Top 5 Allergy-Friendly Restaurants in Seoul 2023

Contents

1 Navigating Seoul’s Culinary Scene with Allergy Friendly Restaurants
2 Finding Allergy Friendly Restaurants in Seoul
3 1. Buddha’s Belly, Yongsan District
4 What To Order at Buddha’s Belly:
5
6 2. Sul Bing Café, Hongdae District
- 6.1 What To Order at Sul Bing Cafe:
7 3. Vatos Urban Tacos, Yongsan District
- 7.1 What To Order at Vatos Urban Tacos
8
9 4. Gobong Samgyetang, Starfield COEX Mall, Gangnam District
- 9.1 What To Order at Gobong Samgyetang
10 5. BHC (Better and Happier Choice), Hongdae District
- 10.1 What To Order at BHC
- 10.2 Related Posts from MyFearlessFoodie
  - - 10.2.0.1 Pat S

Navigating Seoul’s Culinary Scene with Allergy Friendly Restaurants

When we decided to travel to Seoul to visit family stationed there, of course we were concerned about our food allergies. South Korean national dishes integrate sesame into their sauces including their famous Korean BBQ, noodle, rice, and side dishes. It’s no wonder that anyone with a sesame allergy can be easily discouraged from traveling to Seoul. In fact, every blog we found emphasized how challenging it would be to stay safe when eating out anywhere in South Korea. The strong warning was consistent to be aware of cross-contamination of sesame oil or sesame seeds. Suffice it to say, we knew we had to be prepared. Travel blogs advised we bring instant ramen and other snacks when touring Asia with food allergies.

Finding Allergy Friendly Restaurants in Seoul

We were determined to find those hidden gems to experience the rich culture that Seoul had to offer. And we’re happy to report that this amazing city did not disappoint. We discovered allergy friendly restaurants with international flair that offered unique Korean influences.

After a few weeks in Seoul, we can definitely say that this modern capital city is a global one. We not only succeeded in eating well, but we also ate safely with our food allergies. Seoul caters to a diverse international audience, including fellow foodies like us who have a sesame, nut, and shellfish allergies.

Here are 5 allergy friendly restaurants we found in Seoul. Many of the allergy-friendly restaurants in Seoul we found in neighborhoods that cater to their expat communities, international visitors and residents.

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1. Buddha’s Belly, Yongsan District

Address: 48, Noksapyeong-daero 40-gil, Yongsan-gu, Seoul 04345, South Korea
Phone: +82 2-796-9330
Website: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Buddhas-Belly/232553616769300
Hours: Daily 11:30 – 15:30, 16:30 – 22:00

Buddha’s Belly stands out as one of the top allergy friendly restaurants in Seoul. Conveniently located in Itaewon, it has become my family’s go-to Thai restaurant. Our family is conveniently stationed nearby in the former US. Army base Yongsan Garrison.

On the menu’s first page, there was a statement that read, “Please inform your server of food related allergies or an aversion to coriander” in English. Itaewon is a neighborhood where many ex-pats live. That’s why you’ll find a number of international restaurants like Buddha’s Belly where English is widely spoken. So talking through food allergies with the wait staff is simple and straight-forward. Regardless, we always brought our Korean/English food allergy translation cards.

What To Order at Buddha’s Belly:

The service was great, and the staff gave us great comfort from start to finish. We felt well taken care of with Lily’s sesame, nut, and shellfish allergies. The menu has a nice variety, and the food is reasonably priced.

For starters, we ordered the Por Peer Tod (deep fried spring rolls) and the Tom Kha Soup (sour coconut soup with herbs). Both were terrific. For mains, we love the Pad Seew (fried wide rice noodles with black bean sauce). That was one of our favorite dishes there. Thekids love the Pad Pak Gup Neua (stir-fried beef and broccoli). The Pla Nuang Manow (steamed tilapia fillet with chilli, garlic, and lime juice), which was recommended, was delicious and flavorful. We ended with the fresh mango with coconut sticky rice each time we were there.

On another visit we ordered the Kuiteieo Neua (beef rice noodle soup), which was perfect on a chilly evening.

The Thai chefs will adjust the level of spice you want and are happy to prepare foods not on the menu. We never needed reservations as we always came before 6:30pm. We were usually seated right away with parties of 4-7. If you come after 6, you may have to book a reservation, as it’s very popular with the many ex-pats who live in the district.

The atmosphere is casual although the décor is stylish and elegant. In warmer months, you can sit on the balcony that overlooks Itaewon looking out toward Yongsan Garrison. In the month of December when we were there, it is cozy and intimate.

If you want to taste authentic Thai food, Buddha’s Belly is a great find!

2. Sul Bing Café, Hongdae District

Address: 358-37 Seogyo-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul, South Korea
Phone: +82-2-02-323-3288
Website: https://sulbing.com/main.php
Hours: 10:30-22:30

Sul Bing Cafe is not just a dessert haven; it’s also among the noteworthy allergy friendly restaurants in Seoul. With over 490 retail stores serving a variety of flavors, it’s a delightful top for bing-su lovers. According to Wikipedia, the brand first started in 2010 as a fusion rice cake called “Siroo” located in Busan by founder Jung Sun hee. The first item on the menu was Injeolmi Sulbing which was traditionally prepared with red beans.

When we were planning our trip, friends told us that bing-su was a must-try. So when we saw these dessert cafes around Seoul, we knew we had to go for it, even in December.

Bing-su is a Korean shaved ice dessert. With sweet toppings, such as fruit, red bean, mochi, and sweet condensed milk, this dessert is simply irresistible. Despite the frigid temps, Sul-Bing Cafe was warm and cozy inside. It was the perfect place to take a refreshing break after walking through the Hongdae shopping district.

What To Order at Sul Bing Cafe:

We tried the strawberry bing-su. It surprised and delighted us, as we didn’t expect shaved ice to be so flavorful, smooth, and creamy. It’s easy to see how this would be a summer addiction. But it was also perfect for a refreshing break from wandering the cold market streets. The bing-su wasn’t too sweet with contrasting flavors and textures. The bowl is quite large so you can share with 2-3 people. There are so many flavors depending on what you can eat.

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3. Vatos Urban Tacos, Yongsan District

Address: 181-8, 2nd Floor, Itaewon-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul 140-866 South Korea
Phone: +82 (0)2-797-8226
Website: http://vatoskorea.com/en/vatos-about-us/
Hours: Sunday-Thursday 11:30-22:00, Friday-Saturday 11:30-23:00

If you like tacos, you’ll LOVE Vatos! Vatos is a Mexican Korean fusion restaurant. Vatos Urban Tacos is a must-visit among allergy friendly restaurants in Seoul. This Itaewon gem offers tasty Korean inspired tacos, burritos, quesadillas, and unique Korean/Mexican fusion foods. The owners hail from Texas and California where they brought the popular idea of Mexican Korean fusion to Seoul. One of the most popular Mexican fusion restaurants in Seoul, Vatos serves delicious, unique dishes like Kimchi Chili and Kimchi Carnita Fries.

What To Order at Vatos Urban Tacos

For our family with multiple food allergies (sesame, shellfish, nuts), we found the Buffalo Hot Wings to be a delicious starter. For our main, the Baja Fish Tacos hit the spot. Light, fried pollock using tempura beer batter made theses tacos perfectly crispy. An apple coleslaw added the right amount of crunch. And the pico de gallo topped it off with texture and flavor, along with a chipotle mayo. This final touch gave the tacos a nice but not too spicy flavor.

Tacos are on the small size, so if you’re hungry, you may want to order more. Our 13-year old fearless foodie (who has a sesame, shellfish, and nut allergy) ordered the Cali Steak & Guacamole Burrito. This delicious burrito featured a Carne Asada (beef), sour cream, salsa verde, Mexican cheese, refried beans, and french fries. This, in itself, was a surprise and delight. If this isn’t you your thing, because it’s too filling, you can ask for your burrito without it. It also had a fresh pico de gallo with guacamole all wrapped nicely in a wheat tortilla.

I ordered the Fresh Chicken Bowl which was excellent and also allergy friendly. This bowl was for us to share since it was such a generous sized portion. In fact, the next time we went, all 3 kids ordered this bowl and thoroughly enjoyed them.

We came on New Year’s Eve. It was a festive, friendly atmosphere and we look forward to returning again soon. We know for a fact that our family who lives nearby will be at Vatos quite often.

You can find Vatos not just in Itaewon, but also in the Galleria Department store (Lotte) in Apgujeong in the Gangnam district. Be sure to check it out!

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4. Gobong Samgyetang, Starfield COEX Mall, Gangnam District

Address: 513 Yeongdong-daero, Gangnam-Gu, Seoul, South Korea
Phone: +82 2-551-0080
Website: https://www.starfield.co.kr/coexmall/main.do#none
Hours: Daily 10:00-2:00

If you want to try the classic Korean comfort soup of Samgyetang, head to Gangnam district’s Starfield COEX Mall. It’s a unique addition to the roster of allergy friendly restaurants in Seoul for a fun dining experience before exploring the shops, aquarium, cafes, and famous library. A traditional Korean soup historically used for medicinal reasons (akin to Mom’s chicken soup in the US), Samgyetang is a simple soup whose main ingredients are chicken and Asian ginseng. Served piping hot, this chicken stew comes to the table bubbling in a metal pot. Known as a summer soup to “beat the heat with heat” this dish is traditionally enjoyed during the hottest days of the summer.

What To Order at Gobong Samgyetang

We were excited to partake in this classic dish especially after our cold, brisk walk from the subway. Besides chicken and ginseng, other ingredients include garlic, jujube and glutinous rice stuffed into a whole young chicken. The mat on the table included a translated English/Korean menu with pictures that showed us “how to eat Gobung Samgyetang”. In addition to the condiments and banchan (side dishes), the meal included ginseng liquor.

The instructions on the place mat were helpful. They included directions on how to use the salt, bone bucket, and the small dishes. Watching the regulars seated next to us was helpful too. From the looks of them, they were from the many financial, software, and manufacturing offices nearby.

Whether you go to a smaller restaurant where you can clearly speak to the grandmother who owns and operates the restaurant as we did in Itaewon, or to a more established restaurant, you will certainly enjoy this unique meal. Occasionally chestnuts can be added, so be sure to ask the server if you have a nut allergy.

The Samgyetang here was definitely our favorite!

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5. BHC (Better and Happier Choice), Hongdae District

Address: 22 Hongkik-ro6-Gil, Hongdae District (Seoul, South Korea)
Phone: +82 2-325-3112
Website: https://www.bhc.co.kr/index.asp
Hours: 10am-9pm

We tried the popular chain BHC so that we could partake in Korean Fried Chicken through this popular franchise. For us, the Sweet Soy Sauce chicken was a big winner! BHC, standing for “Better and Happier Choice” is a go-to spot for Korean Fried Chicken and a standout among allergy friendly restaurants in Seoul.

The national chain was established in 2004 and has over 1000 locations in South Korea. The restaurant has an extensive menu with clear pictures for each item written in both English and Korean. We went to the BHC in Hongdae where we felt confident in our service due to the friendly and extremely helpful manager. It also helped that he shared that he was vegan and that he understood our sensitivity to food allergies as a result.

What To Order at BHC

The friendly manager advised the 3 members of our party with shellfish allergies to avoid the “original” fried chicken. We were happy to take his advice, since the original is lightly dusted with shellfish powder. Those who ate the original flavor told us it was delicious commenting on the juiciness and crispy skin. They, too, enjoyed the sweet soy sauce flavor better than the original.

While we waited for our food, we enjoyed a complementary bowl of radishes and crispy corn snacks as appetizers. They also gave us plates, forks, and plastic gloves to use for our meal. The gloves were especially helpful with the sweet soy sauce that very quickly got pretty messy.

The sweet soy sauce chicken with hot peppers is a must-try. Fried in Sunflower Seed Oil, it is flavorful, remarkably juicy, and crispy. The sauce perfectly coated the chicken and is infused with herbs, garlic and soy sauce. We also ordered a side of fries to go with our meal.

There are many franchises to try Korean fried chicken, which we look forward to trying. However, we’ll certainly be back for more at BHC!