REVIEW: A Michelin chef's new venture dials up a relaxed menu and historic vibe

After months of hype and mounting anticipation, Radek Kašpárek and Miroslav Nosek, the duo behind the Michelin-starred Field Restaurant, have opened their second venture in Prague’s Old Town to rave reviews. Tucked in a breathtaking 15th-century house directly across from the Astronomical Clock on Old Town Square, 420 – its name playing off the country’s telephone code – offers a unique twist on traditional Czech cuisine.

Despite its hefty menu pricing and ornate setting – a soaring atrium with a lovely glass ceiling and an 18th-century statue of Jan Nepomucky stand out here – the dining atmosphere is surprisingly unpretentious. This shiny new addition to Prague’s upscale restaurant circuit is well-positioned to take on the area’s heavy tourist traffic and locals looking for a memorable gastronomic experience.

After launching Field a decade earlier, Kašpárek and Noska started stirring up excitement when rumors began floating that the celebrated restaurateurs were behind the delicate renovation work taking place at Dom U Červené lišky, one of the historic Romanesque buildings lining Staroměstské náměstí. Kašpárek, a MasterChef Czech Republic 2023 judge, had been telling media outlets for months before 420’s mid-December debut that he wanted to give locals a fresh reason to frequent the city’s central public square. 

That’s a pretty high bar to set, but if anyone can do it, Kašpárek’s a safe bet. In addition to his vast experiences in the kitchens of some of Prague’s top restaurants, his sharp seasonal menus at Field quickly landed one of the capital’s few Michelin stars – an honor the chef has defended year after year. He now seems poised to do it again. Kašpárek will be sharing kitchen duties this time around with Marek Kominek, and their modern spin on old Czech dishes promises to keep tongues wagging.

Dom U Červené lišky (“House at the Red Fox”) had reportedly long rebuffed the idea of a restaurant moving into its medieval halls. But then along came 420. When Kašpárek and Noska finally inked the deal, they tapped architect Václav Červenka, who helped create Field’s minimalist interior, and Studio Najbrt to breathe new life into the space that 420 would inhabit. 

The results are stunning. The restaurant’s main dining hall resembles a spacious courtyard, with copper storm drains running the length of the walls, terraced windows, and a balcony. The open kitchen allows guests to view the monumental behind-the-scene efforts from the street upon entering the venue.

Dom U Červené lišky’s gothic cellar, meanwhile, houses 420’s onsite grocery store and a bakery and butchery, allowing guests to pick up a loaf of bread and sausages for the home.

The menu is selective, but each dish has been meticulously fleshed out, with no ingredient going to waste. Delicacies include duck pâté coated with sour cherries, apple marmalade with onions, hazelnut ice cream, and a bun baked on duck fat with crackers. You’ll also find staples like butter-roasted chicken terrine, smoked lamb, and vegetarian dumplings. 

You can choose aged pork cutlet or beef tenderloin from the grill to pair with fried wild broccoli, a baked potato, or fries with truffle oil and grated sheep cheese. There is also an extensive wine selection and a children’s menu.  

The dessert list is a worthy way to end your meal. Leave room for coffee and a peanut tart or a Katowice pipe filled with chocolate cream, cherry jam, baked cream ice cream, pink pepper sauce, and cherry granita.

The food is divine – scrumptious and meant to fill rather than to sit as abstract objects d’art on a plate, a presentation hack that too many high-end restaurants turn to nowadays.  

The wait staff is also admirable. Servers seem to have been trained in Western-style restaurant sensibilities. You’re greeted with a smile, promptly served, and asked how you’re enjoying your meal. It was a nice change of pace from the typical service the city’s restaurant culture has come to be defined by.     

From a local’s standpoint, however, the prices are more than a little steep for a spur-of-the-moment lunch or dinner out. (The restaurant did start with a more “manageable” lunch menu but discontinued the offer about a month after its opening.) But for the occasional special treat, 420 is worth wading your way through the crowds of Old Town to enjoy. 

Michelin will no doubt be watching.