b Patisserie Kouign-Amann in Seoul: Batch Times, the 4-Per-Person Limit and the One to Buy
b Patisserie kouign-amann is the pastry I went to Express Bus Terminal for on a Monday afternoon. Chef Son Jong-won, from Netflix’s Culinary Class Wars, once said that the first bite made him feel like he heard trumpets from the sky. So I went to hear the trumpets myself.
I had a reason to trust him. He also recommended Gamegol Son Wang Mandu, a dumpling shop in Namdaemun, and the kimchi mandu I had there was excellent. This time I joined the line at b Patisserie’s Central City branch, inside the Shinsegae Central City building.
According to Esquire Korea, the chef also said in a magazine interview that if he could eat only one thing before he died, it would be kouign-amann. The bakery itself started in San Francisco, as Daum’s Seoul kouign-amann guide notes.
b Patisserie Central City: quick facts
| Details | |
|---|---|
| Korean name | 비파티세리 센트럴시티점 (b Patisserie Central City) |
| Address | Shinsegae Central City 1F, No. 116, 176 Sinbanpo-ro, Seocho-gu, Seoul (서울 서초구 신반포로 176 신세계 센트럴시티 1층 116호) |
| Nearest subway | Express Bus Terminal Station, Exit 3, about 100 m |
| Hours | Daily 9:00–21:30, last order 21:00, open every day of the year |
| Kouign-amann batches | 9:00, 11:00, 13:30 and 15:00, weekdays and weekends |
| Limit | 4 kouign-amann per person, including anyone with you |
| Payment | Card accepted (I paid by card) |
| Prices | Classic 5,000 won (about $3.77), flavored 5,500 won (about $4.15) |
| My wait | About 10 groups ahead of me, 10 minutes before the 1:30 p.m. batch on a Monday |
Timing the b Patisserie kouign-amann batches
This is the most useful thing to know before you go. The kouign-amann don’t sit on the shelf all day. Instead, they come out in four batches, and the bakery posts the times on its Naver Place notice: 9:00, 11:00, 13:30 and 15:00.
I aimed for the 1:30 p.m. batch and arrived about 10 minutes early. Even so, roughly 10 groups were already waiting. They were all there for the kouign-amann, not the rest of the counter.
The rest of the counter is a full French bakery: croissants, muffins and other pastries, many wrapped in paper bags to go. Kouign-amann (퀸아망), by the way, is a pastry from Brittany in France. It is made from laminated dough folded with butter and sugar, so the sugar caramelizes in the oven.
There is also a limit of four kouign-amann per person, and that count includes the people you came with. In September the limit was two, so check the current notice before you plan a big haul.
Five flavors, and the four I picked
There are five kinds. The classic costs 5,000 won. Udo peanut, chocolate, berry cream cheese and black sesame (heukimja, 흑임자) cost 5,500 won each. I picked four, everything except black sesame, which came to 21,500 won (about $16).
They came packed in a white box. Here they are on a plate, from the plain classic to the peanut one covered in nuts.
Classic kouign-amann (클래식 퀸아망) 
Of the four, the classic was the best by a clear margin. The outside was crisp, and there was syrup inside, so the middle stayed moist. That contrast is the whole point of a good kouign-amann, and this one had it.
It’s also the cheapest one at 5,000 won. If you can only buy one b Patisserie kouign-amann, buy this.
Chocolate, berry cream cheese and Udo peanut
The chocolate kouign-amann has a ribbon of dark chocolate piped over the top.
The berry cream cheese one has a dome of pale yellow cream in the center and a dusting of powdered sugar.
Finally, the Udo peanut version is covered in whole peanuts and a white glaze. Udo is a small island off Jeju known for its peanuts.
Honestly, I don’t think you need to go out of your way for these three. The classic is the reason to come, and I’d spend the 4-per-person limit on it.
Tips for your visit to b Patisserie
- Pick a batch time and arrive early. I came 10 minutes before the 1:30 p.m. batch on a Monday, and about 10 groups were ahead of me.
- Decide your four before you reach the counter, since the limit includes everyone in your group.
- Find it with Google Maps or Naver Map. It is on the first floor of Shinsegae Central City, about 100 m from Express Bus Terminal Station Exit 3.
- Prices may have changed since my visit. Naver’s menu page still listed the classic at 4,800 won when I checked.
Also, the station is a big transfer point for Lines 3, 7 and 9. The bakery sits inside the same Shinsegae Central City complex, so it’s an easy stop before or after a bus trip.
The short version
b Patisserie’s Central City branch sells its kouign-amann in four daily batches (9:00, 11:00, 13:30, 15:00), with a limit of four per person. I waited behind about 10 groups on a Monday, and the classic, at 5,000 won, was the one worth the line.
Some links on Haamoni may be affiliate links. If you buy through one, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Menus, prices and hours were correct when I checked and can change, so confirm before you go.
Sources
- Naver Place: 비파티세리 센트럴시티점 hours, address and directions (checked 2026-10-27)
- Naver Place notice: November kouign-amann batch times and purchase limit
- Esquire Korea: bakeries picked by Jennie, Karina and Son Jong-won
- Daum: Seoul kouign-amann guide (2026-01-08)
- Frankfurter (ECB reference rate), USD/KRW on 2026-10-26
