Best Seoul Café for Salt Bread Lovers – O’SIO Café I’PARK Mall Yongsan Branch

Discover Seoul’s trending café, Osio Café Yongsan — famous for its artisan salt bread lineup including French, cookie, and truffle styles.

Contents

O’SIO Café I’PARK Mall Yongsan Branch: Basic Information

A photo of the front view of Osio Café in Yongsan, Seoul — famous for its salted bread

Cafe Name	おしお Cafe BY O’SIO (O’SIO Café I’PARK Mall Yongsan Branch)
Type of Cuisine	Japanese-style salted bread
Cafe Address	6th Floor, I’PARK Mall Yongsan Branch, 55 Hangang-daero 23-gil, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, South Korea
Cafe Business Hours	Mon–Fri: 9:00 AM – 10:00 PM Sat–Sun: 9:30 AM – 10:00 PM • Last order: 9:30 PM • All breads are freshly baked and available from 10:00 AM
Parking	Parking Available • Parking available at I’PARK Mall (up to 6,000 KRW)
Seating Capacity	Hall Tables and Counter Seating for 20+ Guests
Amenities	Free High-Speed 5G Wi-Fi, All menu items are available for takeout orders, Complimentary Fresh Filtered Water

Osio Café I’PARK Mall Yongsan is a flagship store directly operated by Osio F&B Co., Ltd., a premium salted bread café brand that first gained attention with its pop-up at Shinsegae Department Store Gangnam, followed by locations at Galleria Department Store Apgujeong and Yongsan I’PARK Mall.

The café originally opened on July 27, 2023, under the name “Osio Café by Akarenga.” This launch was part of a collaboration with Akarenga Bakery, which was featured on SBS’s “Master of Living” (Episode 881, aired March 27, 2023) as the “Master of Dangjin Cookie Salted Bread.” The name “Akarenga” means red brick bakery in Japanese. Its head pâtissier, Jihoon Kim, previously worked in the R&D division at Mitsubishi Japan, where he specialized in flour and baking product development, and also created fresh cream milk bread recipes supplied to major convenience stores in Korea.

Thanks to this partnership, customers in Yongsan can now enjoy the Cookie Salted Bread that was once available only at Akarenga Bakery in Dangjin. With advice from Pain Maison in Japan — the original pioneer of salted bread — Jihoon Kim developed Osio’s version that delivers an authentic, original flavor profile.

Initially, the store’s signboard read “Osio Café by Akarenga,” while the menu displayed “Osio Café in Yongsan.” In late January 2024, the signage was updated to “Osio Café by Osio” to align with the company’s family branding strategy, alongside its sister brand “Siopangya by Osio.” Although the Akarenga name has been removed from the sign, the beloved Cookie Salted Bread still remains on the menu today.

O’SIO Café I’PARK Mall Yongsan Branch: Menu and Prices

Menu	Price (KRW)
소금빵 (Salted bread)	• Classic Salted Bread (basic salted bread made with French fermented butter and Guerande salt) – ₩3,500 • Pollock Roe Salted Bread (salted bread with savory pollock roe) – ₩4,500 • Cookie Salted Bread (salted bread with cookie dough mixed in) – ₩4,500 • Chocolate Salted Bread (salted bread with dark chocolate) – ₩4,500 • Truffle Salted Bread (salted bread infused with Italian truffle oil and truffle zest) – ₩4,500 • French Salted Bread (sweet salted bread with honey and cinnamon) – ₩4,500
Cream	• Salted Milk Cream – ₩1,500 • Kaymak-Style Cream Cheese – ₩3,500 • Green Onion & Bacon Cream Cheese – ₩2,500 • Basil Tomato Cream Cheese – ₩2,500 • Walnut & Fig Cream Cheese – ₩2,500
Beverage	• Americano: ₩4,200 • Caffe Latte: ₩4,800 • Vanilla Latte: ₩5,300 • Salt Latte: ₩5,300 • Milk Tea Latte: ₩5,100 • Chocolate Latte: ₩5,100 • Tea (Chamomile / Earl Grey): ₩4,300 • Ade (Peach / Grapefruit): ₩4,700

Did you know that salt is an essential ingredient in bread-making?

Whether using strong flour or cake flour, all wheat flour contains gluten, which is composed of two proteins — glutenin and gliadin — that form a mesh-like structure. By adding a small amount of salt to the dough, this mesh becomes more stable, creating that chewy and elastic texture we associate with good bread. Salt also helps the dough handle better and rise beautifully during baking.

If you make bread without salt, the dough becomes sticky and difficult to work with, and it won’t rise properly in the oven. In that sense, you could say that every bread is a kind of “salted bread.”

In Europe — especially in France and Italy, where bread has long been a staple food — it’s common to enjoy bread with a pinch of salt. Inspired by this very idea, Japan created the original “Shio Pan,” or salted bread, giving birth to the now-famous style we know today.

The salted bread we enjoy in Korea today originates from Japan’s Shio Pan (しおパン), and the world’s very first version of this bread was created by Mitoshi Hirata, the founder of Pain Maison in Yawatahama City, Ehime Prefecture, Japan. This was also featured in Episode 892 of SBS’s Master of Living, aired on June 12, 2023, titled “The Origin of Salted Bread.”In Japanese, Shio (塩, しお) means “salt,” and Pan (パン) means “bread,” which is why Koreans refer to it literally as “Salted Bread.”

Yawatahama — a small seaside town with a population of around 30,000 — also served as the background setting for the Japanese animation film “Suzume.” Local fish market vendors there began eating Pain Maison’s Shio Pan for breakfast, and its unique flavor quickly spread nationwide. By around 2006, Shio Pan had become a culinary trend throughout Japan before eventually gaining popularity in Korea.

As of 2025, Pain Maison’s Shio Pan is priced at 120 yen (approximately 1,130 KRW) each. The bakery produces about 5,000 pieces a day, and they sell out daily — with people traveling from all over Japan just to taste the original. Despite its low price, the bakery remains profitable; at roughly 1,200 KRW per piece, 5,000 sales generate about 6 million KRW in daily revenue, with an estimated 30% margin, or around 1.8 million KRW in daily net profit.

According to the broadcast, the Shio Pan production process begins by mixing a special flour blend (containing Canadian flour and three other ingredients, supplied by a Japanese mill) with ice water to achieve a perfect dough temperature of 28°C. The dough is then portioned into 50g balls, which are cold-fermented for one day. After fermentation, each dough piece is rolled flat, layered with 10g of fermented butter (most likely a cost-efficient Hokkaido-made cultured butter), and then tightly rolled into its signature shape. It’s left to rise for an hour, sprinkled with crushed rock salt to enhance texture and flavor, and finally baked for 15 minutes at 200°C after being preheated to 218°C. The use of rock salt not only creates a subtle sweetness that follows the initial saltiness but also helps the salt crystals retain their shape after baking.

Importantly, the salt in Shio Pan is not meant to make the bread salty — instead, it brings out the dough’s natural sweetness by providing a pleasant contrast, much like sprinkling salt over ice cream. This balance of crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside makes it a favorite for both the elderly and children. That soft, light texture combined with its irresistible flavor is exactly why once you fall in love with Shio Pan, there’s no going back.

O’SIO Café I’PARK Mall Yongsan Branch: Real Customer Reviews

A scene of crossing the Han River on Seoul Subway Line 1

(Heading from Noryangjin toward Yongsan)

In Seoul, it’s best to use the affordable and convenient subway system. Especially in Yongsan, traffic congestion can be severe, so using public transportation is highly recommended.

Osio Café is located on the 6th floor of Taste Park at Yongsan I’Park Mall. It’s easy to find, situated right across from the popular KFC and close to both the escalators and elevators. The café is divided into an open kitchen area and a dining hall. On the left, staff are busy taking and preparing orders, while the right side is the seating area for customers. Seating operates on a first-come, first-served basis, and all services—including returning dishes—are self-service.

Osio Café’s Pre-Baked Dough, Famous for Seoul’s Salt Bread

Since Osio Café bakes its salt bread on-site, just being near the café fills the air with the rich aroma of butter that instantly stimulates your senses. At the entrance, you can even see the shaped dough just before it goes into the oven. Notice the thick slabs of butter nestled inside the dough?

All orders are placed directly with the staff. You can order both the salt bread and café menu items, whether you plan to dine in or take out. Everyone uses the same queue for ordering. Free Wi-Fi and the password are posted next to the register.

Interior Table Setup at Café Oshio, Famous for Salt Bread in Yongsan, Seoul

Photo of the French Salt Bread at Café Oshio, Famous for Salt Bread in Yongsan, Seoul

I’ve visited Osio Café countless times. The money I’ve spent here could probably cover a one-night stay at the nearby Dragon City Novotel Suite Ambassador. Naturally, I’ve tried almost every menu item. Honestly, the drinks don’t leave much of an impression, but the salt bread is absolutely phenomenal. Among them, I highly recommend the French Salt Bread.

The French Salt Bread was newly introduced in July 2024 to celebrate the Paris Olympics. It uses the brûlée method—derived from the French word brûler, meaning “to burn”—applied to the salt bread. The exterior is lightly torched with cinnamon honey butter at over 180℃ for a crisp crust, while the interior is rich and buttery thanks to generous French Elle & Vire butter, creating a perfect balance of texture and flavor.

Left: Mentaiko Salt Bread, Right: Truffle Salt Bread

See how the stainless steel plates are stacked like a tray, similar to a conveyor belt sushi restaurant? You really can’t stop at just one. You take one, then order another freshly baked salt bread while it’s still warm, eat that, and repeat… again and again.

The Classic Salt Bread, Cookie Salt Bread, Mentaiko Salt Bread, and Chocolate Salt Bread each have their own unique flavor, but I strongly recommend the French Salt Bread. For those who enjoy wine, the Truffle Salt Bread is a perfect choice.

Photo of the famous French Salt Bread at Café Oshio in Yongsan, Seoul

Until June 2025, the café used tables with clear glass tops, but when I visited in July, they had switched to white-toned tabletops.

Photo of the famous French Salt Bread at Café Oshio in Yongsan, Seoul

I actually preferred the new tables. If there are no seats inside, you can simply take your order to-go and sit at any empty spot in the 7th-floor food court. Honestly, you don’t need to insist on sitting at the café tables. While you’re there, every time a fresh batch of salt bread comes out of the oven, the charred aroma fills the entire space, which can give you a headache. That’s why I highly recommend taking your bread to-go.

Photo of Café Oshio salt bread in a takeaway shopping bag

Photo of Café Oshio salt bread in a takeaway box

Photo showing the condition of the salt bread inside the takeout container

If you order five or more, they’ll pack them neatly in a box. Even if it jostles a bit, the salt bread stays intact. Boxes are great for gifting or bringing to a potluck with friends.

Photo of the French salt bread after reheating in a microwave at home

Since the bread cools down when packaged, it’s best to warm it slightly before eating. For crispiness, air-fry for 3 minutes; for a moist texture, microwave for 15 seconds. I microwaved mine, and it was perfectly warm and soft.

Honestly, I’m not exaggerating—2025’s ultimate salt bread is the French Salt Bread at Café Oshio in Yongsan. Once you try it, you’ll immediately understand why people line up to get it. The taste is so moving that it might even make your cheeks tear up with delight. I cannot recommend the French Salt Bread at Café Oshio Yongsan enough—seriously, you must try it! This is a 100% genuine, receipt-verifiable review from my own experience.

Recommended Menu Picks

For first-time visitors, these menu items are highly recommended:

1. French Salted Bread – The most delicious menu loved by everyone, regardless of age or gender.

2. Truffle Salted Bread – The ultimate pairing for wine.

3. Caffe Latte – The coffee that goes best with salt bread.

Final Verdict

If you’ve read this far, you’ve probably already gotten a sense of the charm of authentic salt bread at O’SIO Café in Seoul. Recognized as one of the top must-visit spots in Seoul, this café lets you experience freshly baked salt bread that’s crispy on the outside and soft and fluffy on the inside. More than just a dessert café, it’s a special place that deserves a spot on any Korea café recommendations list. Include it in your Seoul café tour and treat yourself to a memorable salt bread experience at O’SIO Café!

💡 Pro Tip: For the best experience at O’SIO Café in Seoul, visit in the morning when the salt bread is freshly baked. Pair it with a classic Korean-style latte for a perfect balance of savory and sweet. If you’re doing a Seoul café tour, don’t forget to snap photos of their signature bread—its golden crust and soft interior make for an Instagram-worthy treat!

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