La Caffe is a small, cozy bistro concentrating on Italian cuisine and coffee roasting. It will not disappoint you in a city where good, affordable Italian food is sometimes hard to find.

Hidden away in the back alleyways of Wangsimni, La Caffe offers authentic, thin-crust, Italian pizza and generous servings of salad and pasta. Pizza and pasta range from 11,000 - 16,000 and salads are 10,000 and under. The aglio, pomodorini, patate and salami pizzas are popular among and highly recommended by La Caffe’s regulars.

The owner, Bang Jung Ho, is an award-winning barista, claiming 1st prize in espresso-making at the 1st Coffee Roaster Championship in Korea earlier this year. You can savor their coffee by the mug, or even have some ground for you on the spot: 15,000 won for 300g, or 20,000 for 500g of their Arabica blend. La Caffe is particularly atmospheric in the rainy season, with its doors open to the sound of rain and quiet jazz playing in the background.

Written by Amiee White for GROOVE Aug 2010.