Central And Eastern Europe Brings A Fresh Flavor To Dining Out
From new venues to new foodie concepts, bars and restaurants in major cities in Central and Eastern Europe are rethinking their menus, design and location to better appeal to locals and tourists.
Amid the growing focus on high-quality food and social-media friendly spaces, today's customers have higher expectations than ever before. Furthermore, the growing affluence of Polish customers means 41 percent more is now spent on eating out than 10 years ago, according to a JLL report.
Amid the growing focus on high-quality food and social-media friendly spaces, today's customers have higher expectations than ever before. Furthermore, the growing affluence of Polish customers means 41 percent more is now spent on eating out than 10 years ago, according to a JLL report.
In the neighbouring Czech Republic, purchasing power is also rising. That's giving restaurateurs confidence to launch and expand - and feel less dependent purely on the tourist spend, says Tomáš Soukup, head of retail for the Czech Republic at JLL.
As a result, dining options are moving beyond the typical pork and dumplings to Nordic-style bakeries and independent newcomers.
"You could argue that there have always been two sets of clientele in Prague - tourists seeking the classic Czech menus, and young professionals out for a meal or drink after work," says Soukup. "But there's also a new wave of locals and tourists keen for new mid-range eating and drinking experiences that offer something a little different."