Let’s Go Green… Table! New Bistro in Prague Offers a Purely Vegetarian Menu

A green bistro has opened in Prague with a purely vegetarian menu and hydroponic farm inside.

Meatless meals can be fun, varied and really tasty. Chef Miluše Makó, who has been entrusted with the kitchen at the new Green Table bistro, proves it.

There are plenty of options for lunch in the center of Prague but finding a place to eat if you don’t eat meat can get a bit complicated.

There are vegetarian establishments in our capital, but their meatless offerings are often unremarkable to those that are being established abroad. Miluše Makó, the chef behind the culinary concept of the new vegetarian bistro Green Table, has a slightly different approach to meat-free food.

The bistro appeals to sustainability and localism and is located in the Florentinum building as an alternative option for employees. Green Table mainly serves the people working in Florentinum, but anyone can visit.

“By opening the Green Table bistro, we wanted to combine two of our long-term ambitions – sharing our philosophy of ecological transformation and taking care of our employees, to whom we want to offer something more than standard benefits. At the same time, we wanted to offer an authentic and welcoming place to meet and relax. And to inspire visitors through great vegetarian gastronomy,” says Markéta Dvořáková, Executive Director of Communications at Veolia ČR.

The menu is put together by a team of chefs headed by Miluše Makó and changes every week. The talented chef is neither vegetarian nor vegan, but she has been cooking without meat for a long time, including at the Gourmet Academy, where she organizes courses focused on the vegetarian culinary sphere.

The world of vegetables has fascinated her since her childhood, as her grandfather was a vegetable farmer. In the course of her cooking career, Makó discovered that she did not enjoy cooking classic dishes and much preferred to experiment with meatless fare.

“In our bistro you will see that modern sustainable cuisine can be made without compromise and with an emphasis on exceptional taste. I would like to show guests that eating healthy, locally, and with respect for nature does not mean a lesser gastronomic experience. On the contrary!” Makó explains her approach.

For example, broccoli ragout, grilled halloumi cheese with pickled celery, roasted portobello mushroom and baby courgette tartare appear on the menu. The bistro is green not only because of its purely vegetable-based menu, but also because it minimizes food waste. Makó only uses the freshest ingredients and uses all parts of the vegetable in her dishes.

Moreover, some of the ingredients come directly from inside the restaurant – in fact, the landmark of the establishment is a large hydroponic farm.

“We grow our own salads and herbs here, ensuring year-round production without sprays and unnecessary chemicals. In addition, a number of our innovative technologies are used in the space with an emphasis on sustainability. The ornamental flowers are irrigated with purified water from the bistro’s operation and grow from a substrate enriched with sewage sludge. Biodynamic lighting responds to outdoor conditions and the air is purified through eco-friendly filters,” adds Dvořáková.

Most of the elements in the interior are made primarily from eco-friendly, highly durable, and recycled materials. Large joinery assembled from waste wood, designer chairs made from the insides of old fridges, and armchairs made from recycled PET bottles all grace the interior.

Green Table also includes a coworking space that hosts various sustainability events – which, like the bistro, are open to the public.