Jeongeup Ssanghwacha Street (정읍 쌍화차거리)

This unique street, known for its cafés selling ssanghwacha, is located along Jungang 1-gil, which is about 200 meters from Jeonbuk Jeongeup Police Station, right in the heart of downtown Jeongeup. Ssanghwacha is a traditional Korean tea made by brewing ssanghwatang, an herbal concoction that includes ingredients like white woodland peony, Chinese foxglove, angelica root, cinnamon, and licorice. Often, to cater to personal tastes, nuts such as walnuts and pine nuts, along with egg yolk, are added to the brew. This tea is particularly favored by middle-aged Koreans and is commonly consumed for its restorative properties when one is suffering from a cold or feeling run-down. The flavor is distinctively herbal with a bitter edge and a sweet finish. At the street’s entrance, a sculpture featuring a ssanghwacha teapot offers a warm welcome to visitors. The renowned Ssanghwatang Teahouse, with a history spanning over 30 years, remains a strong presence on this street, accompanied by about ten other large and small teahouses specializing in ssanghwatang. These cafés typically serve traditional Korean desserts like garaetteok (rice cake stick) and nurungji (scorched rice), which complement the herbal tea perfectly.