The Ultimate Guide to Vegetarian Food in Seoul

Finding vegetarian food in Seoul is challenging, but it’s not impossible. As someone who is vegetarian and lactose intolerant to most dairy, apart from cheese, I knew it wouldn’t be smooth sailing. 

Seoul, like many places across Asia, is a city that truly loves its meat, so I knew I’d need to do some serious research before our trip. Vegetarianism isn’t common here, and it’s not always well understood. So after a bit of digging (and plenty of taste-testing), I discovered some fantastic eateries and lots of vegetarian street food.

I’m sharing them all with you here in this extensive guide, so you don’t have to do the legwork yourself.

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Breakfast in Seoul

Before I get into my foodie recommendations, a quick word of advice: if you have any dietary requirements, or you’re simply an early riser, it’s worth paying for the hotel breakfast. None of the hotels I booked throughout our South Korea trip included breakfast in the base rate, and while it can be a pricey add-on (sometimes up to £25 per person in Jeju!), it might just save you a lot of frustration in the morning.

Most cafés and restaurants in Seoul don’t open until 10 or even 11 am, which can make mornings tricky if you’re an early riser like me. You will likely find yourself wandering the streets at 8am in search of food, only to discover long queues forming once the doors finally open – especially at all of the popular spots.

A hotel breakfast takes all that hassle away and guarantees you start the day with a full stomach.

That said, I personally don’t actually need to eat first thing – as long as I can get my caffeine fix in the form of a strong, hot coffee. Luckily, coffee shops do open early, so we skipped breakfast on most days and went straight for a caffeine hit instead.

One quick note: in Seoul, drinks usually arrive with your meal, not before. So if you’re expecting your morning coffee to land on the table while you wait for food, you might be waiting a while!

Paris Baguette

Across South Korea, you’ll spot Paris Baguette bakeries on almost every corner and most open bright and early, around 7am. They’re a great option if you’re up before the cafés open and need to grab something quick.

That said, savoury vegetarian options are pretty limited. You’ll usually find a selection of croissants and other pastries, which are fine if you eat eggs, but not much beyond that. One thing to note is that everything is baked fresh each morning after opening, so the full range isn’t available right away.

On our last morning in Seoul, I actually popped into the same branch near our hotel twice; the first time too early, when shelves were still half-empty, and the second time in hopes of finding something vegetarian-friendly before heading to the airport!

Thanks, Oat

If you are visiting Bukchon Hanok Village, Thanks, Oat is a brunch restaurant that opens early, at 8am. Despite its name, the vegan options are minimal which was surprising – I assumed the açai bowl wouldn’t contain dairy, but it does. 

This place is all about the greek yogurt, so if you eat dairy, this won’t be a problem for you. As a vegan however, your two options are either a smoothie bowl or salad as everything is pre-made. It’s a beautiful eatery that’s fine for a quick breakfast or brunch stop – and at least it opens early.

Location: 21-10 Bukchon-ro, Jongno District, Seoul

Jamba Juice 잠바주스코엑스점

If you are in Gangnam, Jamba Juice is a simple but refreshing option for breakfast, though they open at 10am too. We accidentally stumbled upon this place en route to the instagrammable Starfield Library and it was a pleasant surprise to find somewhere for a light breakfast with a vegetarian option.

Ask for the açai bowl without yoghurt if you’re dairy intolerant and you’re good to go. They won’t be winning any awards for their açai bowls, but they are nice enough.

Location: 513 Yeongdong-daero, Gangnam District, Seoul

Vegetarian restaurants in Seoul

These are the restaurants where I found some incredible vegetarian food in Seoul.

Osegye Hyang 오세계향

Osegye Hyang is a traditional Korean vegan restaurant in Insadong and one of my favourite finds. It has a homey, traditional feel and a menu full of Korean dishes recreated in vegan style; vegan fried egg, vegan bulgogi, vegan ‘steak’, Korean fried chicken, noodles, and so on. 

This is a no frills, cheap eats place with just two women; one cooking and the other serving. They don’t speak any English, but you can order via an iPad at each table in English which is pretty effortless.

Service is pretty slow as everything is cooked to order, but it is worth the wait. I loved the food here so much, I visited twice!

Location: 14-5 Insadong 12-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul (Insadong district) 

Check opening times as they operate with split hours and are closed on Thursdays. There is often a long wait for a table and they close early too.

Vegan Kitchen 비건키친

Vegan Kitchen is a large vegan restaurant in Myeongdong with an impressing array of TVP plant protein options on offer. 

I find that many vegetarian or vegan food options all over the world lack a sufficient amount of protein, and while tofu can be found all over Korea, it’s often not enough. So I get excited when I come across somewhere with diverse protein options available.

We shared the soya cutlet with curry sauce, the seasoned spicy ‘chicken’, and bulgogi with rice, all of which were extremely flavourful and excellent.

Quirky touch with the robots serving the food too.

Location: 21 Toegye-ro 20-gil, Jung District, Seoul 

Plantude 플랜튜드

Plantude is a vegan Restaurant inside COEX Mall, that stands out for its quality and creativity. The menu changes with the season, but both dishes we tried were exceptionally good; from a simple pad Thai to a tofu and mushroom stir fry – it was all delicious.

Location: 1F I-111, Starfield COEX Mall, 513 Yeongdong-daero, Gangnam-gu, Seoul 

Isaac Toast 이삭토스트홍대점

Isaac Toast is a nationwide chain all across Seoul, and this place is incredibly popular. You will always see a queue outside in popular tourist locations like Hongdae and Myeongdong – and I’ll be honest and say that I didn’t understand the hype, until I tried it.

I’m not one to get excited over what is seemingly just a toastie, but if you are a vegetarian that eats egg, you need to check this place out!

I ordered the potato special without the bacon – order at the till to customise it instead of the screen. Two thick slices of toast filled with a large hash brown, egg, cheese, cabbage and their signature sweet onion mayo – and I finally understood the hype. It is insanely tasty! 

Isaac Toast a safe bet for a quick, tasty sandwich.

Location: Multiple locations across Seoul (various branches).

Gusto Taco

Mexican restaurants are always a good shout when searching for vegetarian food abroad and we stumbled upon Gusto Taco in Hongdae one afternoon. They have a number of veggie dishes on the menu to choose from.

I went for a set lunch deal which included a cheese quesadilla and some tacos – both lovely, and with great service too.

Location: 41 Wausan-ro, Mapo-gu, Seoul.

Sanchon Temple Food: when Temple food isn’t so heavenly

I had high hopes for Sanchon Temple Food, tucked just off Insadong’s cultural street. Insadong has the largest concentration of temple food restaurants, which are naturally vegan and vegetarian and often with no onion and garlic too.

Sanchon Temple Food offers a set menu of around 30 courses in a temple-style atmosphere. But for me, it certainly was one of those ‘looks better than it tastes’ experiences. 

Beautiful presentation, but unfortunately all of the dishes were underwhelming and almost felt like a kind of punishment. Either raw or cold, all with no spice or flavour, not even salt.

I appreciated the atmosphere, and the mulberry tea. The service was great and the decor was pretty – but the food was just not the one for us. 

We actually found it hilarious how bad the food was, and when I posted about it on my Instagram story, two people messaged me saying they’d made the mistake of coming here and did not enjoy the food either! Luckily, we weren’t overly hungry on our first night in Seoul so we weren’t that fussed that this place didn’t quite hit the spot.

Lesson learnt, if the restaurant is extremely quiet on a Friday evening – there’s probably a very good reason for it!

Location: 30-13 Insadong-gil, Jongno District, Seoul.

Vegan cafes in Seoul

Nuldam Space 널담은공간경복궁점

Nuldam Space is a quirky café in Seoul where you can write a letter to your future self while you’re there (yes, really). The menu is all vegan, and this was my favourite cafe for the food. I had a peanut cream croffle and a black sesame oat latte – both divine, nutty without being overly sweet. 

There are 2 branches in Seoul, we visited the one near Gyeongbok Palace.

Location: 24 Samcheong-ro, Jongno District, Seoul.

Pan Honesta 빵어니스타이태원점

If you are visiting Seoul in the warmer months, Pan Honesta is one of the only places I came across that serve a vegan bingsu; a popular Korean dessert made of finely shaved frozen milk. Located in Itaewon, this place is pricey but the portions are huge too.

The bingsu toppings change frequently and we tried the pistachio & fig, as well as black sesame – both were beautifully indulgent and incredibly refreshing in the heat. Definitely a treat you must experience!

Location: Yongsan District, 이태원제1동 180-16 1층,2층

Note their opening hours are 12-8pm daily.

Vegetarian street food in Seoul

I was pleasantly surprised to discover that street food markets are a great way to eat in Korea if you are vegetarian – provided you know what you are looking for.

I ate a lot of vegetarian street food in Seoul; Myeongdong’s street food scene is vibrant and diverse, offering a plethora of vegetarian-friendly options. Whether you’re wandering through bustling markets or exploring hidden alleyways, here are some must-try vegetarian street foods in Seoul:

Japchae 잡채

Japchae is my personal favourite; simply stir-fried glass noodles and vegetables. Traditionally, it’s meat-free, but it’s always best to confirm with the vendor.

Mandu 만두

Korean dumplings filled with vegetables and sometimes tofu – always check they they don’t contain meat instead of the tofu. They’re typically steamed or pan-fried and served with a soy-based dipping sauce.

Gyeran-ppang 계란빵

A warm, fluffy bread filled with a whole egg – aptly called egg bread. While traditionally not vegetarian due to the egg, this is a popular snack for many. 

Gimbap 김밥

Often called kimbap is a type of Korean sushi made with seaweed, rice, and various fillings. While some contain meat, you can find vegetable-only versions, such as those with seasoned vegetables and pickled radish, or even vegan fillings.

Gamja Hotdogs 감자핫도그

Unlike traditional Korean K-Dogs, these potato corn dogs are stuffed with mozzarella. Some versions contain meat, so be sure to check the ingredients.

Tteok-kkochi 떡꼬치

If you’ve heard of tteokbokki; Korean rice cakes in a gochujang sauce, then this is similar. Tteok-kkochi are simply skewered rice cakes, because they are easier to eat when standing or walking at a street food market. These are brushed with a sweet and spicy gochujang-based sauce and are a popular snack and can often be found at street food stalls. Always ask if the sauce contains fish though.

Tanghulu 탕후루

A popular Chinese street food snack that can be found all over Seoul too. Typically this consists of grapes or strawberries coated in a sugary glaze on a stick – and in Myeongdong, you will also find tangerine segments on a stick too.

Hweori gamja  회오리감자

Tornado potato is a large potato swirl on a stick – this street food goes by many names across the globe. It is simply a single potato cut into a swirl, fried and then seasoned with your choice of powered spices or sauces.

Bungeoppang 붕어빵

A sweet fish-shaped pastry filled with red bean paste and other sweet fillings. It’s a delightful treat, especially during colder months. Red bean will forever have my heart.

Roasted sweet potatoes 군고구마

A simple yet delicious street food snack – these are often sold from street carts, especially during the colder months.

Hotteok 호떡

These Korean pancakes are delicious. You can choose from a sweet or savoury filling; the most popular ones are filled with japchae (savoury) or brown sugar, cinnamon, and chopped nuts. It’s crispy on the outside and gooey on the inside.

10 won bread 십원빵

10 won bread is a South Korean street food; a cheese coin filled with mozzarella or sweet options may include red bean or chocolate fillings. Personally I found the red bean version far too rich as the coin bread is pretty large!

Bingsu 빙수

Bingsu is a popular Korean shaved ice dessert made from frozen milk and often topped with fruits, red beans and condensed milk.

Dalgona candy 달고나

You can’t miss the infamous dalgona candy, sometimes called honeycomb candy in Seoul – made famous thanks to the hit Netflix show ‘Squid Game’.

Dalgona is made by melting sugar and a pinch of baking soda together, which foams up and turns into a light-caramel-coloured whipping cream which hardens to form the honeycomb toffee candy – so it is naturally vegan too.

Mochi 떡

Mochi is a popular street food made from steamed rice flour, often glutinous rice flour for a chewy texture, and filled with your choice of fruit or ice cream.

I must admit, I didn’t enjoy this nearly as much as the mochi in Taipei – I don’t know whether the fruit was simply sweeter or whether they use different ingredients in Taiwan, but it is much nicer there.

Fruit cups and smoothies

These obviously need no explanation, but I would urge you to buy some Korean muscat grapes at the very least. They are pricey for a reason – possibly the best grapes you will ever eat and they are worth every penny!

Is it difficult to find vegetarian food in Seoul?

Is it difficult to find vegetarian food in Seoul? Yes – but it’s definitely doable with patience. While vegetarianism isn’t widespread, the food scene is gradually evolving and some of the vegan eateries prove there’s hope. Outside the popular places, there is often a line of people waiting for a table which is always a good sign.

As a vegetarian, you just need to plan ahead, stay flexible and don’t be afraid to wander alleys and ask locals for help navigating menus.

We stumbled upon a small family run traditional restaurant in Euljiro late one evening, which I have later learned is called a ‘bibimbap restaurant for office workers’.

The menu wasn’t in English and the elderly owners couldn’t understand us – however, with the help of Google Lens and a translation app, they were able to make me a bibimbap without the meat, and even added some additional tofu into it too. 

The lady came rushing over to explain I can’t eat the kimchi – complete with hand gestures. I figured this is because kimchi traditionally contains fish sauce, and it was a really wholesome encounter.

This was one of my favourite experiences, finding a hidden gem that was full of locals and eating a truly authentic meal.

Top tips for being vegetarian in Seoul

Navigating Seoul’s food scene when you’re vegetarian (and lactose intolerant!) requires a few strategies. Here’s the lessons I learned along the way:

Use a translation app

Now you could learn some key Korean phrases such as ‘I am vegetarian’ – 저는 채식주의자예요 or jejeun chaesikjuuija-yeyo. However, this becomes difficult when they want to check whether you eat fish/dairy/eggs etc and you can’t continue the conversation.

As I’ve said before, vegetarianism is fairly new concept in Korea and each vegetarian has certain things they will and won’t eat, such as eggs.

Instead of trying to learn a new language, download the app Papago; the best app for Korean, Japanese and Chinese translation. It is far superior to Google Translate in South Korea.

Stick to simpler, adaptable dishes

When in doubt, opt for things like:

• Bibimbap (비빔밥) – generally a vegetarian dish, but ask for it without meat or egg.
• Japchae (잡채) – made with only vegetables and glass noodles.
• Tofu dishes, vegetable pancakes (jeon, 전) – though always check batter and sauces.
• Noodle soups – always ask if the broth contains fish or meat stock.
• Street food stalls – you will be surprised by how much you can eat.

Time your meals well

As cafés and restaurants often open late in Korea (10-11am), aim to have a backup breakfast option (hotel or convenience store) if you’re an early riser. 

Many restaurants also close between lunch and dinner, which is particularly challenging when you have gone out of your way to find somewhere vegetarian-friendly and see that it’s closed for 3 hours. Always check opening hours in advance.

Be open and curious

As I learned, many small local eateries will often surprise you with vegetable side-dishes. Don’t ask if something is vegetarian, as that is not a widely understood term in Korea. I always say I don’t eat meat or fish and then they can point out which items on the menu they are able to customise.

Vegetarian and vegan food tours in Seoul

If you’re keen to explore more of Seoul’s vegetarian and vegan offerings, you could consider joining a guided food tour. This vegan & vegetarian food tour of Gwangjang Market will help you navigate the market with an English speaking guide, while sampling more than 10 types of Korean plant based street food! 

You could also book a hands-on class with a Buddhist monk, cooking vegan dishes and learning the philosophy behind temple cuisine in Seoul. This tour also combined a visit to the beautiful Jogyesa Temple and Changdeokgung Palace too.

This 3-hour vegan delights foodie tour gives you the opportunity to hit up the coolest vegan spots Seoul, from hidden temple cuisines to the sweetest traditional cafes.

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