If you’re active on social media and have been researching on cafes to visit in Seoul, Soha Salt Pond would have definitely popped up on your feed at some point of time.
Nestled within the cluster of cafes in Ikseondong, Soha Salt Pond is arguably one of the more aesthetic cafes in Seoul. It is instantly recognisable for the various mountains of salt around its premises and for the long queues that line the perimeter of the cafe.
But for the popularity that this cafe has enjoyed, are their bakes worth the wait?
For context, we visited Soha Salt Pond in the early summer. So if you are visiting during the warmer seasons, do temper your expectations. The exterior of Soha Salt Pond may not be as magical as what you’ve seen online due to the strong and harsh sun.
And to be honest, the Salt Pond is actually quite small in real life. Nonetheless, the elements of salt were incorporated beautifully into the traditional Korean houses and was pleasant to the eye.
We came here for their signature Soha Salted Bread (3,000 won) and the Soha Salted Bread only. Despite the online fanfare about this cafe, we were pleasantly surprised to only wait about 10 minutes for our food at 10.30am in the morning. However, as the seating area of the cafe was small and already filled, we opted to takeaway the bread instead.
Whilst you may have read excellent reviews of the Soha Salted Bread, we felt differently. We’re not saying that it isn’t good bread; it is. However, it just wasn’t as buttery, soft or crisp like the salt bread from another famous bakery just down the row of cafes.
But to be very objective, the Soha Salted Bread was still way better than the best salted bread you’ll get in Singapore.
There was just one other thing that bothered us. Even though we visited Soha Salt Pond in the morning, out of the extensive selection of bread flavours on their menu, the cafe only had 2 types of bread up for purchase i.e., the Soha Salted Bread and the Green Onion Salt Bread (4,500 won).
We wondered whether it was a case that the other flavours had been snapped up by other customers earlier that morning or that Soha Salt Pond couldn’t keep up with the demand.
Soha Salt Pond
21-5 Supyo-ro 28-gil,
Jongno District, Seoul