Prague is experiencing a restaurant renaissance. It’s happening in the center of town as well as in less touristic neighborhoods like Karlin and Holešovice. It excites us to check out different restaurants every time we visit the city, though we also like to revisit our favorites spots.
These are our picks for the best restaurants in Prague:
1. Kantýna – Meat Lover’s Happy Place
Kantýna is a butchery, a pub, a palace, a gathering place and just about everything that epitomizes today’s Prague. Most important – its butchery sells and serves some of the best cuts in the city.
Much like sister restaurant Naše Maso (see below), the skilled professionals at Kantýna will cook your cuts in the kitchen. But, unlike that other much smaller eatery, Kantýna’s original location provides a convivial space with ample seating and a vaulted central pub. It’s a location to build a night or afternoon around.
Pro Tip
Arrive early or plan to wait. Kantýna doesn’t take advance reservations.
You can’t miss Kantýna’s exquisite butcher counter when you walk into the Nove Mesto (New Town) restaurant inside the historic Ringhoffer Palace. You can order from there and have your cuts cooked for you in the cafeteria’s expansive kitchen.
You can also order Kantýna’s fantastic burger, charred on the outside yet cooked rare. Like the similar burger at Nase Maso, this beef patty is a blend of textures that somehow doesn’t taste uncooked despite its rare appearance.
We’ve tasted great burgers in New York and Chicago. This Czech version holds its own.
Discover the world’s best burgers.
You can also enjoy dishes like beef stew and a tartare from the back kitchen. But, best of all, you can enjoy it in the company of friends while drinking freshly tapped beer – a reminder that this modern city hasn’t forsaken its roots.
Kantýna is located at Politických vězňů 1511/5, 110 00 Nové Město, Czechia.
More Ambiente Establishments in Prague
Bokovka, Brasileiro, Bufet, Café Savoy, Čestr, Cukrárna Myšák, Dva Kohouti, La Degustation Bohême Bourgeoise, Kuchyň, Lokál, Naše Maso, Pasta Fresca, Pastacaffé, Pizza Nuova, Pult, Stangl and U Kalendů
2. Field – Innovative Michelin Starred Restaurant
You could say that Field is Prague’s ‘other’ Michelin-starred restaurant and you wouldn’t be wrong. More established La Degustacion gets all the press and even starred in a long ago Bourdain episode. But Field is no less auspicious.
This minimalist space in the heart of Prague 1, deliberately yet sparsely decorated with evocative plows and sickels (farm to table – we get the point), defines how far the city has come as a food destination.
Yes, Prague has come of age and Field is a restaurant the city should treasure.
On the first dig of a spoon into Field’s first course, a soup with a base of sweet, umami rich tomato topped by yogurt and basil powder, we were struck by the chord of sweet, vinegary flavors that were beautifully balanced by the dish’s top layer of creamy, foamy yogurt. Chef Radek Kašpárek’s flavors evoke the Czech Republic and we approve.
Our descendants are from this part of the world so, immediately, those dimensionally sweet flavors unleashed a flood of taste memories from our childhood.
We also loved our initial ‘amuse bouche’ course of asparagus cream served with a side ‘wafer’ of asparagus. Other courses like sturgeon, foie gras and veal tenderloin conveyed luxury despite the menu’s “short” designation.
Plus, the multiple presentations featuring dry ice clouds and tableside sauce pours provided by Field’s more than competent service staff made the experience feel special.
Field’s short degustation menu, with its six courses plus two glasses each of Moravian wine, provided more than enough to satisfy our lunch time goals. However, if you have the time, money and stomach space for Field’s full 10-course tasting menu, we say go for it. The same applies to the restaurant’s thoughtful wine pairings.
On the flip side, the restaurant offers an affordable lunch menu option. While geared toward locals looking for a less leisurely workday meal, the condensed lunch menu is a great option for travelers on a budget.
Field is located at U Milosrdných 12, 110 00 Staré Město, Czechia.
Another Michelin Starred Restaurant in Prague
La Degustation Bohême Bourgeoise
