The Prague restaurant Výčep is simply amazing. At the time of writing this article, I’ve been to Výčep several times and each visit has offered something I had to label as “the best I’ve ever eaten”.
Výčep, located on Korunní street in Prague’s Vinohrady, focuses on preparing dishes from ingredients they either catch, grow, prepare themselves, or buy from favorite farmers. Inside, you’ll find many jars storing fruit, vegetables, maturing kombucha, miso, or homemade fish sauce. Výčep bakes its own bread, makes cheese, and even prepares sauerkraut. The kitchen is led by “Valachian king” Jiří Hrachový, who himself enticingly presents their lunch menu every week on the restaurant’s Instagram.
Výčep’s lunch menu typically offers one soup, about six main dishes, and one dessert each week. The evening menu is thoughtfully curated, and tastings are also available. Výčep has even hosted themed events, such as a “Valachian pig slaughter”. I have always visited the establishment during lunchtime.
Beef broth with liver dumpling, noodles, buckwheat, roasted vegetables, and a heap of fresh herbs for 125 CZK (approx. 5.30 EUR). Incredible color, excellent taste. The best broth I’ve ever eaten.
Liver sausage (in Czech “jitrnice”) with Brussels sprouts roasted in butter and young potatoes with chives, fermented wild garlic, mustard sauce, and fried onions, all for 275 CZK (approx. 11.70 EUR).
Liver sausage, which Výčep also prepares itself, was the reason for this visit. As a child, I assisted in home pig slaughters (“zabijačka”) where we processed the pig we raised. Liver sausages (“jitrnice”), blood sausages (“jelita”), blood soup (“prdelačka”), headcheese (“tlačenka”), lard, cracklings… We prepared all of this at home. One of my big wishes is to experience a home pig slaughter again.
The liver sausage from Výčep with cabbage and young potatoes was simply exquisite. The best meal with liver sausage I’ve ever had.
A potato dumpling stuffed with smoked rib from Výčep’s smokehouse, their sauerkraut, bacon sauce with herbs, onion crumble for 285 CZK (approx. 12.10 EUR). One of the most traditional dishes of Czech cuisine and again an incredible delight on the plate. Excellent sauerkraut and a rich meat filling. Some might find the sauce too concentrated and strong, but I was satisfied. Again, I must write that I’ve never eaten a better potato dumpling stuffed with smoked rib and cabbage.
During lunchtime, there is only one dessert on the menu. Cream puff called “větrník” in Czech for 155 CZK (approx. 6.60 EUR), which has already become famous. The price may seem crazy, after all, it’s a dessert you can buy anywhere in a pastry shop. But at Výčep, they prepare their cream puff in a deluxe version, the corpus is even said to be freshly baked before each order. Inside, in addition to vanilla and caramel cream, there are also several caramelized hazelnuts.
The filling is rich, the cream is airy, and there was no skimping on the icing. The cream puff is my most favorite type of pastry, so it’s a sweet treat that I’ve eaten the most out of the Czech assortment of pastries. And again, I have to say that I’ve never eaten a better “větrník”.
They have beer from Dalešice on tap, the premises are completely new, with dominant wooden patterns. Around noon, the restaurant is still half empty, but it fills up completely for lunch. Therefore, reservations are more than appropriate. It’s possible to make one online, the confirmation came almost always practically immediately. The staff is professional, willing, informative. Výčep is rightfully listed in the Czech Michelin Guide.
If you don’t know Výčep, try to change that at the earliest opportunity.
I believe you will be happy to return.
More information can be found by clicking on the link on the map:
