Nammi Plant Lab is a vegan restaurant in Itaewon And Hannam, Seoul.
Editorially verified May 29, 2026 by Lewis Vaughan, TableJourney editor. Source.
Signature dishes: Vegan pizza, Plant-based pasta
Must order: Vegan pizza: wood-oven cooked with seasonal vegetable toppings and dairy-free mozzarella alternative.
Tip: Book ahead on weekends; the room is small and fills quickly.
Address: 18-3 Itaewon-ro 54-gil, Yongsan-gu, Seoul
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.
Tip: Ask whether the kitchen follows the strict temple food convention (no alliums) or uses garlic; it affects the flavour profile significantly.
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.
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.
Tip: Lunch is less crowded than dinner; the quality of the beef is identical.
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.
Tip: BLU is one of the few options in Seoul that caters to both vegan and coeliac requirements simultaneously.
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.
Tip: Come at opening on weekdays; queues are shortest before 11:30.
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).
Tip: Arrive by 19:00 or earlier to find a free stool; cash only at most tents.
