I am engaged in an eternal search for Seoul’s perfect brunch spot, and since I have pretty much checked out anything worth going in Itaewon, my search has taken me further afield. I first came across Caravan on Instagram. When I arrived I was surprised to find that they actually have three other locations in the city. There is one in Gangnam, one in Hapjeong, and a newly opened bakery in Hannam. I visited the Hapjeong location, which is located in the Mecenatpolis Mall inside the station, although had I known about the Hannam location, I would have probably gone there instead.
The location in the mall is of a reasonable size and has the same kind of arty retro style that the other branches have. There are two menus available, a breakfast menu which runs from from 9am – 3pm, and a lunch and dinner menu which runs from 11:30am – 10:30pm. This overlap means that if you go anytime after 11:30, but before 3, you have a really great selection of dishes to choose from.
The drinks menu is quite varied and has a mix of teas, coffees, fresh juices, and smoothies. On the booze front they serve wine and beer, sadly there are no cocktails except for a Bellini (12,000). Not being in the mood for wine, I opted for the Espresso Frappe (7,500). This was a real treat, and absolutely delicious. It had a nice balance of coffee and sweetness. My other two companions got Americanos (5,500).
After a long look at the menu I ordered the Eggs Benedict (18,000). This Eggs Benedict actually comes with both salmon and ham, which was a little odd to me, as usually you get one or the other. As a non-salmon-lover, I asked for just ham, which they were happy to oblige me with. The ham used is the Paris Ham from France Gourmet, an online deli that I am a big fan of. The sourdough toast was big and girthy, and the hollandaise rich with a hint of tang. All in all a pretty decent benny, I would certainly order it again.
My dining companion, fellow travel blogger American Girl in Asia, ordered the other dish that I was lusting after the Avocado Toast (14,000). The sourdough toast was topped with sliced avocado, a poached egg, and kale chips. Unlike my dish this only came with one egg. If you love an avocado toast though you’d be hard pushed to not enjoy this one.
Our third diner was in a healthy mood so got the Superfood Bowl (19,000) which was stuffed with quinoa, baby spinach, kale, hummus, sweet potato, avocado, beet, almond, chia seeds, tomato, and a poached egg. This was pricey for a salad but very healthy and filling, there was plenty in there, and we really liked the accompanying bread and hummus.
Overall I thought this was a nice brunch spot, if you live nearby or want to do a spot of shopping at the same time the food was fresh and tasty with an emphasis on healthy eating. If you are looking for more of a destination brunch spot, I believe the Dosan Park location in Gangnam is their main one as they serve cocktails there and have a larger menu.
Caravan is located at Shop 1125, B1, Mecenatpolis, 45 Yanghwa-ro, Seoul. To get there take a train to Hapjeong Station (line 2 & 6) and come out of exit 10. Walk straight and follow the directions to the Mecenatpolis Mall. Walk through the mall and once in the center, walk down the row of shops that bares right. you will see Caravan on the left hand side a little way down on the left. It is also marked on the mall map if you are having issue. For more info you can call them on 02-324 2272 or visit their website. They are open from 9:00am – 10:30pm everyday.