Restaurant in Seoul, South Korea
Serious wine list, easy booking in Hannam-dong.
Cesta is a wine-programme-led venue in Hannam-dong, Yongsan District, recognised by Star Wine List in both 2024 and 2026 — back-to-back credentials that make it one of Seoul's more serious destinations for the bottle rather than the plate. Booking is easy relative to Seoul's competitive tasting menu circuit, making it a practical choice for wine-focused visitors exploring the Hannam-dong neighbourhood.
If you are a wine-focused explorer looking for a serious bottle list in Hannam-dong rather than another tasting menu destination, Cesta is worth your attention. Star Wine List recognised it in both 2024 and 2026, which puts it in a small group of Seoul venues with back-to-back credibility in that category. This is a place for evenings when the wine list is the main event, not a supporting act — bring someone who will appreciate that framing, or go solo and take your time at the list.
Cesta sits at 68-4 Hannam-dong in the Yongsan District, a neighbourhood that has quietly become Seoul's most interesting address for independent food and drink concepts. Hannam-dong draws a crowd that is generally more interested in quality and discovery than in status dining or Instagram spectacle, which shapes the atmosphere at venues here. For wine-focused travellers, the neighbourhood concentration means you can walk between several serious bars and restaurants in an evening , Cesta fits into that kind of exploratory itinerary rather than being a standalone pilgrimage destination. It complements rather than competes with the high-end tasting menu circuit operating across the Han River in Gangnam.
Seoul's broader dining scene has developed considerable depth in recent years. Venues like Mingles, Jungsik, and Soigné have put the city firmly on the international map for serious dining. Cesta occupies a different position in that ecosystem: it is the kind of place where the drink programme drives the decision, not the kitchen alone. That makes it a valuable addition to any Seoul itinerary, particularly for visitors who have already done the marquee tasting menu circuit and want something with a different centre of gravity.
Two Star Wine List awards , 2024 and 2026 , are the clearest signal available here. Star Wine List evaluates wine programmes on depth, range, and the quality of by-the-glass selections, among other criteria. A repeat recognition across two cycles suggests a programme that has maintained standards rather than coasting on an early win. For context, Star Wine List awards in Seoul are not handed out broadly, so back-to-back recognition in Hannam-dong carries real weight for anyone prioritising the bottle over the plate. If you have visited wine-forward restaurants like Le Bernardin in New York and understand what it means for a drinks programme to be taken seriously at an institutional level, Cesta operates in that spirit , applied to a smaller, neighbourhood-scale setting.
Cesta is located at 68-4 Hannam-dong, Yongsan District. Booking difficulty is rated easy, which means you are unlikely to face the weeks-long waits that apply to Seoul's most sought-after tasting menu restaurants , venues like Kwonsooksoo or alla prima require more advance planning. For Cesta, a few days ahead should generally secure a spot, though weekend evenings in Hannam-dong fill faster than weeknights. Pricing, hours, and contact details are not available in our current data; check the venue directly before visiting. For broader Seoul planning, our full Seoul restaurants guide, Seoul bars guide, and Seoul hotels guide cover the full picture. For those travelling elsewhere in South Korea, Mori in Busan is worth adding to the itinerary.
Cesta is a wine-programme-led venue in Hannam-dong with Star Wine List recognition in 2024 and 2026. Come oriented toward the drinks list rather than expecting a destination tasting menu experience. It sits in one of Seoul's most walkable dining neighbourhoods, so pair it with other Hannam-dong stops for a full evening. Booking is relatively easy compared to Seoul's most competitive tables.
Booking difficulty is rated easy, which is a meaningful distinction in a city where venues like Jungsik or Soigné can require weeks of lead time. A few days ahead should work on most weeknights; aim for at least a week out if you are targeting a Friday or Saturday. Confirm current reservation methods directly with the venue, as contact details are not in our current data.
Hannam-dong's independent venue culture tends to be comfortable for solo guests, and a wine-focused bar-restaurant format generally suits solo visits well , you can work through the list at your own pace without the social logistics of a group booking. That said, seating configuration details are not available in our current data, so contact the venue ahead of time if solo counter seating is important to you.
The wine list is the primary reason to visit, based on two Star Wine List awards. Specific menu items and current food offerings are not available in our data , check directly with the venue before your visit rather than relying on third-party sources, which may be out of date. For venues where the kitchen is the main draw, consider Mingles or alla prima instead.
No dietary restriction information is available in our current data for Cesta. Contact the venue directly before booking if this is relevant to your visit. Phone and website details are not currently listed; searching the venue name alongside Hannam-dong should surface up-to-date contact options.
Dress code details are not available in our data. Hannam-dong as a neighbourhood skews smart-casual to dressed-up without the formal codes you might encounter at Gangnam tasting rooms. A neat, put-together look will read correctly for an evening wine bar visit in this part of Seoul. When in doubt, err toward smart casual.
Planning a broader Seoul itinerary? Our Seoul restaurants guide, Seoul wineries guide, and Seoul experiences guide cover the full range. For Korean dining outside the capital, Baegyangsa Temple in Jangseong-gun and Double T Dining in Gangneung are worth the trip. Seoul's dining scene also connects internationally , Atomix in New York is the clearest example of how Korean culinary thinking has translated to a global stage. Closer to home, Kwon Sook Soo in Gangnam-gu and Market Café in Incheon round out the regional picture.
Yes. A wine-focused venue in Hannam-dong with an easy booking rating is one of the more practical solo options in the neighbourhood — no months-long wait, no pressure to fill a table. The format suits a solo diner who wants to work through a serious bottle list without committing to a full group tasting menu experience.
No dietary restriction details are documented for Cesta. check the venue's official channels before booking if this matters for your visit — the address is 68-4 Hannam-dong, Yongsan District, and reaching out ahead of time is the safest approach.
Come for the wine list, not a tasting-menu format. Cesta has earned Star Wine List recognition in both 2024 and 2026, which signals a programme built around depth and range rather than a one-bottle-fits-all approach. Hannam-dong is walkable and well-served by public transit, so getting there is straightforward.
Specific menu items are not documented here, so ordering advice would be speculative. What is documented is that the wine programme is the draw — two Star Wine List awards confirm the list is worth exploring in depth. Ask the team on arrival for bottle recommendations based on what you're eating.
Booking difficulty is rated easy, meaning you are unlikely to need weeks of lead time the way you would at Seoul's harder-to-access tasting-menu destinations. A few days' notice should be sufficient, though booking ahead is always preferable to arriving without a reservation.
No dress code is documented for Cesta. Hannam-dong skews towards a polished but casual crowd, so smart casual fits the neighbourhood context without over- or under-dressing. When in doubt, aim for neat rather than formal.
Keep this venue in your Pearl passport, rate it after you visit, and track it alongside every other place you collect.
