Coffee Shop: Carpe Diem

area: Pusan National University (PNU)
coffee: tasty
grub: outstanding
overall rating: awesomesauce

Behold your salvation.

Carpe Diem is one of our favorite hangouts in Busandae. We return with comic frequency. The friendly owner remembers and is genuinely happy to see us, and the waitstaff is always kind (and eager to practice their English). The coffee is good, the food is great, and the ambiance is killer.

Mmm. Squashy.

The atmosphere in Carpe Diem is what sells it. We love the old-fashioned pink velvet loveseats that take the place of regular booth seats at the tables, all squishy and covered in cushions. The music selection is exactly what you want in a cafe. There’s a lot of jazz and what we might call laid-back indie music, which is ideal for conversation or reserved contemplation. There is plenty of seating and we never feel encouraged to leave immediately, even when alone, which is the norm in South Korea. The owner has a great attention for detail, from the brick dividers that set the tables apart to the tiny cacti and succulents (for purchase) that adorn every ledge in the shop.

The coffee is above average for Korea, but not exceptional. It is the sweet fare that brings us back. Order the Cinnamon Waffle. Do it. It comes with plenty of ice cream and fruit (usually bananas and kiwi, though we’ve had surprises). Drizzled with chocolate sauce and dollops of whipped cream, this thing is the dessert of dreams. Expect to wait ten to twenty minutes for preparation, but don’t worry: they’ll bring you your coffee right away, and this is the sort of establishment you want to take your time and enjoy.

They have other food to offer, but seriously. Cinnamon Waffle. Tell your friends.

There’s a computer with internet access (presumably for paying customers only) that’s free to use. There is a bathroom, which is nice in Korea, the land of no bathrooms. There's no English menu, but it's the standard Korean coffee shop fare: Americano, Cafe Latte, and the like.

Directions: From PNU Subway Station, go out Exit 1. Directly across from exit 1 is a street. Go straight down it. You will pass an intersection with a Baskin Robbins. Keep going straight. Carpe Diem will be on your right, on the second floor above Jundol Jeans. There is a white sign with a cup of coffee and a waffle on it. :D

There it is!

Here's a close-up of the sign!