Nono Shop, Seoul
No animals and no plastic at this vegan cafe and zero-waste space
October 2023
Interior view of the vast vegan café and zero-waste shopping space at Nono Shop
Many people will know Julian Quintart from his days on the popular panel show 비정상회담 (Abnormal Summit) where he was an original member of the 11-strong cast. The show ran from 2014–17 and the premise was that of an international diplomatic summit, with each participant representing their country of origin and using this as the basis for discussion and debate on issues of global importance. Building on the show’s success, Julian and many of the other stars went on to feature on other TV shows and became some of the best-known non-Koreans in the country.
Exterior view of Nono Shop, just a 10-minute walk from Itaewon station in Seoul
Using this as his base, Julian has used his platform to talk about more issues of global importance: veganism and environmental destruction. He can often be found participating in events combating the climate crisis, organising clean-ups of local rivers, giving lectures and interviews on environmental solutions, promoting vegan causes to his hundreds of thousands of followers and generally being a very optimistic presence in the world of environmental protection. As well as this, Julian is now the co-owner of Nono Shop – the zero-waste shop, vegan cafe and gathering spot for all things environmental.
Nestled on the vast first floor of a tree-lined street in Seoul’s Itaewon area, Nono Shop has everything from a vegan grocery selling a huge range of products including meatballs, cheese and ice cream, to a refill section stocked with dry goods such as beans, nuts and oats, all the way to packaging-free soap, shampoo, cleaning products and so much more.
Some of the packaging-free kitchen essentials available at Nono Shop
In the café area you will find vegan baking extraordinaire Clémentine Carpe, who bakes and sells French-style desserts including crème brûlée, flan and chocolate brioche, alongside a host of coffee, tea, kombucha, wine and other seasonal drinks as well. On the first Sunday of each month, Clémentine is hosting pancake day featuring chocolate- and apple/caramel-topped fluffy pancakes – not to be missed! – and has lots of other dessert-based reasons to keep you coming back again and again. The Nono Shop café is also a zero-waste and single-us-product-free zone, so be sure bring your tumbler and container if you are looking for something to take away with you.
Clémentine's chocolate pancakes (left) and apple and caramel pancakes (right) available on the first Sunday of each month
Nono Shop is also a gathering spot for a variety of educational and planet-focused events, such the weekly Nono Stories featuring a roster of special guests giving talks on topics closely related to environmental issues and vegan lifestyles. There are book talks, potluck dinners, vegan business pop-ups, including other bakeries and restaurants who come to showcase their goods. Nono Shop is a truly unique space in Seoul where all things vegan, planet and community are under one roof.
Nono Shop owner Julian Quintart and NOT OURS co-founder Hana Shin at the weekly Nono Stories event
Nono Shop, 90 Bogwang-ro, Yongsan-gu, Seoul. Open Tuesday–Thursday and Sunday 11–21, Friday and Saturday 11–22.
Instagram: @nonoshopseoul
Nono Shop, Seoul
No animals and no plastic at this vegan cafe and zero-waste space
October 2023
Interior view of the vast vegan café and zero-waste shopping space at Nono Shop
Many people will know Julian Quintart from his days on the popular panel show 비정상회담 (Abnormal Summit) where he was an original member of the 11-strong cast. The show ran from 2014–17 and the premise was that of an international diplomatic summit, with each participant representing their country of origin and using this as the basis for discussion and debate on issues of global importance. Building on the show’s success, Julian and many of the other stars went on to feature on other TV shows and became some of the best-known non-Koreans in the country.
Exterior view of Nono Shop, just a 10-minute walk from Itaewon station in Seoul
Using this as his base, Julian has used his platform to talk about more issues of global importance: veganism and environmental destruction. He can often be found participating in events combating the climate crisis, organising clean-ups of local rivers, giving lectures and interviews on environmental solutions, promoting vegan causes to his hundreds of thousands of followers and generally being a very optimistic presence in the world of environmental protection. As well as this, Julian is now the co-owner of Nono Shop – the zero-waste shop, vegan cafe and gathering spot for all things environmental.
Nestled on the vast first floor of a tree-lined street in Seoul’s Itaewon area, Nono Shop has everything from a vegan grocery selling a huge range of products including meatballs, cheese and ice cream, to a refill section stocked with dry goods such as beans, nuts and oats, all the way to packaging-free soap, shampoo, cleaning products and so much more.
Some of the packaging-free kitchen essentials available at Nono Shop
In the café area you will find vegan baking extraordinaire Clémentine Carpe, who bakes and sells French-style desserts including crème brûlée, flan and chocolate brioche, alongside a host of coffee, tea, kombucha, wine and other seasonal drinks as well. On the first Sunday of each month, Clémentine is hosting pancake day featuring chocolate- and apple/caramel-topped fluffy pancakes – not to be missed! – and has lots of other dessert-based reasons to keep you coming back again and again. The Nono Shop café is also a zero-waste and single-us-product-free zone, so be sure bring your tumbler and container if you are looking for something to take away with you.
Clémentine's chocolate pancakes (left) and apple and caramel pancakes (right) available on the first Sunday of each month
Nono Shop is also a gathering spot for a variety of educational and planet-focused events, such the weekly Nono Stories featuring a roster of special guests giving talks on topics closely related to environmental issues and vegan lifestyles. There are book talks, potluck dinners, vegan business pop-ups, including other bakeries and restaurants who come to showcase their goods. Nono Shop is a truly unique space in Seoul where all things vegan, planet and community are under one roof.
Nono Shop owner Julian Quintart and NOT OURS co-founder Hana Shin at the weekly Nono Stories event
Nono Shop, 90 Bogwang-ro, Yongsan-gu, Seoul. Open Tuesday–Thursday and Sunday 11–21, Friday and Saturday 11–22.
Instagram: @nonoshopseoul