Tucked away down an alleyway, trasporting you from the bustling streets of the Old Town, Lehká Hlava offers vegetarian and vegan dishes in Prague in an intimate, ambient setting.
Since opening in 2005, Lehká Hlava was born from the ethos that vegetarian and vegan food can be as exciting as meat. In a country known for its meat-heavy cuisine, Lehká Hlava has led the way in Prague for creative dishes from a diverse range of chefs, with influences from around the world. The name ‘Clear Head comes from the restaurant team’s belief that quality food nourishes more than just your body, infusing the soul with the lightness of health.
The dining areas across the restaurant have been designed to cultivate a unique experience reflecting different aspects of nature. With interior elements by local Czech artists across multiple rooms, As we took to our seats underneath a ceiling painted as a starry night sky, we took a dive into the menu to make some tough decisions on what to order…
Tempted by all the starters on the menu, we decided to order the ‘Small Clear Head’ sharing platter, giving us the chance to try a little bit of everything. The star of the show was the ‘Tofuie Gras’ – a vegan take on foie gras pâté, made from smoked tofu, barley miso and cashews. The result was a rich, thick pâté, perfect for smearing on the fresh toasted bread served with the starter platter.
The ‘vegan cracklings’ made from tempeh, onion and garlic had a softer consistency than standard crackling but were well-seasoned to more than make up for it. The Zucchini pesto has an unusual, earthy taste that was surprisingly more-ish, and the guacamole was just…great guacamole.
You can’t really go wrong with a Beyond Meat patty, and The Parmesan Pleasure Burger comes with a Gran Moravia cheese crisp topping that adds a cheese-packed crunch. Packed out with rocket, pickles and pickled red onion, it’s a solid stack that puts lacklustre other efforts to shame.
My main course of choice was the Teriyaki Noodles with Vegan Pork Belly. A relatively simple stir fry dish, the Teriyaki sauce packs a rich and tangy punch. The bite-size pieces of vegan pork belly added a softness to the rich textures of noodles and crisp vegetables, delivering an incredibly filling dish packed with goodness and delicious flavours.
Other options on the menu include Bourguignonne-style seitan, traditional Czech Svíčková, tofu Thai red curry and a burrito with shredded ‘no-beef’. Honestly, I wanted to eat my way through all of it. I was absolutely stuffed so begrudgingly skipped dessert, as much as the Vegan Snickers dessert was SERIOUSLY tempting me.
The prices at Lehká Hlava are pleasantly reasonable, especially when factoring in the central location and considering other restaurants in Prague’s Old Town. Starters range from 140-255 CZK (£4.75-£8.60), main courses come in between 265-385 CZK (£9-£13), and desserts 145-175 CZK (£5-£6). For our sharing platter, two main courses, and two beers, we paid 1200 CZK – just over £40.
If you’re looking for a vegetarian restaurant in Prague, I’d highly recommend Lehká Hlava, for a creative and exciting take on international cuisine. The clearly well-considered menu feels decadent enough to be a treat, but light and health-conscious enough that you won’t feel overly gluttonous. Even if you do decide to order the Vegan Snickers…
Lehká Hlava
Boršov 280/2, 110 00 Staré Město, Czechia
Website
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