LEGUME — Restaurant in Seoul

Long overdue 5-stars review for this amazing Michelin One-Star restaurant. Located in a boutique mall called Sinsa Square, north of Gangnam, which also houses various other up-scale restaurants, Legumes stands out for its 100% vegan menu concept. The dishes were innovative and seasonal, with regular features such as their signature gnocchi, tomato soup, and mushroom steak. The add-ons for vegetable cutlet and truffle & hazelnut sorbet are highly recommended. In a blind taste test, I bet no one would figure or even bemoan the lack of animal/meat ingredients. Chef Sung Si-woo seems humble and down to earth, right from helming the kitchen, to serving and describing the dishes, and even inviting the guests to the restaurant personally. This would probably not be possible without the incredible team which he leads. Diners can observe the kitchen staff work seamlessly, perhaps even telephatically as each one of them focusses on preparing the dishes - much like an orchestra (albeit a slient one at that), where each musician plays their own instrument but an entire ensemble makes a great performance. This speaks of the dedication and discipline of michelin-starred restaurants, which some diners may overlook. I visited Legumes each time while I was in Seoul this year - May (dinner) and September (lunch), and both visits blew us away. I even went on a bookstore hunt and bought the cookbook "The Vegan Table", written by Chef Sung Si-woo right after my first visit. Overall, the prices are reasonable and I aim to make a visit each time I...

Légume is Seoul's latest high-end vegan restaurant. To dine here, you have to make a reservation via the app CatchTable. Lunch and dinner are each served as a multi-course meal. Lunch currently costs 69.000 KRW, dinner costs 99.000 KRW. Drinks in the form of a wine pairing or non-alcohol drink beverages can be ordered for a surcharge.

We got the Christmas special here, which consisted of 11 courses and included a wine pairing. (The prize was 200.000 KRW per person and totally worth it for me.)

Each course was beautiful, flavorful and delightful. I loved the play with textures, colors and aromas.

Food was served quickly and as soon as we had finished each course. Regardless, we spent more than 2 hours in the restaurant just to finish the entire meal.

Staff is professional and pleasant. The atmosphere is calm and bright. Legume is located on the 2nd floor of a mall-like building housing several fine dining restaurants, and businesses. The restaurant itself is rather small, it fits only two tables and seating at a bar, from which you can watch the chefs work in the open kitchen. The restrooms are outside across...

I rarely leave reviews on Google Maps, but after reading the previous one—which was shockingly negative—I felt compelled to share my experience. Honestly, I can’t understand how someone could be so bitter and ill-mannered (they even admitted to spitting food into a tissue—seriously?). That says far more about the reviewer than about the restaurant itself.

My overall impression was very positive. The staff is not only polite and professional but also warm and welcoming, making guests feel at ease. They showcase the plating process and treat everyone with genuine kindness. The food was good, with a few truly outstanding moments. The macadamia ice cream, in particular, sparked a funny memory from my past—a rare and delightful quality in a dish.

The restaurant is located in a new building on the second floor of a fancy shopping (?) center. While the space is small, the attentive staff ensures that guests feel comfortable, and any initial sense of tightness quickly fades. I really...