Our story

Hi there, welcome home! How’s everything going? When you read this, we hope life is wrapping you in love, that you are gentle with yourself, and living life to its fullest. And now, let us share a little of the heart and soul behind Linh - Not-Just-A-Restaurant… (And this is Not-Just-A-Website, so this OUR STORY is quite unusual, but real.) Once upon a time, there was a Soul who carried these questions upon waking, throughout the day, and into sleep: What is the meaning of life? What is my purpose? Why am I here? What are we all really doing here? What destiny has given me this life as Linh, with this name, this face, this nationality, this family? The Soul felt lost in this vast world. Born in Vietnam and moved to a quiet Czech town at 14, the Soul saw life as an already written script: school - work - marriage - children - houses - cars - retirement… If this is all life is, then life is so small and limited, just a boring story we all already know. These questions lingered in the Soul’s heart for years, growing heavier and more painful as the world outside seemed mad and messy. People pursued power and material things, chasing fleeting pleasures and joys, and reaching for countless illusory things. One morning, the Soul awoke, not knowing how to face another day, only to step once more into the endless circle of life?. And this feeling was so terrifying and suffering - you are alive, yet not, present, yet lost. The Soul was like a ghost boat drifting across the vast ocean, with nowhere to anchor. A homeless Soul. But deep in the Soul’s heart burned a fire - a hope, a wish to seek the true beauty of life, to live fully and meaningfully, and to change the world. And first, be the change the Soul wished to see in the world. At nineteen, the Soul made a forever change: a plant-based life. There were many reasons (animals, health, respect for all living beings and our planet, the inner peace,...) but yet, no reasons at all, it-simply-felt-right. The Soul never thought of plant-based living as just a diet, but as the right path, the true nourishment for body, mind, and heart, and the right petrol, as if we were cars. And a whole new realm opened for the Soul. Life grew clearer, peaceful, and full of light. Inside the Soul, a beautiful garden of strength, peace, and hope grew and blossomed day by day. The storms and thunders of life are still here, but now there is a way, a why. We are like the sky, and all else is the weather. (Just a cute little story: it was ten years ago, when a plant-based diet was not that popular, and we were living in a small town in the Czech Republic, and I believe I was the only vegan there. So cool, right? Looking back, it feels kind of cute: I felt out of place everywhere. The Vietnamese community, especially my family, thought I wanted to become a nun, and the Czech community thought I was a weirdo, following some religion. But only I knew why, very clearly.) And the dream of a place like Linh was born, still blurry but powerful. A place where all is one, growing and harmonising - from self growth to the highest values of life. A place that feels like home, a living room for like-minded people, where love and kindness flow from heart to heart. A place that embodies the spirit of the legendary song “Imagine” by John Lennon. A place, where we—awakened dreamers—change the world. But no matter the dream, survival came first. So at 22, the Soul left the small town, family, and dogs, and went to Prague to work as a blue-collar worker, knowing no one in the city and with only a humble budget, and having no idea what the future held. But the Soul carried a lightness in spirit, and that was truly enough. Every day, as the Soul went to work, the body was in the office, but the spirit wandered far, far away, even beyond the sun and the moon. The dream of Linh kept blossoming, growing bigger and brighter, like a fire burning in the heart. The dream roared like a fierce tiger trapped in a cage, longing to break free and run wild in the forest where it truly belongs. The Soul felt like a woodland fairy confined to a petting zoo, yearning for the freedom of the wild. “And when you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it.” - Paulo Coelho, The Alchemist. At 24, the Soul took a bank loan, opened the first Linh in 2020, a humble bistro with just a few tables. Seven days later, COVID lockdowns hit, and the whole of Prague shut down. Not just the loan, the rent, or the salary for a cook at the bistro, the Soul had also rented a house so Mom and the dogs could move to Prague. Because family matters, and togetherness comes first. But was the Soul even nervous or afraid? No! The Soul was a dreamer, dreaming day and night with eyes wide open, determined to make it happen. A stubborn dreamer, biting onto dreams like a pitbull clenching a bone, never letting go until they bloomed into reality. And as Friedrich Nietzsche said, “He who has a why to live can bear almost any how.” The Why was clear, no fear could hold the Soul back. Even in the hardest times, as the world facing Covid, the business shutting down, pockets empty but the Soul felt destiny and purpose taking shape, and the Sou was touching the dream coming true and stepping-onto-the-right-path. 2020 was a year of building the first stages of Mom and Daughter, working from morning to night, learning from scratch, and developing new skills like baking, making sauces,... and anything we could try. It was also the year Mom discovered her passion for plant-based food, bringing new meaning and joy into our days. In 2021, some money was saved, though not enough to fully transform the place. Linh moved to a bigger location in the center. The older brother joined, mastering the skills of a chef, and Linh became a family-run place with Mom, Daughter, Son and Sisters-in-law (who later joined as a waitress). Business in the center was good, and the team had more than 10 employees but the Soul never forgot the original dream - Not Just A Restaurant. And it happened in April 2024. Finally, NOT JUST A RESTAURANT. NOT JUST A RESTAURANT. A place where you feel home, where you feel loved. Where your good days shine even brighter, and on your hard days, the grey clouds are squeezed into hot-chocolate cotton candy. We are home. A shared dream, a living room for like-minded people to grow, spread love and light, and come together to create harmony and happiness. A magical place that feels like stepping into a fairy tale, with little pieces of art, love, soul, spirit, and joy in every detail. Still a restaurant, but after years of growth, we’ve come to understand how truly important food, drink, and what we put on our bodies really are. We already knew so much about food that could satisfy hunger or provide nutrients, but now we focus on food with high energy for the whole system - Body, Mind, and Soul. And this is the food and drink in our place, when meals become an energy flow, nurturing your body and heart, bringing calm, peace, strength, and clarity. Food that becomes love and light, wrapping your heart in comfort and leaving a touch of magic in your day. Food that feels like coming home, no matter where life finds you. Yes, we often seek far and wide for something greater, grand adventures, big changes, life’s milestones, and yet a grounded life begins simply with what we eat, what we drink, how we speak, and the small, mindful acts we choose each day. Our body is a living temple, let us care for it together. 🍀 A place where not only guests feel at home, but our team feels like coming to work is coming to life. We are like one big, caring family, growing and supporting each other in every area of life. And Not Just A Restaurant. No matter where you’re from or where you are, you come as if coming home, and leave with a little light in your heart. Wherever life takes you, the energy of this place stays with you, through your highs and lows, as if we are a piece of your soul. And yes, this is the long short story beyond Linh - Not Just A Restaurant. But this life journey of the Soul is only just beginning… When the Soul looked back, it was a little dream that had begun alone, like a tiny firefly in the dark, holding onto a small light. But as the Soul kept going, one by one, others joined, until the forest, and even the sky, was lit by thousands of beautiful fireflies. Now, together, we reach for the moon. And why did the Soul name the place Linh? Linh is the name Mom gave the Soul. And in Vietnamese, Linh means “Soul”, “Spirit”, or “It came true.” Dreams and the manifestation of life don’t come true overnight. Even when we dream of a blue sky, grey clouds, thunder, and storms will appear before it clears. We may dream of a simple fruit tree, but along the way there will always be rain, wind, and fierce weather. But if we wake up and go to sleep with the dream, the wish in our hearts - just dream - and do. The whole universe is already with us, always. When we take the steps, when we follow the calling of the soul, others will respond. All together, it becomes a symphony between us and the whole universe. The dream, the belief, the mission - no longer just ours, but a shared dream, carried and nurtured by many. And the reality that unfolds is even more beautiful than the dreams we once imagined. Our dream is like a sunflower, once we plant the seed, nurture it, and care for it, it can grow into a beautiful garden, spreading seeds everywhere… And why is the OUR STORY so unusual, so long? Because we know, once the Soul can do it, anyone can. Linh in Vietnamese means “Soul”, “Spirit”, or “It came true.” We wish us all a beautiful journey in this lifetime. May all our dreams come true. May we all grow into the people we are meant to be, living fully into our potential and life purpose. We truly believe we can become professional good people who change the world with our kindness, wisdom and strength. Just as the Soul has always believed, Linh is a magical high-five between our spirit and the whole universe… So, from our hearts to yours. WELCOME HOME, and let’s walk this path together!.