Vegan
Buffet
Korean

Name is an abbreviation for "rice with herbal medicine, fruit and vegetables." Vegan buffet style food prepared in a traditional, Korean (temple food) spirit. The basic menu is composed of porridge, a soy-base soup, variety of cooked season greens, acorn jelly, tofu, and different sides. Organic fruit and seasonable tea served. Directions: Take Seoul subway line 1 to Jonggak Station, take exit 3, walk straight toward Geumgang Jehwa, turn left at intersection of Geumgang Jehwa, turn right at Sudo Pharmacy located centrally on Insadong St, walk 100m and on the left is Han Gwa Chae. Also nearby is Anguk Station on the Seoul subway line 3. 한과채'란 "과일과 채소, 치유력 있는 나물들이 곁들여진 한식"이란 뜻입니다. 사찰음식을 포함한 한식 뷔페이며, 기본메뉴로 밥과 죽, 다양한 계절 야채와 나물, 두부 및 각종 밑반찬 등이 제공됩니다. 유기농 과일과 차가 제공되며 모든 재료는 국내산을 사용합니다. 가격은 1인 당 13,000원 입니다(2017년 4월 기준). 영업시간은 매일 점심11:30~14:30, 저녁 17:00~20:30 이며, 일요일은 휴무입니다. Open Mon-Sat 11:30am-2:30pm. Closed Sun.


Venue map for Han Gwa Chae - 한과채
© OpenStreetMap contributors

90 Reviews

First Review by tohho

bongbong733

Points +14287

Vegan
01 Dec 2023

Healthy buffet

Update 2023: Since the covid pandemic, the kimchi here is sometimes not vegan!!! A friend of mine also saw fish cake here once. Tell staff that you are vegan to make sure they point out non-vegan dishes to you.

This restaurant is a buffet, which offers Korean food in home-made style. There are no processed mock meats, but soup, stew, porridge and various side dishes of which some feature uncommon combinations or vegetables (e.g. peanut sprouts).

Most ingredients are Korean and not imported.
Considering the fact that they use Korean ingredients and the location is the touristy area Insadong, their price for this all-you-can-eat-buffet seems fair.

The interior represents the taste of the elderly people running this place: Random flowers in vases, a couple of paintings, patterned table cloth. Nothing fancy. Colorful and homey.

Updated from previous review on 2020-01-08

Pros: food tastes ok, Price

Cons: occasionally non-vegan dishes, does not always operate according to schedule

HannahP96

Points +497

Vegan
26 Nov 2023

Authentic and fresh

This temple food buffet is wonderful for those who like to try new things. We ate there twice. So many greens, roots, sprouts, and herbs to try! They start you with a soup and black sesame porridge, and tea. One time they also brought us veggie pancakes. Then there are two kinds of rice (I like the mixed one with beans), and a large assortment of vegetable-based dishes, and one beef-y dish. Everything is excellent, and the buffet format means you can try everything! My favorite was the sprouted peanut stir fry--big juicy sprouts with a peanut on the end, what could be better? (Makes me want to sprout my own!) Such new flavors and experiences--love it!

Pros: Fresh, Diverse plant foods, Great variety

StevenYoo

Points +291

Vegan
22 Nov 2023

Vegan buffet with large variety of namul

A lot of different banchan made with different kinds of plants. I grew up in Korea and there were a number of banchan I had never tried before. Spice levels are typical Korean level so keep that in mind.

jbugg89

Points +188

Vegan
11 Nov 2023

Perfect buffet

Small and unassuming restaurant, with a brilliant buffet spread. Some great vegan options around this area, but this really stood out

jasmineli258

Points +23

Vegetarian
23 Sep 2023

Perfect buffet

Owners were very welcoming. The food was a good range of vegetables and tofu with two rice options and lots of sides. Filled us up and was a great place to find healthy vegetarian food in Seoul.

dorisn

Points +57

Vegetarian
07 Sep 2023

Just what I needed

I only had 20 - 30 min and was exhausted from running around Seoul, when I found this little hidden nugget. At arrival, there were only local folk who seem to go there regularly, which is always a good sign, it didn’t disappoint. Great variety of vegetables, nicely spiced, buffet style. Loved it and left (within 20 min) recharged for the day.

plant_ideas

Points +50

Vegan
24 Jul 2023

Delicious and relaxing

The owners were so welcoming and immediately brought a tasty rice & sesame porridge, spicy soup and chilled green tea. There were so many dishes to choose from! It was tricky to find this restaurant, but well worth it!

Pros: So many food choices , Relaxing atmosphere , Popular with locals

Moshana

Points +66

Vegan
18 Jul 2023

Little hidden Gem

This place is one of the most random yet most wonderful finds in Seoul. The food was just delicious home food / you felt like you were in someone’s home. I loved how we were greeted. The host came and sat us down and gave us green tea and got our starters for us. There may have been a language barrier but it was wonderful how they would motion to us when fresh food was being brought out to the buffet cart. The food was traditional and full of flavour.

Pros: The owners were very kind , Lots of variety , Fresh food

Cons: Would’ve liked sweet treats / unless I missed that

SereneTan

Points +118

Vegan
29 May 2023

Tasty homecook food

Cheap and tasty homecook meals. Lots of dishes to try

Pros: Vegan 💯, Cheap , Healthy

Cons: Some people may find the taste a bit bland

+++VeGaNiSaToR+++

Points +1004

Vegan
28 May 2023

Cheap and quick

nice place but lacks flavor

nagu

Points +224

Vegan
27 May 2023

Incredible.

My first experience eating temple style food and it did not disappoint. The owners were extremely kind and made me feel welcome.

The food is delicious and the place makes you feel like you’re eating at somebody’s house.

Would definitely return.

adm17

Points +16

Vegan
24 May 2023

Lifesaving vegan haven in Seoul

TLDR: incredibly kind people and delicious, restorative vegan food! You can tell everything is cooked with love and care.

I visited Han Gwa Chae several times while in Seoul, both 2021 and 2023, and still daydream about the food. The folks who run the restaurant are so welcoming - sat me and my friend down and were already bringing us rice, delicious soup (both a bean/lentil soup and also a bean sprout soup), water, and hot tea before we had even paid for the buffet. The variety of dishes is amazing and everything tastes fresh, clean, hearty, and healing: off the top of my head, several types of greens, sweet potatoes, many different types of kimchi; tofu, black beans, dotorimuk (acorn jelly - one of my favorites!), and more. I think there was even a ssambap station we didn't get to because we'd already plated up so much food!

Highly recommend and if you're still new to Korean cuisine, it's a great way to try new dishes and flavors!

Pros: Friendly, welcoming staff, Delicious, fresh food, Lots of variety and incredibly reasonable price

Laëtitia.V

Points +663

Vegan
18 May 2023

So healthy !

What a nice discovery. I used to go almost every day to Osegyehan, and because it was Thursday (Osegyehan is closed on that day) I had to find somewhere else to eat lunch. I regret that I didn't come here earlier ! The food is simple, very healthy, it seems like real Buddhist food. The gentleman was so nice, he served me a soup and some rice porridge. We even exchanged some words in Korean. One thing : they had my favourite Kimchi, the raddish kimchi ! 총각김지

kokoszka

Points +141

Vegan
16 May 2023

Healthy tasty lunch

At first we felt a little bit lost, but the owners took care of us right away. Healthy cuisine, you can try a lot of different things. A great option when you have enough fried and heavy meals.

Na początku można czuć się trochę zagubionym, ale właściciele od razu się nami zaopiekowali. Zdrowa kuchnia, można popróbować bardzo różnych ciekawych rzeczy. Super opcja jak ma się dosyć smażonych i ciężkich potraw.

yumchadong

Points +4930

Vegan
02 Apr 2023

Feast for the senses

I can't get enough of this healthy food buffet. It is a feast for the senses, with a wide range of colorful and flavorful dishes made from fresh vegetables and greens. There is also tofu, grains and fermented veggies like kimchi, ginseng roots, pickled daikon radish etc. Everything is super fresh and is naturally packed with flavour. No sugar. The food is satisfying and filling, but also light and easy to digest. It is the perfect way to nourish your body and soul with wholesome food. I highly recommend it!

Updated from previous review on 2023-03-28

Cherie_Si

Points +43

Vegetarian
19 Jan 2023

Natural ingridient!

Fully vegan Buffet (15,000 won / pax) with different kinds of rices and veggie.

i love the sesame porridge, the soup with a lot of ingridient, the pancake and the korean veggies and the Kimchi, the brown rice are chewy and very yummy.

It is not easy to eat veggie in Korea, those in this restaurant are very good!

Pros: A lot of veggies, Hot rice and soup

Plantbasedgoodness

Points +44

Vegan
22 Dec 2022

Nice meal

Simple good food with a lot of veggies. A lot of variety on the buffet.

IlhoonMonki

Points +65

Vegan
24 Nov 2022

awesome! come hungry!

a cozy buffet with very nice staff and delicious food! amazing pancakes!




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