Mercer bis Café, Yeonnam: Fire-Pit Terrace Café with Fluffy Tokyo Chiffon Cake

This visit was sponsored by Mercer bis Café Yeonnam. As always, all opinions are my own.

Yeonnam-dong always has pretty little streets, but this café was on another level. Mercer bis Café Yeonnam (locals call it “Masabis”) has crackling fire pits both inside and out, huge windows full of trees, and seriously good chiffon cake. It has been a while since a café felt this cozy to me.

Name	Mercer bis Café Yeonnam (마사비스 카페 연남점)
Address	1F, 150 Seongmisan-ro, Mapo-gu, Seoul 서울 마포구 성미산로 150 1층
Getting there	At the edge of Yeontral Park (Gyeongui Line Forest Park) in Yeonnam-dong
Hours	Daily 12:00–22:00 · Last order 21:00
Price	Oreo & cream cheese chiffon cake slice ₩13,900
Parking	Hard to find in Yeonnam — use a nearby public parking lot
Phone	02-322-3230
Disclosure	Sponsored visit

A café straight out of a storybook

Walking along the Yeonnam side streets, you can’t miss it. A white house with a garden out front and a staircase up to the terrace. It looks like a café from a fairy tale, and it reminded me a little of the old K-drama Coffee Prince. Lots of people were stopping to take photos of the building.

The terrace and the fire pits

The outdoor terrace is the best part. There is a bright orange-tiled fire pit with benches around it, and real flames flickering in the middle. Locals have a word for zoning out while staring at a fire: bulmeong (불멍). This is the perfect place to do it. On a nice day, sitting out here is pure healing, and I noticed people really took their time.

Inside: big, bright and calm

Step inside and the space opens up. It is wide and comfortable, with soft pink walls, arched mirrors and a white-tiled fire pit right in the middle of the room under a big black hood. So you can do bulmeong indoors too.

The windows are huge. Because the café sits right by Yeontral Park, all you see outside is fresh green trees. I caught myself just staring out the window. Busy cafés can feel chaotic, but this one felt clean and cozy at the same time. It would make a lovely date spot.

The menu: chiffon cake is the star

The menu covers brunch, desserts and coffee, but chiffon cake is clearly the main event. There are lots of flavors — caramel, rich strawberry, Valrhona chocolate, chocolate tiramisu, matcha and mango — and almost everyone was ordering one. Mercer bis is a dessert brand that started in Tokyo, and you can feel that Japanese style in every detail. Whole cakes are also sold for takeout.

What I ordered

Oreo & cream cheese chiffon cake — ₩13,900

It looked so pretty when it arrived. The slice is huge and fluffy, piled with Oreo crumbs and cream. I have baked chiffon cake myself, and I know how much the texture depends on getting the meringue just right. This one was perfect: bouncy, airy and still moist. The sweet, crunchy Oreo on top made it even better.

The cream cheese flavor was rich but never greasy, and the whipped cream wasn’t too sweet, so I kept going back for more. I heard they also sell these cakes at The Hyundai Seoul, and the quality really shows. Not just a pretty dessert — it tastes great too.

Two Americanos

The Americano wasn’t too sour and went really well with the cake. Coffee and chiffon cake: a great combo.

Tips before you go

– Come on a sunny day if you can, and grab a terrace seat by the fire pit. – Last order is at 21:00. – Parking is tough in Yeonnam, so take public transport or use a public parking lot. – If you love chiffon cake, try the Oreo & cream cheese one.

Zoapik’s verdict

– Storybook building on a quiet Yeonnam street, right by Yeontral Park – Real fire pits on the terrace and indoors — perfect for bulmeong – Huge windows with green views, bright and calm inside – Fluffy, moist chiffon cake from a Tokyo dessert brand – Great value for the atmosphere and dessert quality – Lovely for a date or a slow weekend afternoon – Heads-up: parking nearby is hard to find

If you are looking for a pretty café near Hongdae, put this one on your list — and don’t leave without a slice of chiffon cake.