Assaggio: A Rustic, Cozy Italian Wine Bar in a Corner of Vinohrady

Tucked in a corner of Vinohrady in Prague 2, an Italian wine bar run by a couple team is serving up the taste of Tuscany.

Anna and Glenn run this small bar in Prague 2, situated close to Riegrovy Sady and the leafy Manesova Street.
You will find a modest selection of wines from many Italian regions in Assaggio (which means “to taste”), with an emphasis on wines from Tuscany, where they have often visited to discover new wineries.

Small, honest family-run wine producers with quality and reasonable prices are the philosophy with which the owners of Assaggio wish to present their wines.

They import directly from two Tuscan wineries and one in Friuli. Wines in the bar change often, so there isn’t a fixed wine list. Bottles are opened daily so the customer can sample different grape types and Italian regions.

Anna recommends the wines by glass or bottle to suit the customers’ taste, meanwhile, Glenn makes a selection of starters typical of the Tuscan region, crostini, antipasti and cheese plates.

You will find a rustic, covered garden in the back of the bar, ideal for the warmer spring, summer evenings spent with friends, or a romantic partner.

Prices start at 45 CZK by the glass or 300 CZK a bottle. Take away bottles are discounted by 100 CZK.

Wine tastings are arranged, either from a winery or an Italian region with a food pairing typical of the area. Prague Morning caught up with them to find out more.

 

Can you tell me a little about your background and how you ended up opening a restaurant in Prague?

Glenn: “I was born in the UK to an English mother and Czech father. I worked in London’s gastro industry for years, but I fell in love with Italian cooking and culture while living in Florence. There, I refined my cooking skills and taste for wine. I served as head chef and part-owner for a popular Italian restaurant in Denmark for a while, but I decided I wanted to be close to my Czech roots. So, I moved to Prague in 2008 to be with Anna in the capital city that I love.

In March of that year, Anna and I opened Osteria Da Clara, a Tuscan inspired restaurant in Vrsovice. I used my knowledge of Tuscan food and cooking, while Anna served the wines, sharing the knowledge we had learnt from the small wineries we have discovered over the years.”

And how did this lead to the opening of Assaggio?

Anna: After 11 years of running Osteria Da Clara, we decided to sell Da Clara and open Assaggio in June 2019, a small wine bar in Vinohrady. Assaggio is a few meters away from Riegrovy Sady, on the leafy street of Manesova. Assaggio translates to “taste” in Italian!

We held onto the same philosophy that we had used for Da Clara, which is one of a family run business, honest, fair prices and relaxed friendly service. From next Spring until the following Autumn, we are hoping that Covid restrictions are lifted, so you can sit in the covered garden enjoying the evening with friends or a romantic partner.

What can customers expect from you?

Currently, we are open from 17:00 to 20:00 every day, but this may change with changing lockdown rules. Our regular opening hours are Monday through Saturday from 5 pm until midnight, with the beautiful garden closing at 22.00. Prices start from 45 crowns by the glass or around 300 crowns by bottle. Take away bottles are discounted by 100 crowns.

We occasionally offer some of the favourite Osteria Da Clara pasta dishes. For the latest updates on these, you can follow us on Facebook and Instagram.