Prague Michelin Guide Restaurants 2020

Prague Michelin Guide Restaurants 2020

Disclaimer: before you read the following, please be informed we own two pairs of Michelin tires on our car. They are great, and I recommend them. Also, this is Jan's writing and his opinions may not represent the opinions of the entire Taste of Prague team. Zuzi told me to write this.

We have covered the Michelin guide's choices for Prague in the past here, liking them to celebrities to explain them better if you've never been to any. The new Michelin Main Cities of Europe guide for 2020 is officially out, and so are Michelin's recommendations for Prague. Let's have a look, shall we?


Moravian Wine Tour Report

Moravian Wine Tour Report

The Moravian wine country is still pretty much a hidden gem whenever you are a foreign visitor or actually a Prague resident. And with domestic travel being hot at the moment (guess why?), we thought we'd give you a few pointers and tips when it comes to tasting great Moravian wines. How do we do it? Simple: we'll give you a report of our latest Moravian wine tour weekend. The wheres, the whats, the hows.

Also, this is obviously a shameless plug of our Moravian wine tour, which is - you guessed it - the best way to see Moravia. With us, you don't need a designated driver, so you can all drink. Also, our connections give us entry into fantastic wineries that are otherwise closed to the public. And even in those that are open, we get special treatment, have private tours and so on. And we've been to Moravia many times with our tours, so we will not make the novice mistakes you might be otherwise prone to.

So this is what we did last weekend, and the lessons you can draw from them.


Taste of Prague Czech Podcast, Ep 8 - Jan Čeřovský of Jižní svah and Družstvo

Taste of Prague Czech Podcast, Ep 8 - Jan Čeřovský of Jižní svah and Družstvo

[Note to all English readers: This podcast and its description are both in Czech. Please look for English episodes of the podcast. Thank you!]

Pokud se nějakou dobu pohybujete ve světě vína a žijete v Čechách, jméno Jan Čeřovský Vám nebude neznámé. Nezávislý autor, který o víně psal pro Hospodářské noviny a nyní například pro českou mutaci časopisu Forbes, se vínům věnuje již téměř dvě dekády a v roce 2007 si založil blog o víně, Jižní svah, kam píše svoje postřehy, recenze a další články o víně a o gastroprůmyslu. Pokud máte rádi víno a jeho blog nečtete, měli byste okamžitě začít. A rovnou Honzovi přispět na jeho provoz, protože si podporu za to, co dělá, určitě zaslouží.

Mnozí ho také budou znát jako člena skupiny Družstvo. Tato skupina mladých someliérů a lidí točících se kolem vína pořádá vinné pop-upy, které se vždy odehrávají na zajímavých místech (v minulosti třeba na Strahovského stadionu nebo ve Vile Tugendhat) a kde se podává výhradně naturální víno, které splňuje určitá kritéria co do spontánnosti kvašení nebo množství přidané síry. Pokud jste ještě na žádném jejich pop-upu nebyli, musíte to okamžitě změnit. A když píšeme okamžitě, myslíme nejspíš během léta, kdy už snad restrikce ohledně větších akcí pominou.

Honzu jsme si do podcastu pozvali, protože na rozdíl od mnoha jiných, kteří se vínem zabývají, není zatížen nějakou konkrétní filozofií ani v něm nemá žádný komerční zájem. Jeho názory jsou objektivní a v zásadě nestranné. A to je dnes vzácnější, než si možná myslíte.


Introducing the Prague's Finest / Pražský výběr box

Introducing the Prague's Finest / Pražský výběr box

This Sunday, we will be delivering a "Prague’s Finest" box: a box of great food from the small, independent local food businesses that we buy for ourselves. The foods you may have loved in your favorite restaurant without knowing, now delivered to your home. We research foods in Prague so that you don’t have to, and this is the first result.

Nabízíme náš “Pražský výběr“ - balíček skvělého jídla a potravin od malých, nezávislých producentů a restaurací, které si kupujeme domů my sami. Jde o potraviny, které jste možná už ochutnali ve své oblíbené restauraci, ale nyní si je můžete užít i doma. Běháme po Praze a ochutnáváme všechno za vás. A tohle je první výsledek.


Eating Alone Together, pt VIII: El Camino's May 1 Romantic Dinner for Two

Eating Alone Together, pt VIII: El Camino's May 1 Romantic Dinner for Two

This time food will be served by the amazing El Camino Tapas Restaurant. Yeah, we know, it only opened in December, but the pedigree is there: Mr David Böhm lead the iconic Medité restaurant in Mariensbad. And he worked in a few Michelin stars in Spain. ‘Nuff said.

Let’s be honest here: normally, it would make no sense to recommend a Spanish tapas bar with a focus on seafood in Prague. But guess what: El Camino earns our full and unconditional recommendation. It’s amazing regardless of the location. It would be amazing even if it was located in Spain. And we’re super excited to have them on board with our Eating Alone Together series.

And just in time: This is May 1, people! You want to be the boyfriend and/or husband you know you are, deep down inside, under that beer belly? This is your chance.

But how good is El Camino? Let us tell you: Zuzi rarely leaves a new restaurant impressed. She did leave El Camino impressed blown away. We have a habit of visiting La Degustation, one of Prague’s two Michelin stars (btw, will they roll out their European guides this year? Isn’t it about time?), for her birthday, but midway through our meal, she said “Hey Jan, for my birthday, could we actually come back here this year?” Yeah, that's how good this place is. The food, the service and the ambiance? All spot on.


Eating Alone Together, pt VII: Get a Drink with Parlour

Eating Alone Together, pt VII: Get a Drink with Parlour

The seventh episode of our Eating Alone Together series is not about eating at all. It’s about drinking.

Because let’s be real: after a month+ of quarantine, we all need a drink.

And when we here at Taste of Prague need a drink, the first place we turn to is the infamous Parlour bar, one of our favorite cocktail bars in Prague.

And we know: you can argue with just about anything when it comes to Parlour, a bar run by two philosophers of mixology, a bar that serves Pringles as the only food, a bar that makes no effort to be visible on social media, a bar that does not have a drinks menu and can give you a hard time when you’re choosing one, a bar that does not necessarily play well with the rest of them, but there’s one thing you cannot argue with. And that’s the drinks.

The drinks are delicious, people. And Parlour, just like all Prague’s bars, is now hurting. (If you have not listened to their podcast, you should.)

So Parlour needs your help, and you need a drink. What a coincidence? This is a package of FOUR FANTASTIC AND FANTASTICALLY PRICED DRINKS, staples at the bar, packed to go in reused tonic water bottles (you’re welcome, planet), with ice on the side, delivered right to your thirsty home.


Eating Alone Together, pt VI: Gao Den and Taro's Sunday Dinner for Two

Eating Alone Together, pt VI: Gao Den and Taro's Sunday Dinner for Two

There are only a few kitchens in Prague more exciting and daring than Taro and Gao Den. We just love ‘em! Both strike the perfect balance between casual and refined (moving on both ends on the spectrum), taking hints from both the Vietnamese background of the owners (while going way beyond the usual suspects on the menus of Prague’s Vietnamese bistros) and the Czech context in which they work. Heck, if Taro was good enough for a review in The New York Times, it’s good for us.

Since Taro is closed during lockdown, its chefs now work in the sister restaurant, Gao Den. Therefore, this is a joint dinner by Gao Den and Taro, bringing you the best of both worlds.

The Gao Den / Taro dinner for two will be delivered on Sunday afternoon - you get to choose your own delivery time.


Eating Alone Together in Quarantine, pt V: Dish Fine Burger Bistro

Eating Alone Together in Quarantine, pt V: Dish Fine Burger Bistro

We all know and love the burgers by Dish Fine Burger Bistro. Ever since they opened to great hype a few years ago, they’ve been one of the most reliably great burgers in town, building a loyal following in the meantime. But wait, have you ever wanted to create your own Dish burger at home? You have? This is your chance. Dish took this opportunity to preview their “Dish Kit” for two: a DIY burger set for two that offers lots of fun and - when you scroll down to see their menu - tremendous value. One thing: don’t screw it up!

And to make sure you don’t, Dish will be releasing a series of videos to show how to cook your proper burgers, and how you finish their fries at home. Sounds fun? Wait until you hear this: you can now compete! Once you make your burger, you take a picture of it, post it on Instagram, tag Dish and us, and the nicest burger wins a prize! Perfect for those couples who can’t agree on who makes the better burger. There’s only one way to find out… and that’s with the Dish Kit.

And just as usual, we will meet online to say hi and cheer each other with beer and burgers! This is supposed to be social, people! Also, you will get an email with our Prague Foodie Map, the Taste of Prague Digest, and a cook-along and eat-along playlist by Dish, and a dissenting playlist by us. This will be fun.

The Dish Kits will be delivered on Friday afternoon - you get to choose your own delivery time - and you can assemble and cook the burgers on Friday or any time during the weekend.


Eating Alone Together in Quarantine, pt IV: Etapa Karlin

Eating Alone Together in Quarantine, pt IV: Etapa Karlin

The popular Gabi and Petr of the PG Foodies food blog have opened the bistro with no prior restaurant experience just months ago, and it’s been a running success ever since. And since we’re friends, we have decided to treat ourselves and all of you to something nice this Sunday!

We offer two versions:

  1. one with a beautiful flower by the girls of Uvila (with a special price of CZK 150). Turn the romance to eleven!

  2. one without the flower by Uvila. You cheapo.

The Menu

  • Whole-wheat sourdough bread. (Yes, the whole thing.)

  • Spiced scrambled eggs with coriander and chili (All 14 ingredients included. We will prepare everything, and you just scramble at home. Takes a minute or two.)

  • Fermented cauliflower with curcuma

  • Salty granola

  • Pea spread

  • Mushroom paté with wine

  • 2 portions of chocolate sweet potato cream with roasted nuts

  • 2 “loupák” brioche rolls with organic butter and our jam made in house.

  • A cup of filtered specialty coffee

  • Our hot chocolate with our very own hazelnut milk

  • Tea from selected Czech herbs

How does it work?

The meal will be delivered on Sunday, April 19, between 9am and 11am - you can choose your own time within that period - by Liftago for CZK 900. The price includes:

  • THE FULL BRUNCH FOR TWO, see menu above

  • delivery to your door by Liftago

  • Etapa’s perks: welcome video, special playlist, instructional video on the scrambled eggs, printed recipe, and maybe other printouts

  • Taste of Prague perks: our competing playlist, access to web page with all the information made specifically for the event, and an invitation to our Skype video conference where we’ll meet at a specific point, and whatever we come up with in the meantime.

  • our Prague Foodie Map, normally a CZK 200 download

  • the Taste of Prague Digest, a selection of our favorite food-related links and online tips for your reading and viewing enjoyment, the closest we’ve ever come to having a mail newsletter


Prague, the food industry, and Taste of Prague in lockdown - an update

Prague, the food industry, and Taste of Prague in lockdown - an update

So it’s been a month since we entered a lockdown here in the Czech Republic to fight the spread of the coronavirus. We know that many of the guests of our Prague food tours have fallen in love in Prague and have been asking us about how we were doing, so this is an update about life in Prague after a month in quarantine. If you’re Czech, feel free to skip this unless you want to know what our opinion on the current and future state of restaurants in Prague and on our very own presence and future is. So here we go.