About us
KRO = Fine-dining skill, casual vibe
At the heart of KRO is a simple idea: everyday food should bring people joy because it's thoughtfully made, delicious, healthy, and prepared from scratch.
Vojta Václavík, KRO's founder and co-owner, worked as a chef in fine-dining restaurants in the Czech Republic and Norway. This experience made him realise that he could take the techniques and philosophy from high-end kitchens and apply them to a more accessible “everyday” concept. A few years later, in 2019, the first KRO on Vinohradská Street was born.
KRO = NOSE TO TAIL
Once we've sourced the best ingredients possible, we treat them with respect and waste nothing. We use the whole chicken—every part of the bird, from fat and bones to giblets. The same goes for vegetables and other ingredients. What we don't use directly in our dishes gets pickled, dried, made into sauces and syrups, powdered, fermented, turned into drinks...you name it.
For us, circularity and zero waste aren't just buzzwords to throw around on social media. They're the foundation of both our creativity and our philosophy.
KRO = Cooking from scratch
We make most things in-house at our prep kitchen and fermentation lab in Vršovice—from kimchi, tempeh, and other ferments to syrups, kombucha, spices, sauces, and cream cheese. You can enjoy these ingredients both in our dishes and your own kitchen, as they're available for purchase at all our locations. Our sourdough bread and pastries are baked fresh at KRO Bakery near Palmovka, where you can watch the entire process through the glass walls.
Our core ingredients come from long-standing suppliers who share our values—chickens from Druhaz Farm; vegetables and fruit mainly from the farmers' market at Jiřího z Poděbrad square, just steps from our Vinohrady location; flour from the stone mill in Krišnův Dvůr or the Pekárek mill in the Czech-Moravian Highlands; dairy from Agralka, David Kolman in Krasolesí and oat milk from Živina; eggs from Z louky or Kubát; cheese from Skala's dairy; sausages from our butcher Jirka in Střimelice; natural wine from Alma Wines, our sister import company; ciders from friends who make them using traditional methods.
This way of working—with a network of trusted suppliers built on careful research, mutual respect, reliability, and genuine friendships—is the foundation of everything we do.
KRO = THE CHICKEN OR THE EGG?
Well, neither, actually! Our first bistro at Jiřího z Poděbrad initially focused on grilled pork knuckles, but we soon realised that our childhood favorite and true first love—grilled chicken from the once-ubiquitous rotisserie stands—was in far greater demand. The chicken won.
We transformed this childhood nostalgia into something uncompromisingly packed with flavor: quality chicken marinated overnight in our own umami-rich spice blend of fermented onions, peppers, and herbs, then roasted to golden perfection in our rotisserie and served in signature combos, salads, and (reimagined) classics like chicken in paprika sauce.
KRO = HOSPITALITY AND REFRESHMENT
Literally. In harbour towns across Norway, you'll often find small inns and pubs called "KRO"—Norwegian for tavern or roadside inn. Vojta Václavík loved the distinctive, memorable word as a name for the bistro concept taking shape in his mind. "And when friends told me it's pronounced the same as 'crew' in English, it was a no-brainer. My youth was all about my street crew—my friends I painted graffiti and got into all kinds of trouble with." Growing up in Strašnice and training in Norwegian kitchens came together in his vision for [krů].
KRO = UMAMI AND JUSTICE FOR ALL
We believe every guest deserves a great meal and drink, regardless of dietary preferences or restrictions. We love finding umami everywhere—whether it's from meat, tempeh, or cabbage. (After all, even our eggnog contains miso paste.) We give vegetables as much love as meat-based dishes, if not more, and treat low- and no-alcohol drinks with the same care as full-strength cocktails. Short on time? You don't have to settle. Our fast-casual cafes in Vinohrady, Vršovice, and Libeň will keep you well-fed any time of day.
KRO = COMMUNITY
You can't build a great business without a great team—something we believe wholeheartedly. The KRO spirit comes from the effort of everyone who works here, day in and day out: in the kitchens, on the floor, at the bakery, and in the prep kitchen.
We're also grateful to our network of friends, artists, collaborators, farmers, and suppliers—people we love working with on pop-ups, collabs, and special projects. All of this creativity and energy builds a vibrant KRO community and creates places where we genuinely love to eat.
Work with us
Feel like joining our /kruː/? Check out our current job vacancies, or let us know if you have a dream job in mind.
