"Can we live on vegetables alone?"

Before the concept of vegetarianism had become universal like today, "vegan" simply meant a dietary lifestyle in which individuals ate vegetables without meat. At Korean food tables, where eating a balanced diet is a virtue, the vegetarian diet became, especially, alien and odd.

However, vegetarianism has now become a new lifestyle, going beyond prejudices that vegetarians are picky eaters. Some go vegetarian for animal welfare and environmental protection. Others go vegetarian for their health. The reasons for eating a vegetarian diet and the types of vegetarians are varied, so vegetarianism has evolved into one of the lifestyles to pursue sustainability, beyond a simple vegetable diet.

Visits to vegan restaurants are increasing as well. You can easily find restaurants nearby with new and diverse menus that break down prejudices against vegetarian dishes and can be enjoyed by anyone.

In May, when the fragrance of in-season green vegetables enriches our tables, here are three vegan restaurants in Seoul where you can fully enjoy the taste and flavor of spring greens.

Temple food in a cozy, quiet atmosphere
'Sanchon' in Insa-dong, Seoul

'Sanchon,' a temple cuisine restaurant in Insa-dong, captivates the taste buds of the public with fresh vegetables and wild edible plants grown deep in the mountains. Monk Jeongsan, head of Sanchon and a temple food researcher, developed a vegetarian menu inspired by Buddhist foods at the temples where he lived for several years. With pride in avoiding chemical additives and keeping the natural taste of ingredients, as well as its passion to help everyone enjoy temple food without aversion, Sanchon is leading the development of a healthy culinary culture.

Original temple food does not contain the "five pungent spices" – garlic, green onions, wild chives, chives and asafoetida, but Sanchon uses these vegetables considering the tastes of the general public. You can also request your dishes without these ingredients. Sanchon Jeongsik is a course meal, starting with an appetizer featuring tea, Juk (porridge), Gimbugak (laver chips) and seasoned vegetable side dishes, and then pan-fried dishes and seasoned salads, followed by main dishes consisting of seven wild edible plant dishes, side dishes made with seasonal ingredients, steamed rice and a Jjigae (stew). In addition, seasonal tea and Hangwa (traditional Korean confections) are served for dessert. Therefore, you can feel full – not bloated but delightful satiation. These dishes are not strong tasting, so you might feel that they are bland if you are used to highly-seasoned food. But, if you want to feel the unique charms that each in-season ingredient has while enjoying a meal full of clean flavors, Sanchon is definitely a great place to go.

Address | 30-13 Insadong-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul
Open at 11:30-22:00 every day
Telephone | 02-735-0312

Want to experience something eco-friendly and organic at the same time?
'Kkot, Bape Pida' in Insa-dong

'Kkot, Bape Pida (A Flower Blossom on the Rice),' a Korean food restaurant in Insa-dong, is taking a cautious approach even to using ingredients under its slogan "We draw a better world with good food." The restaurant not only provides nicely presented meals using home-grown, organic, nature-grown and in-season ingredients but also keeps its promise with consumers that it will use only Korean jang (traditional fermented soybean paste), support animal welfare and not use synthetic additives or genetically modified ingredients.

You can easily find its excellent record at the entrance of this Hanok (a traditional Korean house) restaurant. The dining place has been listed in the Michelin Guide and Blue Ribbon Survey, Korea's restaurant guidebook, for six straight years from 2018 to 2023, and in Taste of Seoul for three straight years from 2020 to 2022.

This restaurant puts its eco-friendly and organic values on its tables, beyond simply serving vegan foods, making it a popular choice for dinner. It also developed a seasonal menu with 'Our PlanEAT,' a sustainable food research lab. 'Kkot, Bape Pida' has launched a special menu with its own recipes featuring seasonal tastes and flavors this spring, the best season to enjoy seasonal wild edible plants, blazing a trail in the vegan restaurant industry.

Address | 3-6 Insadong 16-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul
Open at 11:30-21:00 every day (break time 15:00-17:30)
Telephone | 0507-1362-0276

Gradually falling somewhere between familiarity and strangeness
'Jum.Jum.Jum.Jum.Jum.Jum' in Sangam-dong, Seoul

Putting the "environment" and "veganism" at its core, 'Jum.Jum.Jum.Jum.Jum.Jum(......)' is a restaurant that follows a zero waste philosophy. Food is served as a single-menu course meal, and the menu changes with the season. Dishes like Cold Ocean Pasta, Braised Bean Curd with Grilled Green Onions, Thistle Rice with Golden Oak Mushrooms and Arugula Kimchi Pancake look familiar at a glance, but the hard-to-imagine combination of ingredients truly broadens our culinary horizons. The visual appearance of each of one of these unique, distinctive dishes is another attraction of this hot spot. Servers explain each dish's ingredients and how to best enjoy it, helping you understand vegan dishes more easily.

To practice veganism even in all aspects of interior design, this restaurant has tables and chairs with recycled aluminum – an uncommon construction material. To reduce the use of disposable products, it is using dishcloths made from muslin, instead of tissues and wet wipes. More than 80% of the materials used in the interior were designed and made utilizing a resource circulation system. Just simply enjoy the unique charm of the restaurant's space and its special menu, and you can understand the message that it is trying to convey.

Address | 36, Seongam-ro 15-gil, Mapo-gu, Seoul
Open at 11:30-16:00 Weds. and Thurs. / 11:30-22:00 Fri. to Sun.
Telephone | 0507-1318-5971

Photos from each restaurant's official website, Instagram pages
(@flowerrice_official, @jum.jum.jum.jum.jum.jum), and Naver Place