Is Vegan Michelin Star Worth It? My Honest Review of Legumé, Seoul

The Lone Vegan Michelin Star of Seoul

Legumé, Asia's first ever fully vegan and only Michelin-starred restaurant is based in Seoul. Finding a fully vegetarian or vegan restaurant in Seoul is as hard as finding a needle in a haystack. I am not kidding. Koreans love their meat and seafood so much so that 'seafood' does not fall under the 'non-vegetarian' category in this country. You have to be very specific in your food requests in South Korea if you want to ensure a fully vegan or vegetarian meal.

In Seoul's hardcore non-vegetarian setting, it was a daunting task for Chef Sung Si-woo to overcome the dissuasions of opening a vegan restaurant. However, his mother's meat allergies kept him determined and inspired him to start this fine dining setup in Gangnam in 2023. Not only did he succeed in his endeavour but he excelled by attaining the Michelin Star for Legumé in 2025.

The MasterChef Influence

Masterchef India Season 9 was in full swing and we ( I and my son) were already taken in by the show. The food ideas, presentation and nuanced tasting reviews by the judges left us all eager to enjoy such fine food in an equally fine setting. A little insistence by my son saw us readily agreeing to reserve a table for us at Legumé. We were all excited to try out a Michelin-rated restaurant, especially in Seoul.

India hardly has any Michelin-starred restaurants as of today. No regrets there as our Indian cities like Miumbai and Bangalore where I have lived, already have a rich and fabulous food culture and the absence of a Michelin guide does not really matter. However, to experience a Michelin-star vegan restaurant in Seoul where there is a scarcity of good vegetarian food was like the icing on a cake.

Legumé - Here we come!

Address: 652 Gangnam-daero, Gangnam District, Seoul

Phone: 050-71365-1567

Reservations: catchtable.net

Parking: Available

The restaurant sits on the 2nd floor of Sinsa square in Gangnam - Seoul's premier high-profile district. The place is small and cozy with just 2 tables and a few bar stools overlooking the kitchen. The space is small and intimate featuring an open kitchen concept where the guests can view the chefs at work. There were many hands in the kitchen who were intensely focussed on their culinary preparations as was evident in the 7-course lunch tasting menu that followed.

The Legumé menu curates an interplay between the contemporary and traditional Korean flavours, offering a 100% plant-based experience through locally sourced ingredients and sustainable practices that celebrate the four seasons of Korea with modern artistic techniques.

The Menu:

The 7-course lunch menu was a perfectly curated degustation experience progressing from fresh and light dishes to richer, deeper and more comforting flavours. Every course was cordially served by the head chef himself with a little explanation about each dish. The cutlery too changed with every course highlighting the meticulous attention to detail and the high standards of hospitality.

Let's take a look at the menu:

Course 1:

Almond

This was truly a refreshing start to our meal symbolising the end of winter and the beginning of spring- an ode to Korea's changing seasons. The almond foam covered the salad, which was the perfect combination of kiwi, onion, sweet potato and endive with a dressing of Korean wild chive oil.

The foam lent a subtle yet rich taste of the nutty almonds which complemented the fresh flavours of the salad wonderfully well. The 1st course did its job and whetted our appetite for the culinary magic that had started to unfold.

Course 2:

Strawberry

This dish tries to replicate the playful red strawberries playing hide and seek and peeking through the green leaves in a field. The dish wonderfully highlights the tangy sweetness of the strawberries along with the freshness of the salad leaves, the nuttiness of pistachio cream cheese and the tartness of the olive tapenade.

It truly elevates the Seolhyang Strawberries to the next level.

Seasonal Vegetable Cutlet

The seasonal vegetable cutlet is an optional add-on dish to the 7-course menu. We were really amazed by the first two courses so much so that we wanted to try the add-ons as well. :)

We were expecting some roundish cutlet-like fried dish but what arrived just left us open-mouthed. This cutlet resembled a beautiful bouquet of greens. Fried seasonal greens are arranged to resemble a bouquet emerging from a crisp base of breaded yuba (bean curd skin) and shiso leaves.Served with a smooth scallion puree, candied Korean ginger and a grey salty seasoning, this dish had a great texture and a unique flavour profile.

Course 3:

Chickpeas

This is one of the standout dishes at Legumé which features a chickpea gnocchi instead of the regular potato gnocchi we know of. The pasta is served with fernbrake and doenjang-fermented nuts.

To the novice, fernbrake refers to the fronds of the bracken fern which has a deep earthy flavour and chewy texture; while doenjang is the traditional fermented Korean soybean paste which is known for its umami flavour.

I am not too familiar with these ingredients; however, all these exotic flavours and textures come together to weave a magic on your palate for sure!

Course 4:

Vegetable Soup

This is the Shepherd's Purse Soup - a shepherd's purse consommé made by simmering the roots and leaves of the shepherd's purse together with onions and tomatoes and then finished by drizzling some parsley oil on top.

Shepherd's purse is a small flowering plant in the mustard family supposed to have great medicinal value.

The soup was quite zesty and flavourful bringing out the flavours of the ingredients wholesomely. The bread which came with it was so crusty from outside with that tad softness on the inside that I just loved pairing it with the soup.

However, by the 4th course, I was almost full. Its a pity that I have such a small appetite even at such a wonderful place :(

Course 5:

Mushroom

This was the main course of Awui Mushroom steak served with a shitake reduction to enhance the earthiness and depth of the mushrooms. The mushroom was cooked al dente with it being a little chewy and juicy. Served with a creamy cauliflower pureé and Romaine lettuce, the dish had the perfect flavours and textures befitting the main course

Truffle and Hazelnut Sorbet:

This is the optional add-on dish to the 7-course menu which has become the signature - not to be missed - dish at Legumé.

Served as a dessert, the final course before the petit four, this is a sophisticated indulgent amalgamation of the savoury truffle shavings paired with sweet hazelnut sorbet, hazelnut caramel and candied hazelnuts.

Just enjoy it bit by bit and let the flavours seep in you thoroughly.

Course 6

Meadowsweet

This was the final dessert course at Legumé.

Meadowsweet is a delicate, fragrant shrub paired here with coconut milk to create this visually stunning aromatic sorbet. The magic of this combination is known to mellow sweet notes when paired with specific wines. I abstained from wine at this luncheon for health reasons, but the dessert worked its magic on me regardless. Its subtle floral aroma, with distinct flavours of honeyed almonds and vanilla, melted on my palate into creamy nothingness. The edible orange flowers added the perfect oomph to the dish.

Course 7:

The petit four course was served with tea to conclude the degustation. It was the popular Korean jujube (known as Daechu) soaked in syrup/honey served with a curated tea to finish off the 7-course meal.

That ended our nearly two-hour food marathon at Legumé. While I didn't necessarily love every single dish, most were perfectly executed in flavour, texture, and aesthetic appeal, fitting seamlessly into the menu's overall journey. Food connoisseurs will truly enjoy this vegan gastronomic experience with Chef Sung.