Papilio makes culinary history as Czechia’s first two-star Michelin restaurant

Czechia has received its first-ever two-star Michelin designation. Chef Jan Knedla’s Papilio restaurant, located in Vysoký Újezd in the Beroun region near Prague, was awarded two Michelin stars during the ceremonial presentation of the Michelin Guide Czech Republic 2025 last night in Mariánské Lázně. This achievement marks the first time a Czech restaurant has earned two stars, a historic milestone for the country’s culinary scene.

Eight other restaurants received one Michelin star, five in Prague and three in the regions, while 18 Bib Gourmand establishments were recognized for their outstanding value.

“It’s something incredible for me. It’s something you dream about your whole life, and now that it’s here, I can’t believe it. It’s like I was in a dream,” Knedla said after the awards.

With a total of 79 restaurants, the expanded guide, which now covers the entire country for the first time, reflects an unprecedented breadth of recognition nationwide, according to the Michelin Guide's press statement. Director Gwendal Poullennec said inspectors found compelling reasons to visit Czechia’s kitchens:

“Our Inspectors scoured the country from north to south and east to west in search of the best restaurants. They explored its major cities as well as rural areas, along with its superb wine regions. During their travels, they greatly appreciated the remarkable hospitality with which they were welcomed across the Czech Republic.”

New Michelin one-star restaurants in the region include Essens in Hlohovec u Břeclav (Chef Otto Vašák), Entrée at the Theatre Hotel in Olomouc (Chef Přemek Forejt), and La Villa in Zlín (Chef Július Löffler). In Prague, the newly starred establishments are Levitate (Chef Christian Chu), Casa de Carli (Matteo de Carli), and Štangl (Chef Martin Štangl).

Two Prague restaurants, Field, led by Radek Kašpárek, and La Degustation Bohême Bourgeoise, led by Oldřich Sahajdák with Marco Christov, retained their Michelin stars.

Jan Chovanec, editor-in-chief of the industry publication VisitChef told Novinky.cz that Michelin may have overlooked some spots deserving of stars. “In my opinion, inspectors of the prestigious guide completely forgot about the Salabka restaurant [in Prague’s Troja district], which definitely meets the standard of a star.”

He added that the two surprising stars for Papilio indicate that Knedla “is currently the clear leader of the Czech gastronomic scene.”

Eighteen Czech restaurants now hold a Bib Gourmand, including 15 new entries such as seafood-focused Šupina a Šupinka in Třeboň, Brno’s contemporary Bar ATELIER & bistro, and Olomouc’s trendy Long Story Short Eatery & Bakery. Other newcomers include MIURA in Čeladná and Prague’s modern Czech pub Výčep, while three existing Prague Bib Gourmands keep their distinction.

Beyond stars and Bibs, the Guide highlights 52 additional restaurants for quality cooking, from Brno’s seasonal Kohout NA VÍNĚ and Chrudim’s Tlustá Kachna to Průhonice’s homey Babiččina zahrada and Písek’s chic, globally inspired Chapelle.

A host of new Michelin-recommended restaurants, in Prague, 16 in total, reflect the city's increasingly diverse dining scene, from the Georgian at Dergi to the Israeli-Asian fusion at Parzival.

This year’s individual awards honor standout hospitality talents: Miroslav Nosek of Prague’s Field earns the Service Award for his polished, attentive hosting; the Young Chef Award goes to Khanh Ta of Taro for refined, expressive Vietnamese cooking; and the Sommelier Award recognizes Zdeněk Oudes of Marie B, praised for his thoughtful pairings and deep wine knowledge.

Historically, Prague became the first city in the post-communist bloc to receive a Michelin star in 2008, when Allegro at the Four Seasons Hotel earned the distinction under chef Andrea Accordi. Allegro’s achievement was followed years later by Czech chefs earning stars for local restaurants such as La Degustation Bohême Bourgeoise (2012) and Field (2016).

However, in 2022, Michelin began charging countries a fee (in Czechia, that amounts to CZK 10 million a year) for operating on the local scene and evaluating local restaurants. While part of the public and experts criticized this expense, representatives of the domestic gastronomy industry, led by industry leaders, called on Prime Minister Petr Fiala in an open letter to pay the fee.

Finally, the state tourism promotion agency CzechTourism concluded a three-year contract with the French company for approximately CZK 32.5 million to promote the Czech Republic as a gastronomic destination.

Papilio Restaurant is located in the former stables of a castle in Vysoký Újezd. In the open kitchen of this space, featuring a magnificent vaulted ceiling, Knedla and his team prepare meals of up to ten courses, with the chef carefully and creatively reinterpreting his childhood memories while showcasing exceptional ingredients, most of them sourced locally.

“We work with the best team. The people I chose and who work with me are the best in the industry. A chef is only as good as his own team,” Knedla said.

Read the entire Michelin Guide Czechia 2025 here.