The summer tasting menu at the Salabka restaurant ranges from fresh appetizers to superb main courses, locally selected cheeses, and delicate, balanced desserts. All dishes feature the distinctive signature of chef Petr Kunc and are accentuated by a unique view of the vineyards, offering a truly rare experience in Prague. What does the summer menu at Salabka look like?
In the Heart of the Vineyards
Salabka is a place where elegance, casual luxury, and character come together. Nestled right in the vineyards of Prague's Troja district, Salabka is not just a restaurant but also a winery and six apartments. The whole concept is based on a comprehensive experience - top gastronomy, its own wines, and precise service.
Petr Kunc, a talented and experienced chef who is among the absolute top of the Czechoslovak scene, presents the cuisine as confident, bold, and constantly evolving. He combines premium ingredients with those that everyone remembers, resulting in dishes that exhibit lightness, originality, and a clear signature.
A Fresh Start
Dinner starts not with champagne but with a sophisticated Gazpacho Sour. Non-alcoholic gin, strawberries, tomato, pepper, and cucumber create a refreshing combination accentuated by purple ice. Elegant, playful, and a clear signal that at Salabka, non-alcoholic pairing has become a full-fledged experience. Those who still prefer wine can opt for the brilliant 2019 Blanc de Blancs - mineral, fresh, with fine acidity.
Next up is the amuse-bouche - a salute from the kitchen that sets off a festival of flavors. Cucumber candy with buttermilk and dill oil looks clean and fresh. The tomato meringue with basil panna cotta is reminiscent of the Mediterranean, slightly sweet and herby. Then there's the corn tartlet with panna cotta and umami popcorn - a small bite that manages to surprise with its playfulness and depth.
Bread as a Full Course
What others call the "bread selection" is a stand-alone course at Salabka. Lightly sautéed celeriac with Kampot pepper and umami sauce, tomato butter with capers and garden oil, ingenious whipped bacon with crackling, and finally vegetable sour Piccalilli rolls - a legacy of Peter Kunc's London days. Each item is different, each brings a different contrast, but together they form a complete picture. To accompany this is a pastry: a leavened pretzel roll with caraway seeds, crisp and distinctive, and a buckwheat loaf with seeds - light, earthy, lactose-free. At Salabka, even the bread shows that nothing here is just an "accompaniment." Everything has its own weight, taste, and point.
Light, Fresh, Sophisticated
The first starter of the summer menu confirms that Kunc and his team know how to combine lightness with sophistication. Red watermelon meets tomato glaze and caper cream on the plate. There's a delicate lemon balm oil, green tomato sorbet, sheep's cheese fitaki, and basil dust on top. The result is a dish that feels fresh and clean, while surprising with its sophisticated blend of sweet, sour, and herbal notes.
The melon is served with an elegant Sancerre Rosé 2022 from Pascal Jolivet in the Loire, made using the saignée, or 'bleeding' method. Mineral, juicy, with a fine structure. The non-alcoholic variant proves to be a full-fledged alternative: grapefruit fresh, non-alcoholic pomegranate liqueur Nochino Ruby, a pinch of salt, and soda water. Perfectly chilled, energetic, fun.
The second starter shifts the evening to softer, more elegant notes. Salmon trout quenelle, stuffed with cream cheese inside, topped with lemon thyme mayonnaise. Underneath, a redcurrant gel, around a sauce made with tonic from Czech distillery Garage22, bitter lemon, and sorrel. The delicacy of the fish here is balanced by acidity and bitterness, the whole bite feels light and modern.
The wine for this course - La Mesma, Gavi INDI 2024 from Piedmont - smells of citrus blossoms, tastes mineral and clean. Naturally fermented, light, and very pleasant. The non-alcoholic pairing of choice is sparkling wine with lime, lemon, and cucumber syrup. Spectacular, fresh, and clear in flavor.
Carrot Variation
Salabka also considers vegetarians, not as a compromise but as an equal alternative. The carrot variation is a playful rewrite of "tartare" - carrots sous-vide, pickled, in both paper and cream texture. It is accompanied by a smoky beurre blanc with fennel oil. Delicate yet layered, with a smoky accent that adds depth to the whole.
The vegetal version comes with the original soft drink: orange, carrot, ferments, bitter fennel oil, a little soda, and lime. A clean citrus-vegetable note with a slightly bitter line that enhances the food and complements it elegantly.
Candied and Veal as the Epitome of Elegance
The first main course is an example of absolute precision. On the plate, the candát with N25 Beluga caviar, summer vegetables, gooseberry gel, flowers, and beurre blanc sauce with mint. The plating looks simple at first glance, but a closer look reveals the sophistication of every detail. The textures and flavours fit together here with surgical precision - delicate fish, bold caviar, fresh gooseberry acidity, and a buttery sauce with herbal accents. A perfect job without a single weakness.
In the glass to go with it comes the Goisot, Chablis Faucertaine 2022 from Bourgogne - creamy, mineral, with savoury notes and aromas of yellow melon. A wine that not only complements the fish but elevates it. The non-alcoholic version is more playful, yet pure - gooseberry, apple, and mint, reminiscent of iced tea.
The second main course is a manifestation of technique and style. Veal tenderloin fermented with koji, prepared sous-vide and finished in a pan. There's chicken fas, with spinach, perfect potato pavé, blackberry and beetroot puree, veal stock with blackberry and sage oil. Plating is modern, clean and exactly the type that should serve as an inspiration for Czech gastronomy. The flavours are bold, full-bodied, with a contrast of sweetness, acidity, and umami.
The vegetarian version is no less appealing. Mushroom tartlet made of almond dough, with morels, chanterelles, and porcini mushrooms inside, fresh chopped porcini mushrooms on top. Topped with garlic mayonnaise and mushroom cappuccino with a drizzle of coffee, which is seasoned with parsley oil in front of the guest. Delicate, "woodsy," deep in flavor.
The wine pairing this time surprises: Moretti Omero, Ciliegiolo 2024 from Umbria - an old Tuscan variety with notes of chocolate and cherries. It is served chilled, despite being a red wine. An elegant gesture that works well. The veal is a non-alcoholic combination of blackberry and iced tea, while the mushroom tartlet comes with a sophisticated combination of apple, foxglove, and verjus.
The Cheesy Highlight of the Evening
After the main courses comes the cheese selection - and here Salabka is absolutely convincing. Petr Kunc collaborates with Mr. Skala, who buys the cheeses from Czech farmers and lets them continue to mature. The result is a collection that is on par with the best European cheese carts but stands firmly on local foundations. Sheep, goat, and cow, each different, each distinctive. "It's hard to pick one or two that I like best," says Petr Kunc. "Each one is differently interesting and very distinctive."
On the cheese trolley, for example, there's Bastion - a mouldy cheese aged for three to five weeks, with a distinctive flavor and aroma reminiscent of damp cellars. Or Gratien, a drier, mould-ripened cheese that takes 2 to 3 weeks to mature and has a softer texture. The cow's cheese in ash - the camembert type - is also interesting, and is matured for 3 to 5 weeks under a layer of vegetable ash. The result is distinctive, aromatic, and visually unique.
Others include 'Salazar cheese,' a farmer's speciality aged for seven months with a rustic character and notes of honey, nuts, and raisins. Or Saturejka, a three-month-old gouda with a subtle herbal flavor and a fresh, winding aroma. But the menu is much broader - around two dozen cheeses from which guests can choose according to their mood. The accompaniments are equally thoughtful: rhubarb chutney, cashew butter, and homemade sweet-and-salty waffles. Original, fun, and taste perfect.
The 2023 Tramin Red from the Salabka winery appears in the glass - macerated on the skins, dry, intense, with herbal notes that go perfectly with the cheeses. The non-alcoholic version is from wild pear - clean, elegant, and expressive just like the wine.
Dessert Finale
The dessert portion of this tasting menu is a celebration of colour and flavor in itself - a delight for the eyes and palate. Pastry chef Anissa Demurtas deserves special praise: Salabka has always had excellent desserts, but Anissa has added her own distinctive touch to them, and it shows in every detail.
The predessert is playful and sophisticated at the same time: apricot sorbet with hazelnut praline, crackling dust at the bottom, iced acacia tea, and a fancy bubble hiding rosemary essence. A little gem that precedes the main sweet experience.
Served with this moment is the Champagne Palmer, Rosé Solera NV from France - connoisseurs will appreciate its subtle complexity. The non-alcoholic alternative is an elderflower cocktail of non-alcoholic elderflower liqueur, syrup, soda water, and a splash of lime - light, pleasant, and refreshing.
The main dessert is a pistachio bavaroise with verbena cheesecake. Raspberry chutney is hidden inside, with raspberry sorbet, elderflower consommé, and verbena on top. The composition is elegant and perfectly captures Salabka's philosophy - precisely balanced, sophisticated, and joyful at the same time.
The final chord belongs to the petit fours, served in a luxurious leather case. Guests could choose from a mini Pavlova with wild blueberries, a moncheri with chocolate cream and drunken cherry, a lighter petit four of apple and matcha ball, and petite pralines: strawberry-balsamic, lemon-poppy, salted caramel with thyme, lavender-honey, and almond-coffee. The finish at Salabka is thus sweet, playful, and perfectly polished, just as it should be.
The summer tasting menu at Salabka is top-notch - precise, creative, and joyful all at the same time. In addition to perfectly prepared dishes, guests can enjoy a terrace with a view of the vineyards, which is almost unique in Prague and indeed in the whole Czech Republic.
Petr Kunc and his team execute their craft at the highest level. Every flavor, every texture, and every detail of the plate is well thought out, and the chef aims for perfect balance. Salabka is definitely aiming for a Michelin Guide star, setting itself apart in style from the few other top restaurants in the Czech Republic. In doing so, it retains a distinctive signature, combining an interesting selection of ingredients and adding ever more boldness - exactly the kind of innovation that moves gastronomy forward.
