Momos Roastery and Coffee Bar: The most popular and perhaps the best café in Yeongdo run by a World Barista Champion

Momos Coffee is famous for the café owner, Jeon Joo-yeon, the winner of the World Barista Championship. Momos second cafe is located at Yeongdo Port. Many of those who visit the café for the first time will be overwhelmed by the sheer size of the place. It’s more like a big showroom with a green bean warehouse, massive coffee roasting area. There, you will not only see the process of specialty coffee production but feel the passion of the roasters.

On days when it's not too cold, the windows are open, so you can enjoy the view of the sea and Busan while enjoying a cup of coffee. On the other side, various coffee-related products are on display for customers to buy as a souvenir and gift.

160, Bongnaenaru-ro, Yeongdo-gu, Busan
+82-70-5129-0184
09:00 - 18:00 Every day
Coffee Academy Fee: Professional barista training class (22 lessons, KRW 1.6 million) | Roasting class (8 lessons, KRW 2 million)

Mini interview – CEO Jeon Joo-yeon

Opened in 2007 near Oncheonjang Station, Momos is now recognized as one of the most popular coffee brands in Busan. What is the main philosophy that has sustained your business and led to Momos growth?

I have pursued an ethical and value-oriented business philosophy in line with the meaning of 'Momos', which refers to a group of rational, value-oriented and ethical consumers.

Your employee benefits stand out, such as creating a sustainable work environment and providing them with an opportunity to learn more about their trade by sending them to coffee growing regions. What other strengths have fostered Momos' growth?

It’s always about people. Momos is what it is today thanks to our employees. Through a relationship built on solid trust, I hope we can realize our hopes and dreams together at Momos.

Tell us how you overcame a crisis in the past 16 years of running Momos.

There are crises all the time. Every time there is a crisis, I always ask, ‘What’s the meaning of Momos existence?’ I simplified menus to focus more on the coffee and also paid more attention to barista training. I try to overcome the crises with a group of people who are serious about coffee.

Momos has established itself as an ideal specialty coffee business, with cafe operations, roasting, classes, and green bean trade. What are your plans and directions for growth in the future?

Not everything went as planned. There are still many people who don't know about us. I hope that Momos will be an iconic brand in the coffee industry and the first thing that comes to mind when people think of Busan just like Sungsimdang in Daejeon.

News Coffee: A good place to enjoy a fine cup of coffee made from coffee beans roasted by a master roaster

News Coffee is located in an alley near Yeonji Elementary School. The cafe is run by CEO Kim Jung-jin, who has won numerous awards, including the IKAWA Korea Roasting Championship. The interior has a vintage feel, and his love for coffee is evident in his award plaques on display. The building right next to News Coffee has a roasting area full of rich, nutty coffee aroma, and the basement space of the cafe is used for coffee classes.

CEO Kim Jung-jin, who has served as a judge in many coffee competitions, evaluates not only the taste of the coffee but also the attitude of the contestant, so he is well known for his so-called technical judging. So News Coffee is the place to go if you crave for a cup of coffee with a special flavor made by a real coffee master.

24, Yeonji-ro, Busanjin-gu, Busan
+82-10-8269-1476
Mon - Sat 11:00 - 19:00 (Last order at 18:30. Closed every Sunday.)
Coffee Academy Fee: Beginner Class (5 lessons, KRW 600,000) | Intermediate Class (7 lessons, KRW 1 million) | Advanced Class (9 lessons, KRW 1.4 million)

Mini interview – CEO Kim Jung-jin

You won the IKAWA Korea Roasting Championship in 2022. What led you to become involved with coffee and open News Coffee (Yeonji Branch)?

It was 10 years ago when I went a private coffee academy with a serious desire to learn coffee. Since then, my passion has shifted to teaching people about coffee. So I opened News Coffee with the intention of creating a proper space for coffee culture.

Specialty coffee, roasting, and academy (CVA, Coffee Value Assessment) are all there at News Coffee. What is your focus when you run all these things?

I want to brew a cup of coffee that really reproduces the intention of a barista and is true to the basics. How you roast good quality green beans is the key to determining the difference in flavor. I produce excellent quality coffee by using News Coffee’s secret roasting recipe. My Coffee Academy offers high-quality 1:1 training.

What kind of cafe do you want News Coffee to be and what role model do you aspire to?

I believe that coffee should always be the main thing of any café, so I have fewer desserts than other cafes. Rather than focusing on coming up with other menus, I focus more on implementing various coffee flavors.

What are your plans and directions for the growth of News Coffee?

News Coffee means N(north)E(east)W(west)S(south) COFFEE. I want to make the brand and beans known throughout the country. News Coffee emphasizes the value of coffee education, so the level of our baristas is higher. I will strive to make News Coffee the leader in the market for quality coffee beans.

Cospir (Geumjeong-gu Branch): A place where the coffee is like a love potion, brewed by a National Barista Champion

A square building stands out in a quiet residential area near Busan Nat'l Univ Station. There is not a noticeably visible sign saying that it’s a café, but the aroma of coffee wafting from the place gives a hint that it’s actually a café. It’s Cospir, where the coffee is brewed by none other than a national barista champion. Once inside, the light from the large windows adds to the already comforting atmosphere.

In addition to brewing coffee from various types beans, Cospir also offers a wide range of menus. The café has a roasting machine, so you can watch the roasting process. The owner, Jung Hyeong-yong, is also passionate about teaching people about coffee. So if you are a coffee lover, it’s a great place to learn a thing or two about coffee.

1FL, 4, Jangjeononcheoncheon-ro 79beon-gil, Geumjeong-gu, Busan
+82-70-4400-7942
11:00 - 19:00 every day (Last order at 18:30)
Coffee Academy Fee: Beginner Class (4 lessons, KRW 500,000) | Intensive Class (5 lessons, KRW 1 million)

Mini interview – CEO Jeong Hyeong-yong

(Awards: Winner of the 2019 Korea Brewers Cup Championship / Participated in the 2019 World Brewers Cup as a National Barista / Won the 5th place in the 2020 Korea Brewers Cup Championship)

What led you to become involved with coffee and open Cospir?

I was originally a cook, but I was always more interested in coffee, which was my favorite drink. I opened Cospir with 'coexistence' as my business philosophy, hoping to create a brand that introduces various coffee-related cultures to those who are well-versed in other fields with coffee as a medium.

The place looks like a smart warehouse from the outside and a combination of a bar, cafe, and exhibition hall in the inside. What is the philosophy and value of each space?

I focused on spaces to introduce people who specialize in their respective field. The first floor has a coffee bar in the center, because I wanted it to be a space where you can immerse yourself in the process of making a cup of coffee. The second floor is designed to be a space for quiet thinking while savoring a cup of java.

Cospir not only serves specialty coffee, but also coffee academies and roasting service all in one place. I'm curious about what each course focuses on.

People are the most important part of any process. I am constantly thinking about how I can offer specialty coffee that can be a new experience for customers who are already coffee connoisseurs, how I can add something different to the roasting process, and how I can make participants feel more comfortable during the class.

What kind of cafe do you want Cospir to be, and what are your plans for the future?

I want my customers to focus more on themselves and find their own taste. One of my role models is ‘Aesop’, a beauty brand, because it creates synergy through collaboration. I want to turn Cospir into a cultural space where people can synergize and exchange inspirations through coffee.