Maybell Bakery

By now, Maybell Bakery has practically become a household name, with other Seoul eateries proudly advertising their use of Maybell bread and lines of locals as well as Japanese tourists spilling out of their tiny Itaewon space. Bread flies off the shelves, and they generally sell out by early afternoon. Known for their wholesome, simple baked goods, most of their breads are not only vegan but also sugar-free.

Our tip: in the back alley. just minutes from the main location is a lesser-known, more spacious branch of Maybell with even more varieties of bread and a fraction of the customers. Despite his success, founder Jeong Woong (정웅) is humble, opting for the title of “Baker” instead of “CEO” or “Owner” on his business card. He opened the second location in order to try out new breads, which is why you’ll find different varieties here (the two locations also use different varieties of natural yeast). While the fig bread and baguettes fly off the shelves at the first branch, the second branch sells an array of dense and chewy rye breads, whole-wheat loaves, and our favorite, a dark grain boule with bits of dried orange.