U Matěje is a little of the beaten track in Prague 6, you’ll need to take the metro to Pražský hrad or Bořislavka metro and take a 131 bus to U Matěje. But don’t worry about directions – it isn’t worth the journey!
The head chef is Jan Punčochář and he writes:
“Having my own restaurant focused on Czech cuisine was my long-time dream. At Matěj we will do things honestly, as it has always been in this place. No small portions in the middle of the plates, but large portions in the middle of the tables.”
Prior to our visit, I’d checked https://www.umateje1.cz/ to see the menu and wine list. The menu looked like a modern take on Czech cuisine. The wine list was ridiculous; pages and pages of expensive wines and just a few by the glass – a miserly 0.125l. Just open their PDF list https://www.umateje1.cz/www/storage/menu/vinny-listek_200207153631.pdf and you’ll see what I mean.
The wine list had given me the impression that U Matěje was a fine-dining restaurant. The first views give the same impression.
Once inside, we soon realised that it was closer to a hospoda or German beer hall.
We took our seats and ordered a bottle of Domaine J.M.Boillot, Les Roques, Languedoc-Roussillon 2015 for 690 Kč and a 1l carafe of water 39 Kč. I realise that there is a misconception about red wines and room temperature – but our wine was a little chilly.
Unlike the website, menus were available in Czech and English.
We ordered a sharing plate of classic Czech pork specialities; sausage, black and white pudding, terrine 185 Kč. The waiter was friendly, but I got the impression that he’d been told he was delivering the most amazing food.
It was pretty good, but not amazing.
As we were four, we ordered another bottle of wine and carafe of water. I was pleased to see that the waiter brought a fresh glass for me to taste the new bottle and also faced the label toward me. The wine was again a little chilly. We were charged another 39 Kč for the water.
Then we went for ‘spider’ veal with dumplings 260 Kč.
It was a decent portion but really nothing amazing and something you could find in most Czech restaurants.
We were planning to ask for the bill when we saw a little piece of theatre with a chocolate egg. So we ordered one (140 Kč).
That was delicious and probably the best part of the meal.
U Matěje wasn’t terrible, but with the wine, our bill came to 3000 Kč for four. And that’s more than we’d want to spend for what we had.
U Matěje
160 00 Praha 6
Czech Republic
MON-SUN 11:30 – 23:00
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