Restaurant Week returns to the Czech Republic for an autumn edition

Following a wildly successful inaugural spring run, the Restaurant Week festival is coming back to the Czech Republic for an autumn edition – this time with new offerings outside the capital.     

Top restaurants in Prague, Písek, Tábor and Strakonice (among other regional cities) will be serving specially tailored three-course menus for low fixed rates during the festival, which takes place from Oct. 25 through Nov. 12. 

Around 50 restaurants have signed on to participate in the autumn edition, which aims to give patrons a flavorful sampling of the country’s wide-ranging gastronomy scene. 

In addition to traditional Czech cuisine, dining options here have exploded in the last decade alone to include numerous reputable hotspots catering to Asian, Italian, Mexican and Mediterranean sensibilities. Restaurant Week will be putting these dishes on full display, allowing you to essentially circle the globe over two fanciful weeks.           

The goal is “to show new and interesting establishments not only in the capital, but also to bring new customers to the regions,” said Jirka Hilgart, winner of the Masterchef 2015 competition, who is the project manager of the autumn edition. “We want to show the locals that they may not be aware of the stellar yet affordable menu offered by an unknown restaurant in their area.”   

The lineup includes Prague mainstays like Sansho, La Bottega, Meat Beer and Las Adelitas as well as newcomers, like Jam and Co., Dvůr Perlová voda, Obora Poděbrady, Brloh Barbecue in Mělník and Restaurace Sůl a Řepa in Strakonice. 

Anna Grosmanová, the award-winning food blogger and festival co-organizer who lent her expertise to the restaurant selection, says the festival introduces local chefs and their hard-working restaurants to the wider audience they deserve. She points out that the autumn addition will include a number of hidden gems offering extraordinary meals for bargain prices.

She is encouraging locals to plan in advance and try and hit as many of the featured restaurants as possible. Reservations are already filling up, so it’s wise to book your table(s) soon.    

Settle in for a cozy evening of Argentinian fare at Cruz Rotisería in Bubeneč or live Cuban music at La Bodeguita del Medio in Prague’s Old Town. Go international at Chapelle in Písek or opt for a little romance at Rango in Plzeň, where you can choose from grilled calamari and roasted vegetables or creamy risotto with mushrooms.  

The autumn edition offers two price thresholds – CZK 590/790 – which in addition to a three-course meal also includes a welcome cocktail.

“We want to support and kick-start Czech gastronomy, and since the event will also be attended by businesses in smaller Czech towns, we have chosen a price that is more in line with the restaurants’ focus and the customers’ options,” said Hilgart.     

This world-class culinary festival, which originated in New York City in 1992 by the authors of the Zagat Restaurant Guide, has since spread to Chicago, London and other European cities. Organizers of the Czech edition already see how Restaurant Week has transformed the country’s gastronomy landscape, ushering in a ravishing new generation of foodies.