Vegan is Fantastic! A Gourmet Experience at Soswaewon Buffet

Reviewed by Melline Galani

For a vegan restaurant, Soswaewon Buffet (소쇄원채식뷔페) is an excellent harmonization of taste, flavors, and the ambient, with all these leading to a memorable adventure.

What if one could stay healthy and still eat delicious food? Seems impossible, right? That is if you have not been to this particular vegan buffet. I must mention I am not a vegan, but I do like healthy food.

The Soswaewon Buffet is located in Damyang and comes with beautiful countryside scenery just a 10-minute walk from Soswaewon Garden, hence the name. It is not on the main road, so it may be easy to miss; therefore, I suggest using GPS if you plan on eating there.

The restaurant is really spacious, having two areas – one for those who want to sit on the floor (authentic Korean-style) and another wide area with many tables and chairs. On one side of the restaurant, there is a spacious parking lot, too. The atmosphere inside is comfy and warm, making it feel like home. One interesting point to be aware of is the restaurant’s operating hours, which are from 11:30 a.m. to only 15:30 p.m., so schedule your visit accordingly.

The variety of food is beyond expectation. From vegetables, salads, soups, and noodles to soy-meat steak, curry, different types of stew, bean bulgogi, porridge, bibimbap, jajang-myeon, desserts, and beverages, everything is on display. I have never seen so many dishes at any other buffet-style restaurant. Though it is a Korean vegan restaurant, I was surprised to find Western-style dishes, too.

The food is prepared with only natural ingredients and is free of fish, eggs, milk, and meat. The soybean paste and red pepper paste are homemade, and only natural seasonings and food dyes are used. The acorn jelly is made of 100 percent acorn, and all the dishes are prepared without MSG.

Everything was delicious, and I literally ate all I could eat. The price per person is just 15,000 won, but the quality of the meal and the amount you can have make it worth every penny (or “1-won coin” in this case). I was not able to try everything, so I need to make a return visit. I cannot pick a favorite dish among what I ate, but I love mushrooms, so for me those dishes were the best. Even the rice comes in many types, such as multigrain rice (japgok-bap), glutinous rice, brown rice, and white rice. We were also served baked sweet potatoes that tasted heavenly!

There is a variety of beverages and desserts on offer, including ice cream, and I opted for sikhye (식혜, a traditional Korean sweet rice drink). I skipped the ice cream but tried some Korean traditional desserts that were amazing. I loved the soy-made yogurt and especially the bubble marinade – cherry tomatoes pickled in cinnamon and ginger (방울마리네이드)! There is also a variety of teas and some alcoholic drinks such as makgeolli, and beer, among others.

If you plan a visit to the Soswaewon Buffet, be ready to get stuffed – there is no other option. It is better if you can transform your trip to this restaurant into a day trip around Damyang. Gasa Literature Museum is just a 10-minute walk away, the same close distance as Soswaewon Garden. Enjoy nature and treat yourself with some delicious food. There is no doubt that this place is for everyone who loves good food – not just vegans and vegetarians. For me, the Soswaewon Buffet is among my favorite places to eat!

SOSWAEWON VEGETARIAN BUFFET (소쇄원채식뷔페)
Address: 103 Jisil-gil Gasamunhak-myeon, Damyang-gun, Jeollanam-do 전남 담양군 가사문학면 지실길 103
Operating Hours: 11:30 a.m. – 15:30, closed Mondays and national holidays
Phone: 061-383-5255

The Reviewer
Melline Galani is a Romanian enthusiast, born and raised in the capital city of Bucharest, and currently living in Gwangju. She likes new challenges and learning interesting things, and she is incurably optimistic. She enjoys tasty food and is always in search of great places to dine.
Instagram @melligalanis