Walking along the area that's been sometimes referred to as Mangridan-gil (as in "Gyeongridan-gil of Mangwon-dong") in the media, you will come across a tall, charcoal gray building with a sign that simply reads ‘817.’ Set up in 2015 by 817 Design Space, a consultancy focused on interior design, furniture and home styling, the café featured at 817 Workshop has been known for its impressive rooftop much catered to the hip crowds of Seoul.
Getting up to the rooftop located on one of the taller buildings in the area, you'll first walk into a garage-like entrance then welcomed by a wide open space leading to the café. Coffee drinks, fresh-squeezed juices and ades and shakes are available here, along with Ronnefeldt tea and a selection of dessert/snacks including cakes and hotdogs. After placing your order with one of the extremely friendly staffers, you can choose to remain on the entrance floor, walk up to the second floor (for a cozier inside atmosphere) or head up all the way to the 6th floor to check out the gem (just remember to take your order with you when going up).
Mind you, the seating on the top floor is limited to about 10 to 15 people—but the wide open view of Mangwon-dong presented below and beyond is worth a wait. If you look far out enough, you might even catch a glimpse of Han River.
817 Workshop deserves a stop-by to say the least—after all, who can resist a cold and fragrant Ronnefeldt tea, with the combination of the summer sun seeping through the canvas canopy, light breezes combing your hair and a great view of Mangwon-dong’s messy yet charming streets? Oh, and some good shopping, too: right across the street is 817 Workshop Showroom where you can purchase some of the chic decorative items you saw at the café.