and work till late at night. It’s just the different coffee consumption culture that dictates the work hours.

First impressions of the space – it feels like I’m in Berlin. Very minimal design and the use of milk cases for chars make it resemble many of the places I’ve enjoyed so much when we were able to travel.

Socially Responsible Coffee Beans Selection

The coffee beans in Momento Brewers are carefully curated. The selection changes, but it always has some story attached to it. Expect the barista to talk to you and explain the coffee’s qualities and what’s the best coffee drink that will extract the best aroma from the beans.

We ordered Pedro Flores beans from Caranavi, Bolivia. When you try it out, you should foretaste red apples with nectarine, and the aftertaste should be peach tea.  It is slow to mature so that sugar can develop evenly. As a result, it makes sweet, clean, and elegant coffee.

Pedro Flores has lived in the Caranavi area since he was six years old. His family encouraged low-income families to move to the area and find new ways to make a living. The land was provided as part of the Government’s plan. Pedro started running the farm when he was only 14. Like many producers in this area. Pedro used to sell coffee to the local market. This meant low prices and low reliability. But for the past ten years, he has focused on making specialty coffee. He participated early in the Sol de la Manana program, which provides Bolivian coffee producers with training to improve production and quality. Pedro has since renovated his farm. Now they are selling top-rated coffee to selected coffee roasters at higher and sustainable prices!

Coffee Experience at Momento Brewers

The barista was kind enough to bring us some cold coffee called Ruli from Gakenke, Rwanda. It was so different and delicious – you can sense black tea and apricot as foretaste with a dark chocolate finish.

It was a rainy day, so we chose to sit inside close to the big window. When the weather is good, they have tables outside of the coffee. I will definitely be back to taste their other coffee choices and buy some beans for home.

Besides freshly brewed coffee, you can get some beans for home. Check Momento Brewers merchandise page as well

The Story Behind Momento Brewers

Momento Brewers opened on February 10, 2019. Caleb, who has been a barista for years at Melbourne’s specialty coffee company Market Lane Coffee, opened the space together with his friend Sungwon offering specially curated coffee with the help of a company called Melbourne Coffee Merchants (MCM). The corporations help get the beans of the world’s greatest coffee grower and are dedicated to unique and superior coffee at reasonable, fair prices. The concept is to keep close relationships with all the farmers that last for years and offer a high-quality, delicious coffee selection.

When is the best time to visit?

The very fact that the coffee shop opens at 8 AM makes it obvious – go as early as possible for true experience. My biggest shock when I moved to Korea was to find out that most coffee shops here open quite late – usually around 10-11 AM. Why Koreans don’t drink coffee in the morning? They do, but to fully understand the coffee culture I have to take time and explain in another blog post.

Other Exciting Things to Do Close to Momento Brewers

Seoul Forest Park

Popular city park in Seongsu with great access to Hangang River.The park is divided in several section with different themes. It’s a must if you like to hang out in nature but have no time to get out of the busy city of Seoul.

Explore Other Coffee Shops in Seongsu

There are so many cool coffee shops in Seongsu that you might spend months to cover them all. Just wonder around and you will find amazing spots for a refreshing coup of coffee.

Coworking Paradise

Seongsu is famous with its many co-working spaces many of which related to socially responsible businesses. There’s co-working space for any taste and style. 

How to Get to Momento Brewers Cafe

The closest metro stop is Ttukseom Station Line 2. Get off exit 8 and cross the street towards Heyground Seoul Forest, go around the building and continue on the road for 300 meters. The small alley of Momento Brewers will be on the left.

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