Recently, I visited La Bouche du Lua in Songjeong-dong. My wife suggested we go, and although I didn’t know where it was initially, it turned out to be quite a famous place.
This bakery is run by the husband of SES singer Bada. It’s well-known from multiple TV appearances, but it’s tucked away in an alley, so I only found out about it recently. The atmosphere is better than I expected, and the bakery’s bread is definitely worth high marks.
I didn’t get to try the coffee, but after some research for this post, I found out that their coffee is also highly regarded. I’ll make sure to try it next time.
- Hours : 9 AM - 8 PM (Closed on Mondays and Tuesdays)
- Prices : Croissant 0.4, Pain au Chocolat 0.48, Almond Croissant 0.5, Egg Tart 0.4
- Address: 1st Floor, 33 Songjeong 18-gil, Seongdong-gu, Seoul
- Phone: 0507-1348-0909
- Parking : Public transportation recommended
It’s located deep in an alley, making it hard to find unless you plan your visit. The bakery became known among locals and those walking along the Jungnangcheon River before being featured on TV and gaining wider recognition. The location is a bit tricky, so it’s better to take a bus (146, 242, 3220, 8146) or visit while walking along Songjeong Ttukbang-gil.
The Blue Bakery in the Alley
The striking sky-blue building is La Bouche du Lua. Some may know that Bada’s daughter’s name is Lua. The bakery’s color resembles the sea, and it bears the name of Bada’s daughter, which is quite romantic. It would suit a coastal area like the East Sea better. This neighborhood has a certain charm, and we often talk about how certain houses would make great restaurants or cafes while taking walks.
‘La Bouche du Lua’ means ‘Lua’s Mouth.’ The owner named it with a desire to create a proper bakery with his love for his daughter in mind. He once posted on Instagram about choosing the right ingredients and baking with love. The bakery opened in March 2023 and is now about a year and a half old.
In front of the shop is a small, lush garden with a signboard. There used to be tables outside like a terrace, but they weren’t there today, probably due to the hot weather.
The bakery only sells bread made fresh daily. The first floor is the store, and the upper floors are where Bada and her family live. Sometimes, you might even see Bada at the store.
The bakery has a Mediterranean European feel. It’s located slightly below ground level, which could have been tricky to use, but they made good use of the space.
Looking from above, you can see my son already inside the store. They probably remodeled part of the house to include the bakery. I’m curious about how they managed the basement renovation, especially creating large windows.
a hotel-like bakery LUA
La Bouche du Lua emphasizes its identity in Songjeong-dong. The atmosphere is like a European vintage hotel, which is quite rare and refreshing.
Inside, the counter feels like a hotel lobby, with antique wooden decor. I heard Bada was involved in the decorations and interior design, opting for a more serious style than her quirky TV persona. On the right, there’s a cute Ratatouille figure.
The interior has a heavy, antique wooden feel. There’s a coffee machine and a heavy door leading to the baking area. The space is not large but well-utilized.
The counter area is quite spacious. They collaborated with roasting champion Minho Kim to test and set up various coffee beans to complement the bakery’s offerings.
The key decorations give it a real hotel lobby feel. The bakery’s logo often features key shapes, and each key is unique.
There are about four seats by the window overlooking the small garden with rabbit figurines.
My son found the rabbits cute. Other reviews show beautifully plated bread, but since we came by car and planned to take out, we didn’t get to see the plates.
They have a variety of jams, which reviewers say are very fresh. The jams come in flavors like mango, blood orange, kiwi calamansi, salty caramel, and mocha caramel. They are fresh, great with yogurt, and make nice gifts. The jams are made in the traditional French Breton style.
The private area marked “Private” is the patissier’s space. They focus on traditional French baking.
The patissier certificate is displayed inside. The baker graduated from Le Cordon Bleu in Paris and is a chef from INBP in France.
Recently, they attended a class at Savencia La Maison de l’Excellence in Versailles.
Le Cordon Bleu emphasizes fundamentals, so they focus on basics rather than trends.
a bakery faithful to the basics
There are many baked goods, including loaf bread, salt bread, and various croissants. The bakery became famous for its salt bread but also has popular croissants.
Salt bread comes in various types like cookie salt bread and jambon-beurre salt bread, while croissants include pain au chocolat, almond croissant, pistachio croissant, and custard cream croissant. They are variations on the basics.
They also have baguettes. We enjoyed baguettes during our trip to Paris, so we bought one.
Their apple pie is also famous, and they have egg tarts. The baguette is a tradition baguette.
The Songjeong Embankment is nice, especially during cherry blossom season along Jungnangcheon. The bakery is great to visit while walking along the embankment. It’s refreshing and unique, a nice change from places like Seongsu.
