A vegetarian bistro with a hydroponic farm has emerged in Prague

There are many lunch options in the center of Prague. But when you want to find a place where you can find yourself even if you don’t eat meat, it gets a little difficult. True, there are grocery businesses in our capital, but their delivery in a large number of cases is not comparable to businesses that are established abroad. Chef Miluše Mako, who is behind the culinary concept of the new vegetarian bistro Green Table, has a slightly different approach to a meat-free diet.

The bistro, which appeals to sustainability and location, was created in the Florentinum building as a slightly different canteen for employees. Behind it is – somewhat surprisingly – the French company Veolia, whose Czech branch is located here. The company mainly serves people who work in the building, but absolutely everyone can go there.

“By opening the Green Table bistro, we wanted to combine our two long-term passions – to share our philosophy of ecological change and to take care of our employees, to whom we want to offer something more than ordinary benefits. At the same time, we wanted to provide a real place and a great place to meet and relax. And inspire guests through great vegetarian gastronomy,” explains Markéta Dvořáková, executive director of communications at Veolia CR.

The menu here is put together by a team of chefs led by Miluší Makó, and the menu changes every week. The talented chef is neither a vegetarian nor a vegetarian, but he has been cooking without meat for a long time, including at the Gourmet Academy, where he organizes courses focusing on this culinary area. The world of vegetables attracted him already in his childhood, as his grandfather was a grocer. And in the course of his culinary career, he realized that he does not enjoy cooking traditional dishes, that he prefers to try dishes without meat.

“In our bistro, you will see for yourself that modern sustainable cuisine can be made without compromise and with an emphasis on unique taste. I would like to show guests that eating healthy, locally and with respect to nature does not mean a limited gastronomic experience. Quite the opposite!” Makó explains his method. The menu includes, for example, broccoli ragout, grilled haloumi cheese and pickled celery, grilled portobello mushrooms or young zucchini tartare.

The chef regularly communicates with all suppliers to find out what they currently have or would need to sell so they don’t have to throw ingredients away. Afterwards, he processes the maximum amount of all the raw materials that arrive. So the bistro is green not only thanks to the vegetarian menu, but also thanks to the fact that it reduces food waste. In addition, part of the raw materials comes directly from its premises – the main feature of the company is a large hydroponic farm.

“We grow salads and herbs here, ensuring year-round production without unnecessary spraying of pesticides and chemicals. In addition, a number of our innovative technologies with an emphasis on sustainability are used in the space. The ornamental flowers are watered with purified water from for running a bistro and growing from a substrate enriched with sewage sludge. Bioluminescence reacts to external conditions and the air is purified through ecological filters.” adds Dvořáková.

Behind the interior design is the architecture studio Perspektiv, which worked with the need to create an informal space combined with sustainable principles. Many interior items are made primarily from ecological, highly resistant or recycled materials – whether they are large carpentry products collected from wood waste, designer chairs from the inside of old refrigerators or armchairs from PET bottles processed.

The bistro also includes a co-working space, which also hosts various events focused on the theme of sustainability – which, like the bistro, are open to the public. However, the modern working area with two meeting rooms is primarily intended for Veolia employees, but can also be used by the city or school.