By Okay-culture Desk
Savoring the wealthy, flavorful world of Korean delicacies has all the time been an interesting technique to immerse oneself in Korean tradition. But, vegetarians and vegans usually wrestle to seek out equally satisfying dishes with out animal merchandise.
For vegans who’re additionally foodies, Seoul has a lot to supply past mere greens. The Korea Instances has compiled an inventory of hidden vegan gems throughout the town, serving up colourful and flavorful dishes that creatively incorporate plant-based components with a contact of Korean aptitude, certain to attraction to even non-vegans.
Be a part of us in exploring the “veganlicious” facet of Seoul, excellent for a flavorful weekend.
byTOFU
■ Deal with: 10 Sowol-ro 20-gil, Yongsan District, Seoul
■ Cellphone: 070-4035-6004
■ Hours: 9 a.m.-3 p.m., Thursday to Monday; 5-7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Friday and Monday
■ Web site: Instagram @bytofu_hbc
ByTOFU, a singular vegan restaurant in Haebangchon, located on the facet of Mount Nam — a neighborhood lengthy celebrated as a hotspot for Seoul’s hipsters — is making waves. This inviting vegan eatery is pushed by a deep love for the Earth and its inhabitants, with a mission to make sure that the whole lot we cherish endures.
The restaurant’s menu options a wide range of plant-based salads, sandwiches, drinks and desserts. Amongst its standout choices are the all-vegan Dawn Bowl, Eggless Egg Sandwich and its signature byTOFU Wrap.
Hu Se-hyun, proprietor of byTOFU, expressed satisfaction within the restaurant’s philosophy, stating, “Fairly than creating particular meals simply because they’re vegan, we purpose to offer dishes which might be comforting, scrumptious and satisfying in our on a regular basis lives.”
Along with its culinary choices, byTOFU additionally locations emphasis on environmental sustainability. The restaurant avoids using plastic, providing reductions to clients who carry their very own tumblers or reusable containers for takeout. For deliveries, byTOFU makes use of biodegradable wheat straw pulp containers, together with cups and forks created from sugarcane and corn.
ByTOFU’s mixture of flavorful, accessible vegan dishes and a dedication to sustainability has made it a beloved spot for Seoul’s hip crowd and environmentally acutely aware diners alike. (Pyo Kyung-min)
Little Gangster
■ Deal with: 11-8 Saechang-ro 12-gil, Yongsan District, Seoul
■ Cellphone: 0507-1360-4058
■ Hours: 11 a.m.-9 p.m. (break time: 3-5 p.m.), Wednesday to Sunday
■ Web site: Instagram @vegan_littlegangster
Entering into the restaurant Little Gangster, situated in an alley close to Hyochang Park Station on Seoul Metro Line 6, the comfy vibe welcomes clients for a vegan-friendly meal with its neatly organized picket inside.
The proprietor, chef Yu Ji-yeong, makes use of her abroad culinary experiences of working in Guam and Australia, specializing in Western delicacies, to reinterpret widespread pasta dishes utilizing solely vegan components. She additionally provides a contact of Korean components to pasta, using namul (wild greens and herbs), bulgogi and Korean zucchini.
For one of many pasta dishes, white ragu bulgogi rigatoni, Yu makes use of plant-based bulgogi as a meat substitute and a mixture of roux and oat milk for its sauce that deepens its nutty and savory taste.
Together with pasta dishes, the menu varies from Korean and Western fusion delicacies like kimchi stew to Asian-inspired dishes, created by means of Yu’s personal interpretation, similar to Thai-style spicy salad and Malaysia-style deep-fried dishes.
Deep-fried candy and bitter Malaka, one of many restaurant’s hottest dishes, makes use of 5 completely different components — pineapple, tempeh (Indonesian fermented soybeans), oyster mushroom, tofu and yubu (fried bean curd) — for thick-breaded deep-fried dishes served with candy and bitter sauce filled with flavors.
In time for summer time, the restaurant rolled out a brand new dish that includes chilly buckwheat noodle soup, Korea’s go-to summer time meals, with a facet of flat dumplings, a neighborhood meals originated from southeastern metropolis of Daegu.
Though the present menu is well-received, Yu plans to replace the vegan-friendly choices later this yr to make them gluten-free and exclude “oshinchae” — the 5 acrid and strong-smelling greens prevented in temple meals, specifically garlic, inexperienced onions, chives, leeks and onions. She can be contemplating remodeling the white ragu pasta right into a quiche-style dish to attraction to extra overseas clients. (Lee Gyu-lee)
Plantude
■ Deal with: seventh ground, I’Park Mall Yongsan, 40-999 Hangangno 3-ga, Yongsan District, Seoul
■ Cellphone: 0507-1390-0798
■ Hours: 11 a.m.-10 p.m.
■ Web site: Instagram @plantude.official
Whereas vegan eating is on the rise in Korea, the precise preferences of Korean diners at vegan eating places stay considerably undefined.
Plantude, a vegan restaurant opened by Korean meals firm Pulmuone at COEX in southern Seoul in 2022, is setting new requirements within the subject.
With a second location close to Yongsan Station in central Seoul, the restaurant is shortly turning into a favourite amongst each vegans and health-conscious non-vegans by means of word-of-mouth.
Plantude seeks to make veganism extra accessible with its informal idea, providing each Korean and Western-style dishes designed to attraction to each vegans and non-vegans.
The restaurant presents a wide range of dishes, starting from Korean-style choices like bibimbap with fried tofu and greens to Western delicacies, similar to a pasta dish with mushroom broth and creamy sauce created from macadamia nuts, catering to various tastes and dietary preferences.
“Many guests inform us that with dishes of this high quality, it would not matter whether or not it is vegan or not,” an worker at Plantude’s Yongsan department mentioned.
Operated by the Korean meals big, Plantude retains its menu recent with seasonal choices. For this summer time, they’ve launched three new dishes, together with a rice bowl with stir-fried bamboo shoots from Damyang County, South Jeolla Province, and bell peppers.
They’ve additionally introduced again the summer time favourite tofu karaage buckwheat noodles & gyoza dumplings for a restricted time, offering common clients with new eating experiences.
“Whether or not clients come figuring out it is a Pulmuone vegan restaurant or not, they’re all happy with our various menu choices,” the worker mentioned. “Whereas most of Plantude’s guests are girls of their 20s and 30s, we even have a big variety of male clients and group visits with our particular person rooms.” (Baek Byung-yeul)
JumJumJumJumJumJum
■ Deal with: 36 Seongam-ro 15-gil, Mapo District, Seoul
■ Cellphone: 0507-1318-5971
■ Hours: 11:30 a.m.-9 p.m., Wednesday to Sunday
■ Web site: jumjumjumjumjumjum.com
Embracing sustainability in each side, JumJumJumJumJumJum presents extra than simply vegan fantastic eating. The restaurant options interiors crafted from recycled aluminum and makes use of reusable gadgets all through. Visitors use material napkins as an alternative of disposable napkins and handwashing stations exchange moist wipes, enhancing the eco-friendly eating expertise.
For 30,000 gained, diners can savor a six-course plant-based prix-fixe menu that superbly melds Korean flavors with vegan delicacies. The present menu begins with a Tofu Cheese Salad, that includes herb-infused tofu cheese and pickled cherry tomatoes drizzled with lemon dressing. The Creamed Potatoes observe, accompanied by a ginger soy sauce, crispy fried enoki mushrooms and child sprouts in a wealthy vegan cream sauce.
The course continues with three distinctive dishes. Fried Lotus Roots are filled with pine mushrooms and served with a radish sauce. The Tomato Tofu Rolled Rice consists of rice, fried tofu, pickled radish and sesame leaves wrapped in seaweed, topped with marinated tomato and accompanied with a chili mayo sauce and pickled cabbage. The Stir-fried Noodles with Pickled Chili Pepper mix chives and a basil sauce, and mushrooms sauteed in vegan butter, providing simply the correct amount of spiciness.
The meal concludes with a dessert duo of Vegan Cheesecake created from soy milk cream cheese and “doenjang” (Korean soy paste) paired with raspberry jam and a Lemon Brulee that provides a candy and tangy finale.
Reservations are required and should you order for 2, you may share the parts from a single dish. The menu adjustments periodically to mirror seasonal produce, making certain every go to presents a brand new style of sustainable eating. (Kwon Mee-yoo)
Vampire’s Hen
■ Deal with: 35 Gangnam-daero 124-gil, Gangnam District, Seoul
■ Cellphone: 02-540-5145
■ Hours: 4-10 p.m.
■ Web site: Instagram @__vamchi__
Having fun with “chimaek,” the long-lasting combo of Korean-style fried rooster and scrumptious ice-cold beer, by the Han River, is a must-do exercise in Seoul for each locals and vacationers. Vampire’s Hen, tucked away within the backstreets of southern Seoul’s Nonhyeon-dong, presents a vegan twist to this beloved Korean custom. With restricted seating, it is best to seize your order to go or have it delivered.
Adopting the slogan “Scary Evening, Take pleasure in Gentle” as a nod to its nocturnal namesake, Vampire’s Hen caters to everybody with its three predominant choices: common bone-in rooster, boneless and a plant-based possibility. The vegan rooster, created from seitan, a protein-rich wheat gluten, boasts a fibrous, pull-apart texture that intently resembles actual rooster.
The eatery presents a wide range of flavors that rival these of main Korean fried rooster chains, making certain a real Okay-chicken expertise even for vegans. Flavors embody Crispy Fried, Inexperienced Onion and Mustard, Peanut Sauce and Chili Sauce, Spicy Scorching BBQ, Spicy Scorching Pot and Seasoned Spicy.
The Seasoned Spicy taste is the closest to Korea’s standard “yangnyeom rooster,” whereas Inexperienced Onion and Mustard offers a zesty twist with its refreshing mixture. The Peanut Sauce and Chili Sauce possibility attracts inspiration from a well-liked scorching pot sauce, custom-made by Okay-pop idol Keonhee from ONEUS.
Complementing the principle dishes, Vampire’s Hen additionally options vegan-friendly sides similar to Mac and Cheese, Creamy Corn Fries and Chili Potato Fries. All sauces and seasonings at Vampire’s Hen are vegan-friendly. (Kwon Mee-yoo)
Drunken Vegan
■ Deal with: 13 Wausan-ro 30-gil, Mapo District, Seoul
■ Cellphone: 070-7543-8101
■ Hours: 5-10 p.m., Thursday to Sunday
■ Web site: https://linktr.ee/drunkenvegan
Drunken Vegan, situated close to the Sanwoollim Theater within the Hongdae neighborhood, is a small however distinctive institution catering to even the strictest vegans. Based by Eun Ha-sun, a intercourse columnist and creator of “Egocentric Intercourse,” this pub presents a pleasant fusion of wholesome and indulgent delicacies.
Drunken Vegan is redefining vegan tradition by combining the pleasures of vegan meals with the enjoyment of consuming. It showcases the variety and potential of vegetable delicacies. Whereas vegetable dishes usually evoke photos of wholesome meals, this restaurant reinvents greens as stimulating dishes by deep-frying, marinating and stir-frying them.
Vegan lasagna and fried cauliflower are among the many pub’s hottest dishes. It even has a signature soju made with none animal merchandise however providing a refreshing tropical taste profile with the addition of lychee and lemon. Vegan fish and chips are extremely just like the true factor, each in look and style. As somebody who loves seafood, it is an enormous aid to seek out such a fantastic plant-based different.
The crispy fried cauliflower pairs nicely with beer, and the vegan lasagna enhances wine. Eun mentioned, “‘I needed to convey the message that vegans are additionally human beings who can typically drink alcohol and revel in junk meals.”
For an added contact of enjoyable, the bar incorporates a pop-up intercourse toy retailer curated by the founder. (Park Jin-hai)
Nokum House
■ Deal with: 227 Gonghang-daero, Gangseo District, Seoul
■ Cellphone: 050-71327-6998
■ Hours: 11:30 a.m.-2 a.m., (break time: 3-5:30 p.m.), Tuesday to Sunday
■ Web site: Instagram @nokumspace
Nokum House, situated close to Balsan Station on Seoul Metro Line 5 on the way in which to Gimpo Airport, is a spot the place patrons can take pleasure in primarily Western-style meals similar to pasta and burgers with a touch of Korean taste, whereas listening to jazz and pop music.
The music director for comic Music Eun-yi’s YouTube channel, VIVO TV, manages this dimly lit but cozy bar. Dwell performances are held on Friday and Saturday evenings on the third ground, whereas the fourth ground boasts a phenomenal out of doors terrace surrounded by lush greenery.
The menu incorporates a various collection of dishes, together with spinach-based inexperienced curry, stir-fried eggplant with rice, a grilled tofu and nuts dish, burgers, pasta and a hummus veggie bowl. The Bulgogi burger, that includes a plant-based patty created from meat substitutes, and the vegan “tangsuyuk,” a reinterpretation of the standard deep-fried meat dish with candy and bitter sauce created from mushrooms and soy protein, are among the many restaurant’s hottest dishes.
The bar presents a big selection of liquors, together with wines, whisky, brandy and tequila, out there by the bottle or as photographs, together with a various vary of cocktails.
This vegan restaurant and bar was featured on the Style of Seoul’s 50 Finest Plant-Based mostly Eating places record for each 2022 and 2023. (Park Jin-hai)
Pan Honesta
■ Deal with: 3 Bogwang-ro 55-gil, Yongsan District, Seoul
■ Cellphone: 0507-1335-7769
■ Hours: 12-8 p.m from Monday to Friday; to 9 p.m. on weekends
■ Web site: Instagram @panhonesta
Situated on a bit of south of central Seoul’s busy Itaewon space, Pan Honesta presents a variety of vegan dessert and beverage choices from pastries and “bingsu” — a shaved ice dessert — to lattes and shakes.
Taking satisfaction in “wholesome and trustworthy” components, the cafe makes use of substitutes for flour, eggs, dairy and cane sugar in its merchandise. The menu consists of a wide range of cookies, similar to yellow cheese chocolate chip and vanillabean chocolate chip rice cookies, and spoon truffles, each made with rice powder and coconut sugar.
Spoon truffles are a layered dessert with crouton-like vegan-friendly bread bites on the underside topped with wealthy paste of various flavors from mugwort to chocolate and earl gray chocolate chip. Mugwort spoon truffles give a style of Korean conventional taste with a contact of pink bean layered between the bread bites and the paste.
Considered one of its signature gadgets is undoubtedly bingsu, an ideal dessert to chill down within the scorching summer time. Milky shaved ice is made solely from oat milk and is served with thick flavored syrup and completely different sorts of toppings.
“As a substitute of utilizing pre-made syrup, we have made the syrup ourselves utilizing coconut sugar, which has a decrease glycemic index (GI), to supply each wholesome and attractive merchandise,” Pan Honesta instructed The Korea Instances.
With black sesame and chocolate as steady-selling flavors, extra bingsu flavors range relying on the season, with fig and supersweet corn rolling out as summer time particular. Throughout fall, completely different seasonal flavors like mugwort and pumpkin can be launched.
Taking over two flooring of a three-story white constructing, the cafe offers a reasonably spacious seating space on the second ground for its clients to take pleasure in desserts whereas admiring a view of Itaewon. (Lee Gyu-lee)
O.verte
■ Deal with: 34 Toegye-ro 10-gil, Jung District, Seoul
■ Cellphone: 0507-1411-6404
■ Hours: 8 a.m.-8p.m, Monday to Saturday
■ Web site: Instagram @overte_donuts
Why ought to vegans all the time have to stay to greens and wholesome choices? Can’t they take pleasure in responsible pleasure junk meals, too?
This was the very query that impressed Kim Ae-ree to launch O.verte, certainly one of Korea’s first plant-based donut retailers, in Seoul’s bustling Jung District in 2021.
As a former menu advisor for dessert retailers and an aspiring vegan, Kim got here to seek out pleasure in crafting recipes that rework indulgent meals into tasty plant-based variations.
“By means of donuts, I needed to make veganism extra approachable to most of the people,” she instructed The Korea Instances.
O.verte’s pastries, made with soy milk, coconut oil, uncooked cane sugar and non-dairy whipped topping, are available in a wide range of mouthwatering flavors and textures.
Common favorites embody traditional glazed and Earl Gray with almond cream, whereas seasonal choices rotate with the likes of peach vanilla in the summertime, Mont Blanc within the fall and strawberry shortcake within the winter.
Restricted-edition specials additionally make shock appearances, that includes distinctive flavors like rhubarb, key lime pie and triple berry with pistachio.
The donuts are priced between 1,800 gained and 5,500 gained, with most falling across the 3,000 gained vary. (Park Han-sol)
Achemi
■ Deal with: 318 Changgyeonggung-ro, Seongbuk District, Seoul
■ Cellphone: 0507-1396-0014
■ Hours: 12-9 p.m., Tuesday to Sunday
■ Web site: Instagram @achemice
Achemi, a comfortable but bustling dessert store nestled close to exit 4 of Hansung College Station on Seoul Metro Line 4, takes its identify from a fusion of the phrases “alchemy” and “ice cream.”
Drawing on her background as a taste technologist for a world ice cream model, proprietor Yoon Ji-hye works her magic like an alchemist, conjuring up her personal recipes for vegan icy scoops of deliciousness from native plant-based components and seasonal produce.
“There’s a standard stereotype that dairy-free ice cream lacks the style or texture of conventional dairy variations, making it appear inferior,” she instructed The Korea Instances. “I needed to create frozen desserts which might be simply as creamy, chewy and dense. Lots of our clients don’t even notice at first that they’re having fun with a vegan deal with.”
The star ingredient in Achemi’s frozen choices is regionally sourced brown rice, which is remodeled into plant-based milk for the store’s ice cream bases.
“Whereas typical non-dairy desserts depend on oat, cashew, soy or almond milk, we use our personal in-house rice milk to carry out the flavour of our merchandise.”
On the store, clients can select from 12 signature and rotating seasonal flavors — apricot with orange blossom, tomato with dill, candy corn with pepper, custard cinnamon apple pie, baked candy potato milk tea and mugwort “injeolmi” (rice cake), amongst many others. Each scoop might be topped with fluffy aquafaba marshmallows, created from whipped chickpea water.
The ice cream will also be loved as parfaits, truffles and “bingsu” (shaved ice dessert). (Park Han-sol)
Shim Yun-jung on the Print Information Division of The Korea Instances contributed to this text.