While you’re selecting a trip vacation spot, there are most likely just a few belongings you’re aiming to test off your checklist. And it’d go one thing like this: beautiful surroundings, vibrant nightlife, wealthy tradition, and interesting historical past. However no doubt, for many vegan vacationers, scrumptious meals is likely one of the most essential trip must-haves. And South Korea has it in spades—in addition to the surroundings, nightlife, tradition, historical past, and … nicely, you get the image, it has all of it.
While you consider Korean meals, kimchi might be one of many first issues to come back to thoughts. The spicy, pickled cabbage is in style everywhere in the world and has develop into a logo of the Asian nation’s delicacies. Kimchi is usually vegan (when made with out fish paste), which, regardless of the excessive charges of meat consumption within the nation, is definitely removed from uncommon for a standard South Korean dish. Meat consumption didn’t begin to surge till after the Korean Struggle, which implies that a lot of the nation’s dishes have vegetarian roots. And in lots of Buddhist temples, you’ll discover that plant-based delicacies continues to be the norm amongst monks and nuns (extra on that later).
However South Korea’s fashionable vegan scene is surging—notably within the capital of Seoul. Actually, Completely satisfied Cow really has greater than 600 listings of vegan-friendly eating places on this one metropolis alone because of the demand by the nation’s younger individuals. In keeping with a survey performed in 2022, South Koreans aged 18 to 29 are the group most certainly to buy vegan meals merchandise. And the Korean Vegetarian Union says about half one million South Koreans establish as vegan, whereas 1.5 million are vegetarian or flexitarian.
To get an concept of simply how a lot plant-based delicacies is evolving, we spoke to a number of vegan journey specialists (all of whom have frolicked in South Korea) to get their suggestions for meat-free eating places in Seoul, in addition to their ideas for locating the tastiest Korean avenue meals. A warning for you and your financial institution steadiness: you’re going to need to ebook a flight instantly.
Maji, considered one of many vegan-friendly eateries in Seoul, serves temple meals. | Korea Tourism Group
Forms of Korean meals
Korean barbecue is a staple of the restaurant scene in most main US cities. Actually, some stories recommend there are greater than 7,000 Korean barbecue eating places throughout the nation. However whereas barbecue is likely one of the nation’s most-loved exports, there’s much more to South Korea than grilled meat.
When visiting, you’re sure to come back throughout rice-based dishes such because the spicy, flavor-packed bibimbap. At its core, the dish is plant-based, though eggs and meat are sometimes added (merely ask for it with out). Like many in style dishes, bibimbap is made with assorted greens, together with mung bean sprouts, spinach, and Korean radish, in addition to namul (which refers to edible grasses or leafy greens) and a savory, candy paste with a kick referred to as gochujang.
There are additionally noodle dishes, like japchae, which options candy potato glass noodles and will be veganized simply (simply ask for no meat), mul naengmyeon (which is a seasonal noodle dish that’s vegan when made with radish water and no beef), and jjajangmyeon. The latter includes a thick black bean sauce, greens, and pork, however you can even discover vegan variations in a number of eateries (trace: try our restaurant suggestions beneath).
“Jajangmyeon won’t be essentially the most attractive-looking meals you’ll eat while you’re in South Korea, however it’s so yummy (and never spicy should you want a break from spice),” Verena Erhart of Vegan Excursions New York says. “It additionally occurs to be Korea’s hottest supply dish, like pizza within the US. You might need even noticed it in Okay-dramas.”
Erhart additionally recommends ordering loads of banchan, that are the small, typically vegetable-centered aspect dishes provided in South Korean eating places.
However should you’re a vegan customer, one of many first locations you need to be heading for top-notch plant-based delicacies is a temple. “Don’t depart South Korea with out attempting temple meals,” Erhart says. “It’s a vegan’s greatest good friend.”
In these peaceable locations of Buddhist worship, meat-free is the norm. You’ll discover kimchi, in fact, alongside easy, low-waste meals like tofu stew and rice soup. The meals is allium-free (so that you received’t discover components like onions and garlic), strikingly minimalist, wholesome, sustainable, and vegan (apart from the occasional use of honey).
Donna Zeigfinger of Inexperienced Earth Journey, who visited Jingwansa, a Twelfth-century Buddhist temple in Seoul’s Bukhansan Nationwide Park, agrees that temple meals is subsequent stage on the subject of taste and expertise. “I cherished the temple environment,” she says. “I actually thought that it will be bland meals and boy, was I flawed.”
Seoul’s vegan and vegetarian restaurant scene is constantly rising. | Korea Tourism Group
Korean avenue meals is vegan-friendly
In relation to Korean delicacies, you can also’t ignore the varied vary of avenue meals that’s all the time on provide for natives and vacationers alike.
A major piece of South Korea’s cultural DNA because the 1300s, meals stalls are half and parcel of native life. Actually, the main journey platform Tradition Journey has even described Seoul as “one huge open-air restaurant.” And in additional nice information for vegan guests, whereas the scene is undeniably meat-heavy, you’ll nonetheless discover it straightforward to come back by plant-based choices whilst you’re strolling the streets for a fast and engaging chunk—if what you’re searching for. Zeigfinger recommends to start out by looking for out essentially the most conventional of dishes.
“Search for gimbap (seaweed rice rolls), tteokbokki (spicy rice muffins), and japchae,” she says, that are both animal-free already, or you possibly can ask for modifications. “Don’t hesitate to ask meals distributors if they’ll make dishes vegan-friendly,” she provides.
Kim Giovacco, the founding father of Veg Jaunts and Journeys, additionally recommends looking for out gimbap or tteokbokki. “That is quite simple and informal meals, and I completely cherished it. It felt like consolation meals to me,” she recollects. And Erhon can also be an advocate of “the easier, the higher” motto on the subject of navigating the road meals scene in South Korea. Like Giovacco and Zeigfinger, she has come throughout vegan-friendly gimbap and tteakbokki, however she additionally has just a few completely different solutions, too.
“Roasted chestnuts or ginko nuts are great,” she notes. “If you’re touring within the fall, it’s best to strive recent persimmons (or purchase the dried type, it’s a complete course of). Gamjajeon can also be the Korean model of hash browns or Swiss Rösti and is a pancake that’s normally simply manufactured from potato.” She provides that “another pancakes resembling bindaetteok (manufactured from mung beans) are sometimes, however not all the time, vegan (some use eggs).”
Count on to get pleasure from loads of matcha inexperienced tea in South Korea. | Getty
The best way to plan a vegan journey to Korea
Most vacationers begin in Seoul once they go to South Korea, which provides vacationers the right mix of futuristic innovation and tradition together with beautiful temples, landscapes, and culinary delights. However don’t sleep on the remainder of this stunning nation. For contemporary historical past, head to the Korean Demilitarized Zone; for volcanic seashore resorts, Jeju Island is a should; and the port metropolis of Busan has the whole lot from shoreline to nature reserves to pure scorching springs.
To get the very best out of your go to, contemplate reserving a visit by a vegan journey agent. World Vegan Journey is seeking to run luxurious journeys to Japan and Korea in 2024 and 2025, and Vegan Excursions New York is heading to the nation in October 2024. However should you desire to determine issues out solo, you can even head to the Go to Korea web site for recommendation and recommendations on actions, transportation, meals, lodging, and extra.
The highest 5 vegan eating places in Seoul, in accordance with journey specialists
Offering proof that Seoul is sort of the vegan hotspot, listed below are a few of the prime plant-based eating places to strive in accordance with our South Korea journey specialists. As a result of in case you are beginning off on this bustling metropolis, the very best factor to prioritize above all once you get there’s a full stomach. And don’t overlook to say jal meokkessumnida earlier than you tuck in.
Oh Se-Gye-Hyang provides ‘heart-warming’ stews within the winter months. | Oh Se-Gye-Hyang
1 Oh Se-Gye-Hyang
“I actually just like the environment and meals at Oh Se-gye-hyang—throughout the scorching summer time months, they provide glorious chilly noodle dishes, and within the winter, heart-warming stews,” Erhart says. “Whereas within the midst of a buying district, you’ll really feel like you might have stepped into a standard Korean home. You will want to take off your footwear (generally, be ready to take your footwear off typically!) and sit down on the ground to get pleasure from your meal. Western tables and chairs are additionally an choice.”
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Head to Forest Kitchen for a style of inventive, scrumptious delicacies. | Forest Kitchen
2 Forest Kitchen
“This place is aware of how you can stand out with its implausible service, cool vibes, and a multi-course menu,” Brighde Reed of World Vegan Journey says. “It was a feast for the senses, with every dish artistically introduced and filled with flavors that made us go ‘wow.’ Forest Kitchen has a approach of mixing Korean components with unique ones like recent truffle and white asparagus, and the outcomes had been mind-blowing.”
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Plant Cafe focuses on Western-style meals and has two places in Seoul. | Plant Cafe
3 Plant Cafe
“If you’re beginning to really feel a little bit longing for Western meals, I might head to Plant Cafe, which has two places in Seoul,” Erhart says. “They make wonderful burgers and a few of the greatest vegan desserts, resembling banana cream pudding and black sesame cake.”
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Balwoo Gongyang provides a style of conventional temple meals. | Balwoo Gongyang
4 Balwoo Gongyang
“Whereas no alliums resembling onion and garlic are utilized in temple meals, this can be very flavorful and pure, and normally displays what’s presently in season,” Erhart provides. “In Seoul, I like to recommend Balwoo Gongyang, which was as soon as awarded a Michelin star, however should you get an opportunity to strive temple meals at an precise temple, it is going to be much more particular.”
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For an genuine temple meals expertise, head to Jinkwansa in Seoul. | Getty
5 Jinkwansa Temple
Jinkwansa is technically a temple, not a restaurant, however the expertise was a standout for Zeigfinger. “We had a sampling of crispy greens, marinated tofu, mushroom fritters, fermented radishes, chestnut stew, and candy sticky rice squares sprinkled with fruit and nuts. However I cherished the customs of the way in which it was served,” she recollects. “Every thing is grown proper on the temple, and it’s all natural. However I feel essentially the most memorable factor was the temple and its environment.”
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Thanks to the Korea Tourism Group for partnering with VegNews on this story.
For extra vegan journey, learn:
Charlotte is a author and editor primarily based in sunny Southsea on England’s southern coast.
