La Bottega Bistroteka is Prague great chef and restaurants owner Riccardo Lucque’s last addition to his Collezione, which includes under the same umbrella restaurants, Italian delicatessen, catering services, and a cooking school. I had the great pleasure to spend a few hours in this lovely neo bistro to create ambiance images of the opening of La Bottega Bistroteka. Riccardo’s botteghe (bottega means shop or workshop in Italian) are half delicatessen where you find fresh pasta, cheese, antipasti, bread, beautiful pastries and wine, half restaurant with a very relaxed yet elegant feel where I would personally have all my meals if I could — Don’t tell my countrymen that I much prefer the Italian cuisine to the French one… —

The kitchen is literally behind the counter and I enjoyed very much capturing the smooth ballet of the chefs and sous-chefs, waiters and waitresses, all quick and efficient yet calm and smiling, while a crowd of guests were happily savouring the many delicacies served in front of them. I must have been one of the happiest when after putting down my camera, I could myself eat a delicious Italian brunch!