Why pancakes are more than just breakfast.

1) Bistro Den a Noc – how did this idea come to life? Who is behind it?

The faces behind Bistro Den a Noc are the husband-and-wife duo, the Střechas. The idea of opening their own bistro was a natural evolution—Marta has always had a love for baking and cooking, while Petr brought a passion for wine, beverages, and gastronomy in general. By blending their unique interests and skills, they decided to build a business of their own.

2) Why did you choose pancakes as the bistro's signature product?

Pancakes hold a personal story for us—Marta has loved them since her childhood, when her grandmother used to make them. When we were thinking about offering something unique to a market that lacked such a concept in the Czech Republic, pancakes were our clear and first choice. They combine tradition and emotion with a vast space for creativity—in both sweet and savory forms.

3) The bistro has been offering the best pancakes for over 10 years—how has it changed over the years? And how have you changed?

Since we had no direct comparison or competition at the beginning, we evolved quite dramatically as we gained experience. The first major change was the introduction of lactose-free and gluten-free pancakes, which we launched after only about six months of operation. At the time, that was truly unusual. Today, these options make up approximately 20% of our total sales. Every year, we also adapt our flavor combinations to the season and our suppliers.

As for ourselves, we try to stay the same. The first two years of operation were very demanding, and that is exactly why we strive to maintain modesty, humility, patience, and trust in our staff.

4) Do you have a symbol or a ritual that has been with you from the start and is part of your bistro's identity?

We don't really have one specific symbol or ritual. But whenever we succeed at something, we give each other a proper high-five and open a bottle of good wine—that's a tradition that has been with us since the very beginning.

5) How are new recipes created? Who is the mastermind and who is the taster?

The foundation is the dough—we never change its quality, consistency, or taste. It's our family recipe. New flavor combinations are mostly inspired by visits to great restaurants or current trends (like matcha and so on). Marta is the main initiator of new recipes, while the tasters are all the family members. We also try to involve our children—once in a while, we have a "pancake dinner" where we test new combinations and fine-tune what could potentially be added to the menu. Sometimes nothing sticks, other times we all agree and introduce a new item.

6) What is the biggest pancake hit? And is there a favorite combination that surprised you?

Many people love the breakfast classics, so the combination of scrambled eggs, bacon, and pancakes is very popular. Among the more unique options, the pancake with halloumi, avocado, and hummus is a huge hit. As for the sweet variations, salted caramel leads the way. In the early days, we were surprised by the popularity of the bacon, maple syrup, and banana combination. We'll probably be adding it back to the menu soon.

7) What would you personally never put on a pancake?

You certainly wouldn't find artificial flavorings, cheap substitutes, ketchup, or the famous Nutella chocolate spread at our place—those things simply don't belong on our pancakes. However, people often have very unusual tastes and surprise us every day with requests for extra ingredients. We've seen orders like whipped cream with scrambled eggs or ice cream with bacon. In such cases, our staff points out with a smile that we cannot accept complaints regarding the final taste!

8) What kind of guests visit you most often? Do they come for brunch or an afternoon treat with coffee?

Our bistro is located in the very heart of Prague, so tourists from all over the world make up the majority of our guests. At the same time, we try to reach out to locals and motivate them to take a trip to the city center for breakfast or brunch. If someone loves pancakes, they usually find us—we believe we make the best ones in Prague, and perhaps in the entire country. We often get messages from foreign guests saying they were the best pancakes they've ever had. Feedback like that always warms our hearts and gives us the energy to keep doing what we do.

9) Do you have regular customers who have been with you for the full 10 years?

Yes, we do. In addition to our Czech guests, we are regularly visited by international ones, though they tend to come more sporadically. They often send their friends to us when they are visiting Prague.

10) If you had to summarize what Bistro Den a Noc means to you in three words, what would they be?

Story. 

Love (for food). 

Work.