A Taste of Seoul Across the Hudson: Fort Lee's Cheongsun Cafe

Dessert lovers and cafe hoppers, you’re in luck. If you’ve ever found yourself wishing you could step into one of those Korean cafe videos—the ones where everything feels aesthetic and a little surreal—look no further. Sure, aesthetic Asian cafes can be found everywhere, and are scattered all across the city. However, Cheonsun Cafe offers something unique to its visitors that most other cafes don’t: a feel of traditional Korea. The experience awaits just one bus ride away. 

Courtesy of Elina Lee

Getting there is simple: take the subway uptown from the Port Authority Bus Terminal on 42nd Street up to 175th Street, where walking 3 minutes will take you to the George Washington Bridge Bus Terminal. $2.15 and an additional 3 minutes will bring you to the heart of Fort Lee, New Jersey—home to one of the densest Korean communities in the nation.

Cheongsun Cafe works to bring its community a nostalgic taste of home. Created by the same architectural firm behind STARFIELD Library in Suwon, Korea, the space resurrects the grace of late 19th-century Korea through eye-catching elements of hanok architecture carefully designed with elements of warm wood and lush greenery. Taking in the cafe’s exterior brought me back to the Seoul palace grounds I had spent my summer months exploring.

Courtesy of Elina Lee

Once we walked in, my friend and I were met with a bustling crowd of families and friends alike, scrambling to find a seat inside to escape the late September heat. As my friend and I slowly inched towards the ordering kiosks, we laid eyes upon a traditional dessert set that was fit for a king—literally. Pastries such as yakgwa and dasik, which were once delicacies that only emperors could indulge in, were laid out in the carefully-tailored set. However, a large portion of these various desserts, except for the madeleines, proved to be too much of an acquired taste for us. We opted for a set menu consisting of a bingsu and two drinks. We chose the green tea bingsu, which is lightly dusted with matcha powder all around and with ribbons of forest green condensed milk cascading downwards. The all-green tower is topped off with a scoop of red beans, bringing a sense of sharp contrast color-wise. We also ordered the peach and mandarin orange, with each drink topped off with a piece of their respective fruit, skewered. Together, this trio promised both refreshment and aesthetics. The total came out to approximately thirty dollars, setting high expectations for the quality of the food and experience.

Courtesy of Elina Lee

As we waited for our order, I took in the room’s atmosphere during that brief period. The crowd had somewhat dispersed, yet the various conversations and faint music served to create a warm, homey mood that made me feel that it was a slow Sunday morning, even on a Saturday afternoon. The cafe’s ambiance was cinematic, with warm light gushing through the windows and mahogany interior becoming golden under the sunlight. There were various conversations that blended together, providing a homely ambiance for the people inside. 

Once I picked up our order, the first thing that struck me was its aesthetic presentation. The vibrant colors of the two drinks, the metallic coldness of the bowls, and the vibrance of the matcha condensed milk all meshed together to create a mesmerizing scene. Alas, we feasted upon the sight with our eyes—and our cameras. Once we had our fill of photos, we dug right in.

Courtesy of Elina Lee

First was the drinks. The mandarin ade, though visually appealing with its radiant saccharine, unfortunately overwhelms what could have been a crisp citrus profile. One sip left my mouth coated in a candy-like syrup that became hard to wash down. The peach ade, however, redeemed the drinks. It was bright, effervescent, and mercifully untainted by artificiality. It was the kind of drink that tastes like memory: fleeting, delicate, and impossible to replicate.

Courtesy of Elina Lee

The next order of business was digging into the bingsu. The first spoonful was magnificent, with the matcha’s gentle bitterness softened by the cloud-like texture of the shaved ice, which dissolved onto your tongue. Even the absence of condensed milk seemed intentional, as the dessert was sugary enough to satisfy my sweet tooth yet restrained enough to allow for the bitterness of the matcha to shine through. Yet the red beans on top were overwhelming in taste. They were too bitter and assertive, becoming an uninvited guest in an otherwise perfect dish. My friend agreed, and the only trace left in the finished bowl was a mound of uneaten beans.

Having experienced Cheongsun Cafe, it is clear how this place, where both design and dessert come together to create an aesthetic experience during a hangout with friends or even a date. I recommend trying out the peach ade, and for those who would opt for a more solid dessert, any of the fan-favorite fromages. As an avid cafe fan, I’m all about seeking out new and interesting experiences that I can photograph. This cafe proved to be just that, going as far to offer a scene of Joseon-era Korea that is rarely found outside of the country. If given the opportunity, I would once again take the time to see more of what Cheongsu has to offer the next time I venture beyond Washington Square to get to Fort Lee!