A trio of Czech restaurants has secured a spot in La Liste’s prestigious 2026 ranking of the Top 1000 World’s Best Restaurants, marking a major milestone for the country’s evolving culinary scene.

The French-founded guide evaluates global restaurants using international media coverage, local reviews, and customer feedback. Until last year, only Prague’s celebrated La Degustation Bohême Bourgeoise made the list. In the new edition, it is joined by two restaurants outside the capital:

• Restaurant Papilio in Vysoké Újezd

• Restaurant Essens in the South Moravian village of Hlohovec near Valtice

La Degustation and Papilio both earned 77.00 points, while Essens followed with 75.00 points out of a possible 100.

Otto Vašák of Essens welcomed the recognition, saying the ranking helps Czech gastronomy gain visibility beyond national borders and strengthens connections with top global establishments.

This announcement arrives just ahead of the Michelin Guide’s first nationwide Czech edition, which will include restaurants across the entire country for the first time. The Michelin awards will be revealed on Dec. 11 in Mariánské Lázně.

The inclusion of Papilio and Essens highlights rising talents Jan Knedla and Otto Vašák, positioning them alongside current Michelin-starred Czech restaurants such as La Degustation and Field.