Legume is a vegan fine dining restaurant in Gangnam Gu, Seoul.
Legume is Asia's first Michelin-starred vegan restaurant, chef Sung Si-woo's one-star room in Gangnam delivering a plant-based tasting menu built.
Signature dishes: Vegan tasting menu
Must order: Seasonal vegan tasting menu: the only fully vegan restaurant in Korea to receive a Michelin star, serving a plant-based progression that references Korean fermentation throughout.
Tip: Book 4 to 6 weeks ahead; the room is small and evening reservations fill within hours of opening.
Address: 652 Gangnam-daero, Gangnam-gu, Seoul
EID Halal Korean Food on Usadan-ro is one of Seoul's most respected halal restaurants, operated by a Korean Muslim family serving authentic Korean cuisine.
Signature: Halal Korean BBQ, Bibimbap
Order: Halal Korean BBQ platter: marinated beef and chicken prepared according to Islamic dietary law by a Korean Muslim family who have run the restaurant for years.
Tip: The Itaewon mosque area on Usadan-ro has the densest concentration of halal restaurants in South Korea.
Alt.a between Itaewon and Hannam-dong delivers a vegan Korean-Chinese menu playing off jjajangmyeon and mapo traditions without meat, fish or dairy.
Signature: Korean-Chinese vegan dishes
Order: Vegan mapo tofu: soft silken tofu in an intensely flavoured gochugaru and doubanjiang sauce, plant-based and bolder than most.
Tip: The set lunch is significantly cheaper than ordering a la carte.
Makan serves Malaysian and Indonesian halal-certified food on the Usadan-ro mosque strip of Itaewon, with nasi lemak, rendang and satay that draw a devout.
Signature: Nasi lemak, Rendang, Satay
Order: Nasi lemak: fragrant coconut rice with sambal, fried anchovies and hard-boiled egg, halal-certified and one of the most popular dishes in this part of Itaewon.
Tip: The area around Seoul Central Mosque is walkable from Itaewon Station; Makan is on the main food alley running up to the mosque.
Vegan Kitchen in Jung-gu serves Korean cuisine free of meat, fish and dairy in the temple food tradition, rated 4.5 stars across over 400 HappyCow reviews.
Signature: Korean vegan set, Temple food
Order: Vegan Korean set meal: the full spread of plant-based banchan with rice and a warming jjigae (stew) made without meat or fish stock.
Tip: Temple food avoids garlic and spring onions; ask whether the kitchen follows this convention or not before ordering.
Maple Tree House in Itaewon serves premium hanwoo (Korean beef) and Jeju black pork belly over charcoal in a polished room frequented by international guests.
Signature: Hanu sirloin, Jeju black pork belly
Order: Aged hanwoo sirloin, cooked tableside over charcoal and served with perilla wraps.
Tip: Arrive at opening on weekends to skip the queue; the staff will cook for you if you prefer.
The most visited samgyetang (ginseng chicken soup) restaurant in Seoul, set in a cluster of traditional hanok buildings near Gyeongbokgung Palace.
Signature: Samgyetang, Black chicken samgyetang
Order: Classic samgyetang: whole young chicken stuffed with glutinous rice, ginseng root and garlic in clear medicinal broth.
Tip: Come at 10:00 on a weekday to walk straight in; the broth is identical morning and night.
