7 Surprising Facts You Didn’t Know About Michelin and Michelin-Starred Restaurants – Your Guide to Escaping Boredom!
The Czech Republic has a vibrant and varied food culture that combines traditional Czech tastes with styles from neighboring nations and global food trends. Classic Czech cuisine is known for its hearty meals crafted from local produce—ranging from game and fish to seasonal vegetables and wild fruits, all served alongside the famous Czech beer. An increasing number of chefs are blending time-honored culinary techniques with creative methods, making Czech gastronomy even more exciting and full of surprises.
Traveling for food adventures or wine tastings is becoming a global trend. Many surveys show that food-focused travelers tend to spend more and stay longer. Additionally, even those not primarily traveling for food but seeking experiences, like culinary tourism, wine trails, cultural activities, or active leisure, often consider quality cuisine a vital factor when choosing a location and judging their overall holiday experience.
When a restaurant earns a Michelin star, it is not just a badge of honor for extraordinary food; it also pays tribute to the chef’s team and recognizes the unique experiences the venue provides to its guests. Gourmet tourism is diverse and dynamic, ensuring that through the Michelin Guide, there’s something for everyone—from exquisite restaurants and bustling wine bars to charming brewpubs and quaint little bistros in rural areas. But do you really know the history of Michelin?
1. A Look Back: When Michelin Made Tyres
First, let’s travel back in time: André Michelin (1853-1931) was a French businessman who, alongside his brother Édouard, started a tyre manufacturing company in 1888. His guide to France aimed to assist drivers in finding comfortable places to stay and decent dining spots, so it included information on gas stations, garages, auto repairs, and details on fuel prices and operating hours alongside restaurant recommendations worth stopping at. However, over time, the restaurant listings became the main focus, leading to the introduction of the now-famous Michelin stars in 1926.
2. Michelin Stars: Importance of Numbers and Colors
Interestingly, the Michelin star is actually not a star; it resembles a flower with six round petals. But let’s continue with the star analogy. A single star used to signify places where it’s worth stopping if you passed by. Two stars indicated that it was worth making a slight detour, while three stars marked restaurants that were destinations in their own right.
Today’s system has evolved: Three stars are now for extraordinary cuisine that’s worth the journey alone; currently, there are 143 restaurants globally with this distinction. Two stars denote excellent cuisine worthy of a visit (476 restaurants), and one star signifies very good food (2,846 restaurants). Additionally, there are awards for Michelin Bib Gourmand, which go to places offering great value, with 3,335 establishments worldwide recognized for this. The name Bib comes from Bibendum, the Michelin mascot’s name. Even just making it into the guide without any stars is noteworthy and signifies quality; there are many such establishments listed.
In 2020, Michelin introduced the Green Star award for restaurants that prioritize sustainable gastronomy. Currently, this award has been given to 498 restaurants, with many establishments holding both a green star and traditional Michelin stars. Numerous three-star restaurants around the world have also earned a special green star in addition to their culinary accolades.
Michelin Guide is recognized globally as the top gastronomic ranking. In the Czech Republic, the first stars appeared in 2008, and since then, a number of restaurants have maintained their high standards and reputation. Most of the acclaimed restaurants are located in Prague, although other cities are beginning to make a name for themselves on the culinary map too. In regional areas, establishments are popping up that embrace experimentation and have also been awarded the prestigious Bib Gourmand from Michelin for their outstanding value.
3. Czech Restaurants with a Michelin Star
The Czech Republic boasts two Michelin-starred restaurants, both situated in Prague. These are well-established dining spots, including La Degustation Bohême Bourgeoise (led by chef Oldřich Sahajdák) located on Haštalská Street, and Field, found on U Milosrdných Street. The restaurant headed by Radek Kašpárek, known as the main judge on the cooking competition MasterChef Czechia, earned a Michelin star in 2016 and has successfully defended it each year since.
Additionally, five establishment have been honored with Michelin Bib Gourmand awards, including Dejvická 34 featuring chef Tomas Cerny, Divinis, the Italian restaurant by Zdeněk Pohlreich, Na Kopci serving Czech and French cuisine with chef Tomáš Vlk, and The Eatery, which offers modern Czech dishes crafted by chef Pavel Býček. The fifth award-winning venue is Eska in Karlín, but following the award, it split into two smaller venues, Eska and the new restaurant Štangl, making it no longer listed among recommended restaurants.
The Michelin listing also includes many other notable restaurants from the Czech Republic, such as Casa De Carli, CottoCrudo, and La Finestra. For those wanting to indulge in Czech cuisine, popular spots include Bockem, Café Imperial, and Tavern. The Monarch steakhouse has also received Michelin recognition, while French and Mediterranean flavors can be found at La Veranda and Pot au Feu. There are modern culinary delights available at Benjamin , Grand Cru , Kampa Park, Portfolio, Salabka, and Restaurace V Zátiší. The Czech top twenty also includes QQ Asian Kitchen featuring Asian cuisine and Yamato with Japanese offerings.
4. Who Decides on Michelin Stars?
The Michelin inspectors travel year-round, visiting restaurants anonymously, paying their own bills, and ultimately deciding on star rankings and listings: these evaluators are known as Michelin commissioners. Unlike some award systems, a restaurant cannot purchase or expect stars simply for being on the list for a long time; they must earn their accolades.
However, being included in this celebrated guide is very advantageous. Michelin-starred restaurants elevate their countries’ reputations internationally and attract numerous food enthusiasts. Due to the rise in gourmet tourism, many governments now offer support to publicize their establishments in the Michelin Guide. The project creator, Gastromap, and Czech film and theatre actor Lukáš Hejlík states: “There’s no point in sizing up the Czech Republic against France and Italy. Yet, anyone interested in gastronomy who travels knows how fantastic countries like Hungary, Slovenia, Croatia, and Poland are in this realm. Have they made efforts to support this Michelin tourism? Yes! So, I believe the Czech Republic should too.”
5. High Expectations: Czech Gastronomy Welcomes Discerning Diners
Czech cafés, patisseries, and eateries have a wealth of offerings for visitors. Collaborating with the renowned Michelin Guide opens new avenues for attracting international guests to the Czech Republic and supporting regions beyond the capital city. As part of this, the Czech Specials project is promoting restaurants that serve authentic Czech dishes and traditional desserts of excellent quality. The achievements of the Czech National Team of Chefs and Pastry Chefs of AKC ČR are noteworthy; they regularly secure top spots in significant competitions such as the Culinary World Cup, Culinary Olympics, and Global Chefs Challenge. Furthermore, Czech beer is world-famous; indeed, the Pilsner Urquell brewery tour has received the title of the best brewery visitor tour in Europe at the prestigious World Travel Awards 2024. Meanwhile, Czech and Moravian wines are gaining international acclaim, enjoyed in both traditional wine cellars and modern wineries designed with contemporary aesthetics.
“The Michelin Guide serves as a powerful asset that could draw tourists for years to come. Not only in Prague but in other regions as well,” asserts project creator Gastromap Lukáš Hejlík. Clearly, big transformations are anticipated in the coming years. The list of Czech Michelin restaurants is expected to grow significantly, especially to include venues outside of Prague, where currently all awarded establishments are situated.
A potential star candidate is Entrée restaurant in Olomouc, where Chef Přemek Forejt, a familiar face from the culinary competition since 2019, serves food with flair through MasterChef Czechia. Culinary experts also suggest the Papilio restaurant in Vysoké Újezd, helmed by Jan Knedla, a Golden Chef competition winner, as well as a newly established venue by Radek Kašpárek called 420. Lukáš Hejlík believes that two restaurants in the Czech Republic should, in his view, be rated with two stars—and both of these are located in the countryside, away from urban centers. Which ones could they be? Let’s wait and see!
6. Coming in 2025: the Michelin Key
Michelin Key is a new rating system for the most top-notch hotels globally. Starting from October 2025, hotels featured in the Michelin Guide will be evaluated on how they provide guests with experiences beyond simple lodging, meals, and the booking and review processes.
Essentially, the Michelin Key functions similarly to how Michelin stars do for restaurants. In the hotel sector, just as in gastronomy, there will be one, two, or three Michelin keys.
Discover Michelin Key Hotels in the Czech Republic:
The Fairmont Golden Prague Hotel has been awarded two keys. Meanwhile, Hotel BoHo Prague, Hotel Julius Prague, Hotel Four Seasons Prague, the Augustine luxury hotel collection, Hotel Andaz Prague, Mosaic House Design Hotel, and Hotel Almanac X Alcron Prague each received one key.
A few hotels outside of Prague, such as Chateau Mcely hotel, Hotel Perk in Šumperk, and Villa Julius & Emma in Karlovy Vary, have also earned the Michelin Key award.
7. Michelin’s Rival: The Gault&Millau Gastronomic Guide
Entering the Czech Republic in 2025 is Michelin’s competitor, the Gault&Millau gastronomic guide. It was created through collaboration between two French journalists and food enthusiasts, Henri Gault and Christian Millau, back in the 1960s. Similar to Michelin, anonymous inspectors visit restaurants, bistros, cafés, and even food trucks, awarding points but also recognizing “Toques” (chef’s hats). Their scale ranges from one to five caps, indicating quality and creativity. Reaching the maximum of five caps signifies what can be considered perfection in the French guide system.
Within approximately four hundred recognized establishments across the Czech Republic, there are 165 places with one cap, including establishments like Červený Deer, Next Door, Imperial, Statek Bernard, Pension V Polích, and Babiččina Zahrada. Restaurants earning two hats total 53, featuring well-known spots like 420, Field, Entrée, V Zátiší, Alma, Brambory, Marie B, Spojka Karlín, Restaurace Sůl & Řepa, U Sapíků, Resort Oblík, and Šupina a Šupinka. Only eleven restaurants have secured three caps, including Levitate, Terasa U Zlaté studně, Dejvická 34 by Tomáš Černý, Mlýnec, Štangl, U Matěje, and Essens Restaurant.
No restaurant has earned five caps, making the current titleholder in the Czech Republic Restaurant Papilio in Vysoké Újezd, where chef Jan Knedla serves diners. The Gault&Millau guide also offers various awards, naming Jan Knedla Chef of the Year and recognizing Barbora Šimůnková from Leaf restaurant as Young Talent of the Year, which is awarded to chefs under 35 whose restaurants have achieved at least one cap. The award Tomorrow’s Chef for an up-and-coming chef went to Otto Vasak from Essens.
Before you plan to dine at any of these distinguished venues, ensure you make a reservation ahead of time. Booking in advance is crucial for Michelin-rated restaurants, whether in the Czech Republic or abroad. To sum up, a visit to a Michelin establishment necessitates proper planning—just like any worthwhile trip with Which Way from Boredom. MICHELIN Guide.
