← Guides · By Ray Lei · Published 2026-11-14

What is banchan, and are Korean side dishes free refills?

Q: Is kimchi vegetarian?

Traditional kimchi is often not vegetarian. Most traditional recipes contain fish sauce (멸치액젓, anchovy sauce) or salted shrimp (새우젓, saeujeot) as a fermentation agent. Vegan kimchi exists and is made without these ingredients, but it is not the default at most Korean restaurants. If you are vegetarian or vegan, ask the restaurant explicitly whether their kimchi contains fish sauce or salted shrimp.

Banchan (반찬) are small side dishes brought to the table with every Korean meal. Yes, they are included at no extra cost at most traditional Korean restaurants, and yes, you can ask for refills. Kimchi is the most universal banchan, but a full spread may include six to twelve different preparations.

Arriving at a Korean restaurant for the first time, you might be startled by the number of small dishes that arrive before you have even opened the menu. These are banchan — accompaniments that are part of every Korean meal, not extras to be ordered and charged. The word banchan (반찬) literally means "side dishes," and while that undersells them, it captures their role: they are eaten alongside rice and a main dish, not as a course in their own right.

Banchan vary enormously by restaurant, region, and season. A casual Korean BBQ restaurant might set out four or five simple preparations. A traditional home-style restaurant might bring ten or twelve. A formal Korean restaurant (한정식, hanjeongsik) can serve dozens of small dishes as the entire meal structure. The common thread is that they complement and contrast with the main dish and rice, providing variety of flavor, texture, and temperature across the meal.

Ten common banchan

Korean	Romanization	English	What it is	Allergen notes
김치	kimchi	Fermented napa cabbage	Spicy fermented cabbage seasoned with chili, garlic, ginger	Traditionally contains fish sauce or salted shrimp; not vegetarian in most preparations
콩나물무침	kongnamul muchim	Seasoned soybean sprouts	Blanched soybean sprouts with sesame oil, garlic, salt	Contains sesame and soy
감자조림	gamja jorim	Braised potatoes	Small potatoes braised in soy sauce, sugar, and sesame	Contains sesame and soy
잡채	japchae	Glass noodle stir-fry	Sweet potato glass noodles with vegetables and sometimes meat, in sesame and soy dressing	Contains sesame and soy; often contains meat — confirm if vegetarian needed
시금치나물	sigeumchi namul	Seasoned spinach	Blanched spinach dressed with sesame oil, garlic, and soy sauce	Contains sesame and soy; often vegan
오징어볶음	ojingeo bokkeum	Spicy stir-fried squid	Squid stir-fried in gochujang (chili paste) with onions and scallions	Contains shellfish (squid) and soy in gochujang
도라지무침	doraji muchim	Seasoned bellflower root	Shredded bellflower root dressed with sesame oil, chili, and vinegar	Contains sesame; often vegan
멸치볶음	myeolchi bokkeum	Stir-fried dried anchovies	Small dried anchovies stir-fried with soy, sugar, and sesame until crispy	Contains fish (anchovies); sesame; soy
호박볶음	hobak bokkeum	Stir-fried zucchini	Sliced zucchini stir-fried with garlic and sesame oil	Contains sesame; often vegan
두부조림	dubu jorim	Braised spicy tofu	Tofu slices braised in a spicy soy and gochugaru sauce	Contains soy (tofu and sauce); often vegan — confirm with kitchen

How banchan differs by restaurant type

Not every Korean restaurant serves the same style of banchan:

Traditional Korean restaurants (한정식 or 가정식): These typically serve the most banchan — sometimes eight to twelve varieties, refilled throughout the meal. This is the most traditional context for banchan as a comprehensive meal element.
Korean BBQ restaurants: Banchan selection at BBQ restaurants is often limited to four to six items and focused on accompaniments that pair with grilled meat — kimchi, kongnamul, gamja jorim, and perhaps a salad. The main event is the grill, not the banchan spread.
Fine-dining Korean (한정식 jeongsik): At the high end, hanjeongsik presents dozens of small dishes as a structured progression — this is Korean fine dining, not casual dining. The banchan become the entire meal structure, arriving in waves.
Korean fast casual: At rice and soup counters (분식집, bunsikjip), banchan may be limited to two or three simple preparations.

Practical notes on banchan etiquette

Banchan are eaten throughout the meal, not before it. They are not an appetizer course. Take small amounts from the communal dishes and eat them as accompaniments to your rice and main dish.
Refills are normal and expected. At most traditional Korean restaurants, asking for more of a banchan you like is completely normal. Catch the server's eye and point to the empty dish — they will bring more. Saying "이거 더 주세요" (igeo deo juseyo — "more of this, please") while pointing will work.
Use chopsticks or serving spoons for communal dishes. At shared banchan dishes, take what you need to your own plate or eat small amounts directly — do not use your own eating chopsticks to reach deep into a shared dish repeatedly.
Kimchi is not always vegetarian. Traditional kimchi usually contains fish sauce (멸치액젓) or salted shrimp (새우젓). If you are vegetarian, ask whether the restaurant's kimchi is vegan (비건 김치, bigan kimchi) or made without seafood products.

See your Korean menu's dishes with ChefBear

When the Korean restaurant menu has dishes you do not recognize beyond the banchan spread, ChefBear scans the menu, identifies each dish, generates photos, and explains ingredients. Useful for navigating the full menu after the banchan has already won you over.

Frequently asked questions

Are banchan free at Korean restaurants?

Yes. Banchan are included with the meal at most traditional Korean restaurants and are not charged separately. At most traditional Korean restaurants, you can ask for refills of any banchan you enjoy. Korean BBQ restaurants may offer a more limited banchan selection.

How do you eat banchan?

Banchan are eaten throughout the meal alongside the main dish and rice — not before or as a starter course. Take small portions from the communal dishes using chopsticks. Eat banchan as small bites between mouthfuls of rice and main dish, using them to vary flavor and texture across the meal.

What is the most common banchan?

Kimchi (김치) is the most common and culturally central banchan — fermented napa cabbage seasoned with chili, garlic, ginger, and fish sauce or salted shrimp. Other common banchan include kongnamul (soybean sprout), gamja jorim (soy-braised potatoes), and sigeumchi namul (seasoned spinach).

Is kimchi vegetarian?

Traditional kimchi often contains fish sauce (멸치액젓, anchovy sauce) or salted shrimp (새우젓). Vegan kimchi exists but is not the default at most Korean restaurants. If you are vegetarian or vegan, ask explicitly whether the restaurant's kimchi contains fish sauce or salted shrimp.

What does japchae taste like and what is it made from?

Japchae (잡채) is a stir-fried dish of glass noodles (made from sweet potato starch) with vegetables and sometimes meat, seasoned with soy sauce and sesame oil. It has a soft, slightly chewy texture and a savory-sweet flavor. It is served warm or at room temperature.