1. Shake Shack
Beef or chicken burger with lettuce, sauce, and cheese
Keto eaters can order a Shake Shack burger without a bun. The “No bun” option makes Shake Shack a viable spot for a meal. A keto eater might want to go with a double since a single might not be enough food.
2. Lamb skewers
Lamb, pickles, peanuts
Lamb skewers can be found all over South Korea. Pretty much every restaurant gives a choice of non- marinated meat. And the sides are somewhat keto friendly: salty pickles and salted peanuts.
3. Korean BBQ
Beef, pork, lettuce, radish, various vegetable side dishes
Korean bbq can be a great fit for keto eaters. The meat isn’t marinated, as long as it isn’t traditional bulgogi. Like at any Korean restaurant, keto eaters should be wary of the vegetable side dishes for added sugar, especially kimchi.
4. Roasted chicken restaurants
Chicken, marinade
There are Korean restaurants that serve roasted chicken, a welcome departure from oily fried chicken. Usually, the chicken is roasted with a sauce, and it’s possible the restaurant didn’t use any sugar. It’s best to ask if they used sugar in the sauce.
5. Subway salad
Chicken, vegetables, fruit, cheese, olive oil, vinegar
Subway offers veggie delite and chicken salads. Customers have a choice of the vegetables lettuce, onions, peppers, jalapeños. The fruits olives and tomatoes are offered as well with a choice of cheese and salad dressing. Keto eaters can get rice wine vinegar and olive oil as dressing.
6. Galbi tang and seollangtang
Bone broth, beef, onions, noodles
Galbi tang and seollangtang can be nutritious additions to a keto diet, as they are bone broth soups that include beef cuts, onions and noodles. A keto eater will just have to tell the restaurant not to serve rice, a normal staple that goes along with most soup dishes in South Korea. Though galbi tang is often served with some noodles inside the broth, customers can just avoid eating them and stick to eating the onions and meat.
7. Kimbab shops
Bibimbab without the rice
Those on the keto diet can request bibimbab without the rice and extra vegetables. Restaurant staff might not understand at first but in most cases will gladly oblige. The spicy pepper paste should also be avoided as it’s bound to have sugar.
8. Convenience stores
Chicken Salads, eggs, nuts
Convenience stores might be the place available depending on the neighborhood. In that case, most will have eggs and nuts. Sometimes, chicken salad will be available. Though the food choices are very simple and slightly unappetizing, they are a great last resort for a meal before giving into food that will throw a keto eater off their diet.
9. Any restaurant serving meat dishes
Seafood or meat, vegetables
Korean restaurants serve a vast array of seafood and meat dishes such as dak galbi, fried octopus, fish, and others. People on the keto diet can ask how they prepare the meal, ask for substitutions or that parts are left out, or request the meal without sauce.
Conclusion
Most people serious about a keto diet likely have control over their appetites and should be familiar with fasting. With the less rather than more philosophy firmly planted, it should be easy to navigate the various choices and even to be content with a simple meal of eggs and almonds.
David Kute has an appreciation for Seoul’s distinct neighborhoods. From Dongdaemun’s market stalls to Hongdae’s rock music venues, the city continues to fascinate him. After spending many years living and working in Seoul and South Korea, he started the blog Rooftop on the Hanok. The blog is a place to share information as well as explore facets of life on the Korean peninsula. He enjoys writing fiction and playing basketball when he’s not researching or writing Rooftop on the Hanok posts.