Picture Perfect Pastries: Our Bakery
Written and photographed by Adam Travis
Our Bakery seems like it was designed for Instagram. Beautiful floral cups and bags, a modern diner-style drink menu, and unique offerings like a square loaf of bread branded with the “OUR_____” logo just beg to be photographed. Above the pastries, a trio of TVs plays a looped video of various people eating bread and pastries. Some delicately nibble at a chocolate croissant, while one man rips a loaf of bread in two. All this catches visitors’ attention: Most guests (myself included) thoroughly documented their trip.
Our Bakery is a chain with a few locations in Seoul and one in Gwangju. The Gwangju branch is located near the northern corner of the Asia Culture Center. It has around a dozen tables and two floor tables on an elevated platform for those who prefer to do without a chair. Out back, there’s a small patio. But seeing as we were seeking refuge from the heat and humidity of the Korean summer, my companion and I stayed inside.
Guests step through an ornate, matte black door and are faced with a backlit menu with block letters – a sleek and modern version of the menu at a greasy spoon. There’s the usual fare of espresso-based drinks along with a chai latte, available hot or iced.
Across from the espresso bar is the full spread of baked goodness. Baguettes, croissants, brownies and more fill the trays and buckets. We opted for a canalé and a chocolate-dipped palmier, along with a pair of iced chai lattes.
The chai latte was tasty, if a little small given the amount of time we ended up spending in the café. It was a refreshing break from my usual diet of Americanos and blended ice drinks. The earthy, spicy flavors of the tea paired well with our sweet treats.
First to go was the canalé: a gumdrop-shaped pastry with a caramelized crust. Flaky on the outside, soft and chewy on the inside, it hit the spot (though I’d suggest getting more than one). The palmier was equally good. Strips of flaky pastry dough half-dipped in chocolate meant it was perfect for slowly snacking on, and the chocolate-to-pastry ratio was just right.
We finished up our drinks; I wiped the crumbs from my beard then grabbed a black pan d’or to go. It was a similar shape to the canalé, except several times larger. Dusted with cocoa powder, it seemed like a promising snack for the next day. Though it seemed amazing, its taste didn’t quite live up to its looks. Instead of cake or soft, gooey dough like the canalé, the pan d’or was closer to white bread. Inside was a pocket of chocolate filling, similar to Nutella. While this helped things along, I finished my half of the pastry feeling a little disappointed.
Despite the pan d’or, I have no hesitations about going back. While it has a number of locations, it’s still much more unique than your average A Twosome Place or Hollys . They also have quite a selection of pastries, many of which aren’t as readily available as a red bean bun or simple croissant.
If you’re looking for a new café experience and some fresh content for the ’gram, Our Bakery is worth a look.
Our Bakery 아우어베이커리
Address: 87 Seosok-ro, Dong-gu, Gwangju 광주 동구 서석로 87
Telephone: 062-222-4230
Opening Hours: Daily 10 a.m. – 10 p.m.
Website: https://www.instagram.com/ourbakerycafe/
The Author
Hailing from the eastern Canadian province of New Brunswick, Adam Travis has been documenting daily life with a camera since 2012. When he is not teaching English to kindergarteners, he can be found roaming the streets of his Gwangju neighborhood, camera in-hand. He enjoys running, beer, travel, and food.