6 Popular Korean Cafe Drinks To Make For Yourself At Home

It’s no secret that we love Korean cuisine over here at HHWT. From its savoury foods like tteokbokki and budae jjigae (army stew) down to its staples like kimchi and Gochujang - these dishes have a place in our hearts and our stomachs ? And just as much as we enjoy eating the foods, we love their yummy drinks as well! So for anyone who’s a fan of cafe-hopping and have always wanted a taste of some of the favourites in Korea, this list of popular Korean cafe drinks is perfect for you. 

1. Strawberry milk

Strawberry milk is a popular drink served during the summertime that’s commonly found at boutique cafes in Seoul. Made with a simple strawberry puree with chunks of strawberries for texture, you won’t find anything artificial or processed about it which sets it apart from the other regular strawberry milks!  With HANSE’s video recipe above, all you need are 3 ingredients and less than 10 minutes to whip up this incredibly refreshing drink. Save it for a hot day where you can really appreciate its taste and go back for seconds and thirds ?

2. Dalgona coffee

The drink that took the world by storm just a few months ago - Dalgona coffee. It’s not very often that a single beverage can have people from all over passionately whipping up frothy coffee creams in their kitchens. But this one did, which is why we had to include it in our list!    The appeal of Dalgona coffee is probably the simplicity of its ingredients - you just need a 1:1:1 ratio of instant coffee, sugar and hot water. At this point, you can probably find many different recipes online (with some even showing variations including Milo, matcha, mocha and more!) - so to make life easier, you can use the video recipe above by Cooking Foodie ?  #HHWTTip: It may be easy to get carried away with the amount of cream you whip up, but we recommend sticking to a smaller amount (e.g. 1 -2 tbsp each of coffee, sugar and water) that's more in line with regular serving sizes!

3. Yuja tea

Looking for something that’ll warm you right up? Then this Korean citron tea, also known as yuja tea or yuzu tea, is the perfect match for you! Sweet, tangy and strong with a unique citron flavour, there’s nothing like snuggling up to a hot cup of yummy tea as you catch up on your latest K-drama.  While finding yuzu in your local grocery stores might be challenging, an easy substitute for it is a 1:1 ratio of fresh lemon and lime juice. It won’t replicate the exact taste, but it’s pretty close to the real deal. So now all you have to do is sit through Maangchi’s handy and entertaining yuja tea video recipe and make yourself a whole jar that’ll last you for the next 2 months ?

4. Sweet potato latte

Sweet potatoes are no doubt a well-loved staple among Koreans and are enjoyed in various ways - soups, snacks, desserts and yes, even in a drink! Served during fall and winter time, sweet potato latte (or goguma latte) is a popular pick for those looking to take a break from the cold. It’s warm, comforting and gives you a hint of kick from its cinnamon powder. Even though it’s called a latte, the drink doesn’t actually have any coffee in it. So you don’t have to worry about caffeine ?

5. Strawberry matcha latte

Do you love strawberries and matcha? Well, if you do, then we’ve got a drink that’s right up your alley - the strawberry matcha latte. It’s a fairly straightforward drink, with fresh strawberries, matcha and milk as its main ingredients. But despite being so simple, the mixture of these three gives you a delicious blend that’s hard to resist. Plus, the colourful layers make it the perfect Insta-worthy drink to snap and share on your feed ? 

6. Korean watermelon punch

In Korea, the summertime heat gets pretty intense and a popular drink that many locals turn to to cool off is watermelon punch (subak hwacahe). It’s light and refreshing taste hits the spot for anyone who’s been out and about, and actually makes for a delicious dessert too ? Typically, this Korean punch uses honey or sugar dissolved in water as its base. But the modernized version now is made with a soft drink, milk or fruit juice. Also, if you’re a fan of making the flavours more complex, feel free to add optional fruits such as melon, pineapple, lemon and blueberries. Otherwise, you can stick to purely watermelons like in the video recipe above and it’ll taste just as great! Now that you know how easy it is to make these Korean cafe drinks, you don't have to wait for that big trip to South Korea to try them out! Whip them up yourself and enjoy a home cafe session as a fun treat anytime of the day ?