Plant

Although Plant, the beloved vegan haven of Itaewon, opened in 2013, its roots trace back to 2009 when Plant’s owner, Mipa Lee started her blog Alien’s Day Out. Documenting the ins and outs of being a vegan in Seoul, her following grew from the baked goods that she sold online. She eventually settled into this cozy one-room restaurant off the main road of Itaewon. Drawing inspiration from the many places where Mipa has lived, such as England, the U.S. and West Africa, the restaurant offers up a variety of dishes, including a Thai peanut soba bowl, chickpea avo sandwich and three-bean and lentil chili served with homemade vegan cornbread and a side salad with agave mustard dressing. While the menu features around two to three items at a time, everything’s packed with flavor and none of it is necessarily “diet food.” If you’re not convinced, check out the desserts on display—red velvet cakes and cupcakes, thick chocolate cakes, banana muffins, coconut cookies and more. Peek into the glass behind the counter and you get a sense of how much care is put into every single meal that’s served. Talk to Mipa and you begin to realize that being vegan is not just about food, but “trying to live a more compassionate life.” Every customer is greeted with a smile and leaves full after enjoying a hearty, satisfying meal. It’s no wonder that Plant holds such a dear place in the hearts of so many vegans (and even non-vegans) in Seoul.