Vegan Korean₩₩Jung-guDaily
Vegan Kitchen in Jung-gu serves Korean cuisine in the temple food tradition: no meat, fish, dairy, and in the traditional style, often no garlic or spring.
Signature: Korean vegan set, Temple food dishes
Order: Vegan Korean set meal: a full spread of plant-based banchan built on the Korean temple food tradition, deeply flavoured without any animal products.
Tip: Ask whether the kitchen follows the strict temple food convention (no alliums) or uses garlic; it affects the flavour profile significantly.
Vegan Korean-Chinese₩₩ItaewonDaily
Alt.a between Itaewon and Hannam serves a vegan Korean-Chinese menu that works off the jjajangmyeon and mapo traditions without animal products, rated 4.5.
Signature: Vegan mapo tofu, Korean-Chinese vegan dishes
Order: Vegan mapo tofu: silken tofu in a gochugaru and doubanjiang sauce that has no meat but loses nothing in the process.
Tip: The set lunch is the best-value entry point; the a la carte is worth the price for the full menu.
Korean galbi₩₩₩₩Songpa-guDaily 11:30-22:00
The Bangi branch of Byeokje Galbi serves premium charcoal-grilled hanwoo short ribs from in-house butchery, the same quality as the flagship since 1986.
Signature: Charcoal galbi, Hanwoo ribeye
Order: Galbi (short ribs) over charcoal: top 1% graded hanwoo, butchered in-house, charcoal-grilled at the table in the Bangi branch's large dining room.
Tip: Lunch is less crowded than dinner; the quality of the beef is identical.
Vegan organic fusion₩₩Jung-guDaily
BLU Seoul in Jung-gu runs an organic, vegan and gluten-free menu, rated 5 stars on HappyCow across 85 reviews: one of Seoul's most comprehensive plant-based.
Signature: Organic vegan dishes, Gluten-free plates
Order: Organic vegan set: seasonal ingredients from local farms, prepared without meat, dairy or gluten in a clean, light kitchen near Chungmu-ro.
Tip: BLU is one of the few options in Seoul that caters to both vegan and coeliac requirements simultaneously.
Korean traditional₩₩Bukchon and SamcheongDaily 10:00-22:00
The most visited samgyetang restaurant in Seoul, set across several traditional hanok houses near Gyeongbokgung Palace with a long daily queue before 11:30.
Signature: Samgyetang, Black chicken samgyetang
Order: Samgyetang: whole young chicken packed with glutinous rice, ginseng and garlic inside renovated hanok buildings with courtyard seating.
Tip: Come at opening on weekdays; queues are shortest before 11:30.
Korean street food₩Jongno-guDaily from approximately 17:00 until midnight
The 200-metre stretch in front of Ikseon-dong from Exit 5 to Exit 6 at Jongno 3-ga Station is Seoul's most concentrated pojangmacha (street food tent).
Signature: Tteokbokki, Odeng, Kimchi jeon
Order: Tteokbokki and odeng (fish cake skewer in anchovy broth): the pojangmacha double order since the orange tents opened here.
Tip: Arrive by 19:00 or earlier to find a free stool; cash only at most tents.
