This guide is for first time visitors to Korea who keep asking the same question before a trip: is there actually enough Korean vegetarian food to eat for a week without getting stuck with plain rice and kimchi.
Short answer: yes, but only if you know which dishes are safe by default and which ones hide anchovy stock or fish sauce. I have ordered bibimbap in Seoul assuming the sauce was plant based, only to find out the server had already mixed in ground beef because nobody told the kitchen otherwise.
Below are the best Korean vegetarian food options I would actually order again, where to find them, and the exact phrases that stop a kitchen from adding meat or fish stock without asking.
What Counts as Korean Vegetarian Food?
Korean vegetarian food falls into two groups: dishes that are naturally plant based, and dishes that need one spoken request to become vegetarian.
Korean Buddhist temple cuisine, called sachal eumsik (사찰음식), is the strictest version. It skips meat, fish, and also the five pungent vegetables: garlic, green onion, chives, leeks, and wild chives. Everyday restaurant food is looser.
A bowl of doenjang-jjigae (된장찌개, soybean paste stew) looks vegetarian but is almost always made with anchovy or dried fish stock unless the menu says otherwise.
That gap between looking vegetarian and actually being vegetarian is the single biggest thing foreign visitors miss on a first trip.
What Are the Best Korean Vegetarian Dishes to Try?
The best Korean vegetarian food for a first trip is bibimbap, sundubu-jjigae, japchae, and a temple food set menu, because all four can be made fully plant based with one request.
| Dish | Korean name | What it is | Vegetarian tip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bibimbap | 비빔밥 | Rice bowl topped with seasoned vegetables, egg, and gochujang | Ask for no meat (고기 빼주세요), since beef is often added by default |
| Sundubu-jjigae | 순두부찌개 | Soft tofu stew in spicy broth | Ask for vegetable broth (채소 육수); the house broth is usually anchovy based |
| Japchae | 잡채 | Stir fried glass noodles with vegetables | Often vegetarian already, but some versions add beef strips, so ask first |
| Temple food set | 사찰음식 | Multi course Buddhist monastery meal | Fully plant based by tradition, no need to ask, but book ahead |
| Kimchi | 김치 | Fermented, seasoned vegetables | Traditional kimchi uses fish sauce or shrimp; ask for vegan kimchi (비건 김치) if needed |
| Tteokbokki | 떡볶이 | Chewy rice cakes in sweet spicy sauce | Ask to leave out fish cake (어묵 빼주세요) for a vegetarian version |
I have found temple food sets to be the easiest category, since the whole menu is already plant based and nobody at the table has to negotiate anything with the server.
Street snacks are trickier to judge at a glance. For a wider breakdown of what is actually meat free among Korean street food, this Korean snacks guide covers it dish by dish.
Where Can You Eat the Best Korean Vegetarian Food in Seoul?
Insadong is the easiest neighborhood for Korean vegetarian food in Seoul, since it holds several temple food restaurants within walking distance of Jogyesa Temple.
| Where | Area | Known for | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| Balwoo Gongyang | Insadong | Formal Buddhist temple course meals | Set menus commonly run from about 30,000 to 150,000 KRW; book a few days ahead |
| Osegye Hyang | Insadong | Traditional vegan Korean set meals | Closed one day a week on most listings, so check before going |
| Sanchon | Insadong | Monk founded set course temple food | Good for a first temple food experience with smaller courses |
| Vegan Insa | Ikseon-dong | Vegan bibimbap and tteokbokki | Casual, easier for a quick lunch than the formal temple restaurants |
| Plant Cafe | Itaewon | Vegetarian cafe menu | Good for a break from rice with a Western style vegetarian meal |
According to Seoul’s own tourism office, the city now counts more than 100 fully vegan restaurants plus many more vegetarian friendly Korean kitchens, and that number keeps growing as plant based Korean food becomes more mainstream.
If you want to see how this plant based shift fits into the wider picture of Korean dining right now, this Korean food trends guide covers what else is changing on menus this year.
How Do You Order Vegetarian Food in Korean?
The fastest way to get Korean vegetarian food without a mix up is one short phrase plus one follow up question about the broth.
| What to say | Korean | When to use it |
|---|---|---|
| I am vegetarian | 저는 채식주의자예요 | Say this before ordering, not after the food arrives |
| No meat please | 고기 빼주세요 | For bibimbap, japchae, and fried rice |
| Is the broth made with anchovy | 멸치 육수예요? | For any soup or stew, since anchovy stock is the default |
| No egg please | 계란 빼주세요 | Only needed if you are vegan, not just vegetarian |
I keep these phrases saved as a photo on my phone, since showing the screen to a busy server works faster than trying to pronounce them correctly during a loud lunch rush.
What Mistakes Do Visitors Make With Korean Vegetarian Food?
The most common mistake is trusting a dish by sight instead of asking about the broth, since several classic looking vegetable dishes are built on meat or fish stock.
| Dish that looks safe | Hidden ingredient | Where it hides |
|---|---|---|
| Doenjang-jjigae | Anchovy or dried fish stock | The soup base, not visible once served |
| Kimchi side dishes | Fish sauce or shrimp | Used in the fermenting seasoning |
| Tteokbokki | Fish cake (eomuk) | Mixed in with the rice cakes |
| Plain looking bibimbap | Beef or beef broth | Added by default unless you ask first |
My own rule after a few trips is simple: if a dish involves a broth, a side dish, or anything fermented, I ask about it before I eat, not after.
Frequently Asked Questions About Korean Vegetarian Food
Is Korean food generally easy for vegetarians?
It is manageable but not automatic. Rice, vegetable side dishes, and tofu stews are common, but broths and fermented foods often contain anchovy or fish sauce unless you ask for a plant based version.
What is the single best Korean vegetarian dish for a first try?
A temple food set menu is the safest first dish, since it is plant based by tradition rather than by special request.
Does Korean food always use fish sauce?
No, but it is common in kimchi and many broths. Ask for 비건 (vegan) or 채식 (vegetarian) versions when they are listed on the menu.
Where is the best place to try Korean temple food in Seoul?
Insadong has the highest concentration of temple food restaurants, including set course spots near Jogyesa Temple, though booking ahead is recommended for the more formal ones.
Korean vegetarian food has come a long way from just rice and kimchi, and between temple cuisine, tofu stews, and a growing number of plant based kitchens, a full week of eating well in Seoul is realistic now.
If you want to see how far your food budget goes once you are back home, this cost guide is a useful follow up read. Have you tried Korean temple food yet, or is bibimbap still your go to order?
Wikipedia: Korean temple cuisine
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