Vinohrady eatery salutes the food and wine of the Danube Valley

A new entry on the Prague culinary scene restaurant takes its name from the longest and deepest river in Western Europe. Danu Restaurant & Wine Cellar in Vinohrady focuses on the traditional recipes and ingredients of the Danube region which owner Pavel Alekseev says “means respect and support of our neighbors' cheese, dairy, and fish."

It also means wine. And lots of it. Pavel who opened Danu in December 2021 and runs it with the help of his family (Tamilla, Pavel, Konstantin, and Daria) prides himself on a wine collection that encompasses bottles not only from Czechia but also the winemaking regions strung along the Danube like beads: Germany, Austria, Slovakia, Slovenia, Hungary.

Riesling fans have come to the right place. Thirty-three of the almost 200 wines on Danu's wine list are Rieslings from Germany and Austria. Wine enthusiasts will appreciate Franconian Silvaner or Hárslevelű from the slopes of Somló, the nobility of Wachau, or the exciting depth of the Eger Bull’s Blood.

Wine is also essential to the menu, says Pavel. “Wine is invisibly present in the bread that we bake for our guests, in our sauces and marinades, and on our menu, you will always find dishes from the same regions,” he adds.

Danu's wines pair beautifully with dishes such as carrot cream soup with ginger and rowanberry, halászlé (three types of fish with red caviar), or ravioli with smoked trout, pumpkin, and sage.

Danu’s kitchen is headed by a young, creative, and ambitious tandem who knows how to pair the best dishes with the best wines, a member of which once created dishes for the highest office in the land.

“Denis used to work as the personal chef of the President of the Czech Republic,” Pavel says. “And Ivan was the head chef of the restaurant at the five-star Swissotel Krasnye Holmy in Moscow.”

The ingredients used to create some of Danu's most memorable meals can be bought at the company’s store – whether that’s wine, farm cheese, or their exceptional air-dried ham. Danu also hosts special English-friendly wine tastings every month, inviting winemakers to present their wines, to customers can sample some of the best wines of the above-mentioned regions in a friendly, relaxed atmosphere.

As part of their journey to offer unforgettable dishes and great wines, Pavel says they’re always trying new things, improving the menu, and expanding the wine list to keep the experience fresh for return guests.

He believes the ultimate goal of any successful dining experience is to connect good wine, food, and company. “We always try to make our guests feel like they’re at home,” he says.