Around Town

South Korean coffee chain plans to open first U.S. location in Alexandria in October

By James Cullum
The future Twosome Place at 404 King Street (staff photo by Beth Lawton)

A popular South Korean coffee shop chain is opening its first U.S. location in Alexandria in mid-October.

Twosome Place was founded in 2002 in South Korea, and there are now more than 1,750 locations around the world. The cafe will open at 404 King Street on the ground level of the Alexandrian hotel.

The new cafe features a strawberry chocolate cream cake, which the company touts as the “only trademark-registered cake in Korea.” The location is 2,600 square feet, and has 78 indoor and outdoor seats.

“The Alexandria café will also introduce a menu of Korean-inspired items including handcrafted beverages like the Dalgona Cream Top, Black Sesame Latte and Misugaru Frappe, alongside an all-day menu featuring K-Toast with Bulgogi and Egg, K-Chicken Panini and Bibimbowl,” the restaurant said in a release.

Round chocolate cake topped with neatly arranged strawberries and a small TWOSOME plaque on a white cake board.
Strawberry chocolate cream cake at Twosome Place (courtesy of Twosome Place)

The company’s debut in Alexandria marks an important milestone, said Jay (YoungJoo) Moon, CEO of Twosome Place Korea.

“We’re excited to introduce American consumers to the café culture we’ve built over the past two decades, one centered on quality, hospitality, and creating a place where guests can gather over exceptional coffee and cake,” Moon said.

More grand opening details will be shared in the coming weeks, according to Twosome Place.

The Alexandrian is also home to a new Van Leeuwen Ice Cream shop and Life Alive Organic Cafe.

About the Author

  • Reporter James Cullum has spent nearly 20 years covering Northern Virginia. He began working with ALXnow in 2020, and has covered every story under the sun for the publication, from investigative stories to features and photo galleries. His work includes coverage of national and international situations, as well as from the White House, Capitol, Pentagon, Supreme Court and State Department. He's covered protests and riots throughout the U.S. (including the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol), in addition to earthquake-ridden Haiti, Western Sahara in North Africa and war-torn South Sudan. He has photographed presidents and other world leaders, celebrities and famous musicians, and excels under pressure.