A local favorite hidden gem: a Michelin-starred restaurant in the Prague mountains

Text and photos byHappy Cloud

Prague is truly an evergreen city. Even though it has attracted countless tourists in recent years, it remains a beautiful and lovely place. The stunning scenery and architecture go without saying, and the rich cultural atmosphere of literature, music, and painting also satisfies the soul. But beyond these spiritual enrichments, the best part is that it can also delight your taste buds.

If you know where to look, you can find affordable yet delicious food in Prague. Some even say that if you’re worried about not being able to afford Michelin-starred restaurants, you can start from Eastern Europe—in Prague. Indeed, Prague is a place where you can enjoy great food without breaking the bank. Compared to other European countries, dining here can make you feel like a king, getting more than your money’s worth!!!

Unlike Michelin-associated restaurants that often cost hundreds of euros, eating in Prague is both economical and satisfying. As mentioned before in Cloud’s recommendations, for the price of a business lunch in Taipei—around 250 yuan—you can dine at one of the world’s top ten most beautiful cafés, enjoy exquisite tile art, and savor incredibly tasty food. Small cost, big enjoyment!!![Europe, Czech Republic] When exploring Prague (Praha) for food, you absolutely must visit its cafés, including one of the world’s top ten most beautiful cafés—Café Imperial .

This time, Cloud accidentally stumbled upon another Michelin-related restaurant!!! Searching online (in English) for "Michelin" yielded some useful information, and by chance, Cloud foundMichelin Guide restaurants - Prague’s webpage, which clearly lists the Michelin restaurants in Prague, their locations, prices, and more—from recommended eateries to one-star Michelin restaurants, complete with details on cuisine types (Italian, Czech, creative, etc.). Honestly, with this information, you can make selections with confidence, and they probably won’t steer you wrong!!!

It turns out there are currently two one-star (One Star) restaurants in Prague. After searching by name, Cloud discovered that one of them has been visited by countless Taiwanese tourists and groups. Haha, so that one had to be crossed off the list to avoid feeling like dining in a Taipei restaurant. There was also another one-star restaurant that we happened to spot while walking around the Old Town a couple of days ago, but it wasn’t open yet, and we hadn’t made a reservation. Later, due to time constraints, we had to pass it up (Michelin-starred restaurants usually require reservations, and spontaneous visits often lead to disappointment!).

Later, Cloud noticed another specially marked symbol on the website: "Bib Gourmand." The icon showed the Michelin baby licking its lips—haha, resembling the expression of a "foodie." So Cloud nicknamed it the "Michelin Foodie Restaurant." Only after trying it did Cloud look it up online and learn that it actually means "great value restaurant." In Prague, there aresix such restaurants.After checking the prices listed, Cloud decided to pick the most affordable one,Na Koncranging from 150–690 kc, and it didn’t even have photos. Mysterious, right?! After a quick Google search, Cloud found that it had overwhelmingly positive reviews, with even foreigners claiming it was the best meal they’d had in Prague. Of course, Cloud had to try it.

Cloud planned the route online, taking a tram and then transferring to a bus—a journey of about forty minutes. Along the way, using the “JetFi mobile Wi-Fi hotspot,” Cloud checked bus schedules and maps and easily arrived at the restaurant. As the bus slowly climbed the mountain, passing through residential areas nestled among the hills, Cloud wondered for a while: how could there be a restaurant in such a place?? Just before reaching the restaurant, traffic started to build up, and the bus driver had to slow down and carefully pass by the restaurant. Then, at a bus stop after a turn, we were let off—it was such a surprise that a restaurant was hidden in this mountain community, and even on a weekday noon, there were so many cars and people. It must be quite an amazing place!!!

Before entering, Cloud lifted the velvet curtain and was surprised to see even more people inside. Ah!! What if there were no seats? Worried, Cloud asked the staff, and luckily, there was one last table available. Actually, it was because we arrived a bit late—even if there were no seats, waiting a little would have been fine, as many people had just finished their main courses and were enjoying desserts and coffee.

After being seated, the staff brought over the menu, which resembled a daily business lunch set with relatively affordable prices. It included soup, salad, main courses, desserts, and more. They asked what we’d like to drink, and the ordering process was efficient. There seemed to be hardly any tourists here, which made Cloud, who was taking photos with a camera, stand out quite a bit. As a result, Cloud could only take casual shots and even forgot to photograph the menu.

While waiting for the food, Cloud observed the other guests. Some were wearing designer labels, likely coming from nearby offices for lunch. The large group Cloud encountered at the entrance seemed to be a family gathering, with adults and children. The big table next to us appeared to be colleagues having a work lunch—they ordered and ate quickly, all very familiar and ordinary...

The language spoken around us was one we couldn’t understand (probably Czech, Cloud guessed). A restaurant without tourists in Prague—how wonderful that is!!! Though not so easy to find, Cloud’s camera-holding presence drew a few curious glances from others, as if they were silently asking: what is this person doing? Isn’t it just a meal...

Sipping sparkling water, our food arrived quickly!!! We each ordered a soup from the menu (thankfully, the menu had English descriptions, or else who knows what kind of trouble might’ve ensued). The two soups didn’t look particularly fancy or luxurious, but they were truly delicious!!!

The carrot and shredded potato soup had a color reminiscent of hot and sour soup, paired with meatballs. It looked like familiar Chinese food, but the taste was distinctly foreign—yet the combination worked wonderfully, which was quite intriguing.

The soup Cloud ordered had a white broth base, and its contents were surprisingly delightful. It looked like little islands floating in the middle, with fresh fish slices on top and, hidden within, the familiar texture of Italian tortellini pasta and seasonal "white asparagus." The soup was delicious—not greasy like typical white broths, but rather slightly sweet with a layered, complex flavor. It was truly astonishing!!! This soup was amazingly good!!! Wait, both soups were only 90 kc (less than 120 TWD)!!! Cloud admits that just these soups alone earned the "Foodie" restaurant high praise!!!

Then came the main courses, which also looked quite unassuming!!! It felt like a mix-and-match platter, blending local flavors with international touches. Thinly sliced, lightly cured bacon wrapped around fresh white fish—tasty and not overpowering, instead highlighting the fish’s freshness. There was also a uniquely local egg preparation, with a texture somewhat like a fusion of egg rolls and pudding, paired with a specially made dipping sauce (a mild Mexican-style tartar sauce with a hint of spice), plus lettuce. Everything looked ordinary, but tasted delicious—there was even a hint of homestyle cooking hidden within. Perhaps it was the numerous family photos and growth records on the walls that gave off a warm, family-meal vibe.

Another main dish was shrimp risotto. The moment it arrived, the aroma was incredible!!! Shrimp, rice... the fragrance was mouthwatering—this was bound to be good!!! Inside were asparagus and white asparagus, along with fresh herbs. The risotto had a satisfyingly chewy texture in the center, making it truly delicious. Though it had a slight creaminess, it didn’t clash with the asparagus; instead, it added a refreshing note. This was a risotto that could be savored slowly without ever getting tiresome—so good!!! And the slightly crispy shrimp on top added even more flavor to the dish!!!

It must be white asparagus and asparagus season now. Though both the soup and risotto used these ingredients, the proportions were just right—not dominated by the uniquely strong flavor of asparagus. It was surprising how well asparagus could blend with everything else. Such unexpectedly delightful flavors—no wonder even on a weekday noon, the place was packed!!!

Time for dessert!!! When it arrived, the appearance gave Cloud a slight shock—what was this ball of deep-fried something? Wasn’t this supposed to be dessert? It looked like fried meatballs!!! Turns out, it was ice cream inside!!! Deep-fried ice cream, but the coating wasn’t just the usual flour—this one also had a rich coconut aroma, with coconut powder!!!

Beneath it were fresh strawberry slices. The ice cream itself had a tangy berry flavor—sweet and sour. The combination of hot and cold, crispy exterior and melting softness... the taste was quite unique, very different from any deep-fried ice cream Cloud had tried before. It was so good!!! And the pairing was strangely harmonious, not at all jarring. How could it be so well-matched???

Finally, a cup of coffee to go with the dessert—wow!!! What happiness!!! If Cloud lived in Prague, they’d probably take the tram up here to eat often!!! Truly, earning Michelin recognition isn’t easy, especially in a mountain residential community—how wonderfully unique!!!

Full and satisfied, it's time to pay the bill and head down the mountain, Up！Today we spent 1185 KC (about NT$1500). Do you guys think that’s expensive? But Yun feels like what we ate was really great value!! Although we didn’t dine at a Michelin one-star restaurant, eating at this kind of place actually gave us a more relaxed feeling (haha, I’ll share our experience dining at a Michelin one-star place with you all next time).

Coming to the Czech Republic, it would be such a pity to only enjoy the beautiful scenery and miss out on the food. Many people say there’s no good food in Eastern Europe — Yun doesn’t know what everyone else had during their travels, but during this trip, we came across quite a lot of delicious food. Some were very affordable, some had a strong traditional flavor, and some places were very touristy... Actually, there’s no shortage of tasty food, but what left the deepest impression on Yun were these places loved by locals. Whether in terms of food quality or price, they’re satisfying and will definitely bring a smile to your face!!

Generally speaking, tipping is extra in the Czech Republic (about 10–15% of the meal cost). When we ate in the city before, the waiters usually reminded us specifically, but here, perhaps because most of the customers are locals, people actually don’t have the habit of tipping. (We noticed that tables of people who finished eating faster than us, after paying in cash, didn’t leave any tips; and the bills didn’t have any special note saying the amount didn’t include tips either...) It turns out there really is a difference between places frequented by locals and those by tourists!!

We had great food in Prague at lunchtime today and were really happy about it. We also checked online and couldn’t find any Chinese information about this restaurant, so Yun wanted to introduce it to you all. Next time you go to Prague, if you have time and aren’t in a rush, come to this local spot — a Bib Gourmand restaurant from the Michelin Guide. We believe you won’t be disappointed; and Yun hopes to be able to eat here again on a future visit too!!

Na Konci
Website:http://www.nakonci.cz/
Address: Ke Slivenci 36, Praha-Lochkov, Czech Republic
Phone: +420 702 061 564
Business Hours: 11:30–23:00

* For more information, please see -->Happy Yun’s Travel Blog*