Prague, Czech Republic

 
Once upon a time – back in the 19th century to be precise - Bohemian cuisine was right up there with Europe’s best, on a par with Italy, France and Britain. History, along with its conceptual twin, politics, conspired to kill off whatever culinary glory the region might have had, but in recent years Prague has been steadily shrugging off its beer-and-boiled-beef image and reclaiming some of its former fame.

While it’s never going to go pound-for-pound with heavyweight dining hubs like Paris, London or New York, the Golden City now offers a vast array of eateries that extends way beyond traditional beer halls to embrace svelte international eateries, Michelin-starred hotspots and – gasp! – vegetarian options.

In fact the city even gained its first Michelin spot in 2007, with the arrival of Gordon Ramsay’s Maze Prague, whose interior (designed by starlet David Collin and located inside the Hilton hotel) resembles its London namesake. As you’ll have already guessed, this isn’t a place for those on a budget, nor for those seeking simple foods like salads or soups. But if you want your taste buds remixed by dazzling, palette-provoking dishes, this is the place to be.

Yet Maze is merely the latest in a long line of sophisticated establishments to arrive on Prague’s foodie scene. One of the first was Nils Jeben’s Kampa Park, which raised the bar considerably when it arrived in the city back  in the mid 90s. With its peerless location under  Charles Bridge - its riverside terrace is an unbeatable place to dine on a warm summer evening or afternoon – Kampa Park still manages to claim a place in the top ranks with an elegant and ambitious fusion of Czech and international dishes.

Even more established - the restaurant is from the 11th century, and its wine cellar is a good three centuries older - is Flambée, whose intimate, quasi-romantic interior draws a slightly grander clientele of politicos and celebrities (Baron Rothschild has eaten here, as has roundhouse supremo Chuck Norris). The special five-course set menus, live piano playing and superlative wine list is as good a combination as it gets, making this a prime choice for special occasions.  

While eating in hotels is a no-go for many, some of Prague’s best restaurants - like Maze - can be found ensconced in five-stars. With its watery vistas and world-class Med/Czech fusions, the Allegro (part of the luxurious Four Seasons hotel), is justly regarded as one of the city’s top eateries. True it carries a slightly formal air, but the imaginative cuisine more than compensates. Similarly, Essensia at the Mandarin Oriental - the slick selection of Asian dishes found here make it one of the best of its kind in town.

Those seeking a degustation experience will be pleased to know there are a couple of excellent options in Prague. Vinarna V Zatisi,  an atmospheric restaurant squeezed into an Old Town lane  offers tasting menus alongside à la carte options – whatever you choose, rest assured it will be memorable. La Degustation is a slightly more relaxed venue, where the chefs have reconstructed some of Bohemia’s former culinary wealth using recipes from an obscure 19th century recipe book. These intimate, scaled-down dishes created here are about as far away from the floury-dumplings-and-boiled-meat ‘classics’ as you can get.

A great place to try some of that afore-mentioned ‘weightier’ Czech cuisine is U Modré Kachnicky (The Blue Duckling), an atmospheric time warp of a place that serves up traditional meat and game, as well as delicious palacinky crepes for dessert. Even more down to earth is Kolkovna, a gastro-pub with an Art Nouveau interior and a menu spattered (not literally) with goulash,pork knuckle, beer dishes and knedliky.

But perhaps you’re thinking of going French? If so, try the winsome La Provence, which has a breezy brasserie upstairs and an authentically romantic Provençal-style eaterie below. Just around the corner, Le Saint Jacques is more gregarious, but equally credible, the kind of place to enjoy some live Gypsy music alongside your scallops.

Those who like to ‘see-and-be-seen’ might want to head to Pravda and/or Barock, sister restaurants located opposite each other on the glamorous Pariszka street. Both pull off a savvy mix of chic interior, vibrant atmosphere and fairly innovative food, and attract a mix of visiting celebs and local demimonde.

Those wishing to plunge further into anonymity will find some excellent eateries out in hip Vinohrady: L’Ardois dishes up excellent French cuisine in an unpretentious, friendly setting, while the popular enoteca Aromi offers superb pasta and seafood dishes from the lesser-known region of Marche.

And, as promised, 21st Century Prague really does cater for vegetarians, predominantly at the small but utterly lovely Lheka Hlava (Clear Head). Here you’ll find a vivid selection of tapas and starters, plus soups, salads, stir-fries and mains that include spinach quesadilla, risotto and veggie kebabs, all served up in a colourful and fanciful interior.