The story
La Finestra in Cucina opened in 2009 on Platnéřská street, just a few hundred yards from Old Town Square, as the second Italian restaurant from founder Riccardo Lucque. Lucque's path to Prague is worth knowing: he started in the kitchens of the Marche region at sixteen, moved through a Michelin-starred seafood restaurant in Pesaro, then spent years in London and New York before arriving in Prague in 2002. Co-founder Ondřej Rákosník joined him in 2005 to open Aromi in Vinohrady, and four years later the two became co-owners of La Finestra — a restaurant that has since earned a 2-fork recognition from Gambero Rosso, Italy's most authoritative food guide.
Head chef Roman Kintler runs a modern kitchen with a clear identity: dry-aged meat cuts sourced from organic farms in Italy, Spain, and the USA sit at the center of the menu, alongside fresh fish and seafood. The current à la carte spans antipasti, pasta, risotto, and secondi that show both Italian classicism and precise technique. A beef tartare arrives with bone marrow, truffle mayonnaise, pickled black chanterelle, and potato grissini; ricotta gnudi are paired with summer truffle, chard, and Piedmont hazelnuts; a grilled lamb loin comes with green apple, aronia, and a beef croquette. The pasta section holds a raviolo alla carbonara with ricotta and guanciale alongside spaghetti cacio e pepe finished with veal tartare and green pepper — Italian cuisine read through a confident, contemporary lens.
Seasonal thinking is visible throughout: spring brings Italian asparagus specials to the menu, and the kitchen has collaborated with sister restaurant Aromi for special evenings where both culinary teams combine their work into a single tasting menu.
Head sommelier Václav Vašek — trained in South Africa and across European fine dining — oversees a list built around natural Italian wines, the thread that runs through the entire La Collezione group. The restaurant's wine cellar is a space in its own right: a private, atmospheric room in the centre of Prague used for Italian wine tasting courses, tasting dinners, business evenings, and intimate celebrations.
The dining room itself reflects the same balance of elegance and ease that defines the Italian cuisine on the plate — a setting where lunch and dinner both feel considered, and where a dedicated pastry chef handles desserts with the same seriousness as the savory kitchen.
Recognition
Ambience
Details
History
The Italian restaurant La Finestra in Cucina in the heart of Prague will embrace you in a cozy atmosphere with pleasant lighting so you can see the gastronomic gems that will be served to you. The restaurant is dominated by a large glass window through which you can see Chef Roman Kintler at work. The staff are coordinated as a Swiss clockwork – from your entering, taking off your coat, seating at your table, to the service, which they handle with ease and naturalness. The wine list is the sommelier’s pride and joy – it begins with an impressive selection of sparkling wines, then it is divided by individual Italian regions. Once seated, you will first be served homemade bread and focaccia accompanied by homemade butter with truffle oil and roasted chickpeas, which should be rather banned for its addictiveness. This is followed by an amuse bouche in the form of marinated pineapple in piña colada, garnished with Japanese spices, then poultry liver pâté in a crispy pastry cup. For your antipasto, choose the imaginatively prepared beef tartare with marrow and truffle mayonnaise, served on a potato base in the form of a terrine. Next, try spaghetti al nero di sepia with lobster and cacciucco sauce, or a more distinctive option in the form of flounder fillet stuffed with leek and St. James scallop fricassee, all accompanied by white radish, shrimp croquettes seasoned with lemon mayonnaise, and Calvisius Royal caviar. However, this dish may not be to everyone’s taste, as the delicate flavor of the flounder, although well prepared, is overpowered by the strong taste of pepper. The sweet finish of hazelnut cream with nougat and vanilla ice cream will leave you in high spirits.
The Finestrina restaurant is located near the Old Town Square. Thanks to its beautiful interior with a dominant colorful chandelier, mirrored wall, and large windows, the space is airy and bright, offering a pleasant experience. Everything is based on the quality of the ingredients, service, and overall impression of the food. The staff and manager are pleasant, friendly, and fulfill customer requests with ease. The menu focuses on Italian cuisine and seafood; you will even find a separate seafood menu, including raw dishes – the ideal choice for lovers of oysters and everything from the sea. However, classic Italian dishes, such as homemade pasta, fish, risotto, and meat dishes are also available. The minestrone offered mussels, shrimp, and calamari. The burrata with grilled peppers was well seasoned, and the anchovies complemented the taste experience. The ombrina fillet with fried zucchini and hollandaise sauce was a bit saltier than it should have been. The linguine with lobster bisque and lobster pieces was nicely seasoned and spiced. The chocolate mousse offered a wonderfully refreshing taste at the end.
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