Taro
Hlavní město Praha, Czechia · Nové Město
Insider Compass
An expert assessment built on data, context and gastronomic judgement.
About Taro
Taro has quietly become one of Prague's most compelling dining experiences, where chef Khanh Ta channels his Vietnamese-Czech heritage into seasonal tasting menus that blur borders with confidence and precision. The format is intimate and interactive: counter seating wraps around an open kitchen where the brigade cooks, plates, and serves directly to guests, creating a dynamic theater of fire, finesse, and flavors. The kitchen's dry-aged duck program and commitment to seasonal Czech produce give the cooking a distinctive sense of place, while technique and spicing remain rooted in Vietnamese tradition. This is cooking with soul and ambition, meant for guests seeking something more personal than conventional fine dining.
Good to know
Opt for lunch service if you want a more relaxed pace and lighter wallet impact—the four-course menu showcases the same ambition at a lower price point, and the midday light through the windows adds a different energy.
The chef
Khanh Ta
Khanh Ta grew up in Prague as part of the Vietnamese diaspora, giving him dual fluency in Czech ingredients and the cooking traditions of his family's homeland. His approach marries classical European technique with the bold, layered flavors of Vietnamese cuisine, leaning on seasonal Czech produce and an in-house dry-aging program to ground the cooking in terroir. Ta has earned recognition from Gault&Millau as Chef of Tomorrow and received the Michelin Young Chef Award, honors that reflect both his technical skill and the originality of his culinary voice. He runs the kitchen with a collaborative, open spirit, treating the counter format as a conversation rather than performance.
The Insider Compass
Four dimensions, each assessed independently against the same criteria everywhere we rate.
Plate
Ta's food marries Vietnamese flavor architecture—fish sauce, fermented shrimp paste, lemongrass, holy basil—with Czech seasonal ingredients handled with surgical precision and classic French technique. The beef rendang with truffles exemplifies the approach: slow-braised depth meets Central European luxury, each element respecting the other without compromise. Dishes arrive with bold, focused seasoning and restrained plating, the kind of cooking that trusts umami and acidity over unnecessary garnish.
Vibe
IntimateThe counter-only format creates an energetic, communal atmosphere where everyone shares the same front-row view of the kitchen's choreography, with two seatings nightly keeping the pace deliberate. Expect a lively, engaged crowd—couples celebrating, serious food travelers, younger diners drawn to the interactive format—all leaning in as chefs explain each plate. The mood is warm and modern, never stuffy, with the open kitchen's controlled chaos providing a pulse of energy throughout service.
Service
Service flows seamlessly between chefs plating at the counter and a small front-of-house team managing pacing, beverage pairings, and the narrative arc of the meal. The brigade is knowledgeable and personable, explaining dishes with genuine enthusiasm and adjusting for dietary needs with skill rather than compromise. Hospitality feels generous and attentive without formality, the kind of care that anticipates needs before they're voiced.
Setting
The dining room centers on a 20-seat counter wrapped around the open kitchen, creating an intimate stage where mise en place, butchery, and final plating happen in full view. Design is modern and minimal, with warm woods, soft lighting, and a welcoming lounge where guests gather over aperitifs before being guided to their seats. Located on Národní street in Nové Město, it feels tucked away despite being central—discreet enough to remain a destination for those in the know.
These four dimensions are a handful of the attributes we review. The Insider Rating also draws on research the compass does not display — among them the wine programme, the size and quality of the cellar, the location, and how long the house has operated. It is not an average of the scores above.
Go for
- Interactive counter dining with chefs cooking and serving directly to you
- Vietnamese-Czech fusion executed with precision, ambition, and genuine cultural fluency
- Seasonal tasting menus built on dry-aged duck and Czech terroir with Southeast Asian soul
Don't go for
- A quiet, private dinner—the counter format is communal and lively by design
- À la carte flexibility or dietary preferences requiring major menu rewrites
Details
Národní 10, 110 00 Praha 1-Nové Město, Czechia
€€€