Several excellent coffee shops have opened in Gunja-dong this spring, and Bonanza Coffee Gunja Branch is one of them. It's right next to Children's Grand Park and Sejong University. Bonanza Coffee is reportedly a brand famous for specialty coffee in Europe. The Bonanza in Berlin was even selected as a coffee shop to visit before you die. I don't know if it's worth traveling all the way there, but the Bonanza in Gunja-dong seems worth visiting at least once.
In May, a barista team from Berlin reportedly visited for an event.
Bonanza Coffee is housed in a four-story red brick building. There are identical buildings on its left and right, making a total of three structures. The building on the left is said to be solely for roasting, while the blinds are drawn on the right building, so I don't know its purpose.
The exterior of the building is European-style, but the interior is modern. The first-floor ceiling is high, like a hotel lobby, with no particular decorations. You ascend to the upper floors via internal stairs, and the second floor is spacious with plenty of seating. It's great for long conversations or getting some work done.
From the first floor, you can see the roasting machine in the left building, which is surprisingly large. It's black, like a steam engine, with several white exhaust pipes extending outwards.
I ordered the hot Piccolo Latte, their signature menu item. It's a 1:1 combination of espresso and milk.
The Piccolo Latte arrived in a small plastic cup. It looked rich in texture. The first taste had a strong espresso feel, which gradually mellowed out. I didn't detect any particular special flavor from the Bonanza blending beans.
The green streetscape visible from the first floor towards Children's Grand Park is refreshing. If you happen to be at Children's Grand Park, it would be lovely to enjoy a cup of coffee at Bonanza and imagine strolling through Europe.