Tourists come to Prague every year to enjoy the historical heritage, magnificent architecture and national cuisine. The location of the Czech Republic has influenced the formation of culinary traditions. Over the centuries, the Czech food culture has developed under the influence of German-Austrian cuisine in the west, Hungarian cuisine in the south, and Slavic cuisine in the east. From the western part, sausages and cabbage dishes came to Czech cuisine, from the southern part - soups and goulash, and from the east - porridge and flour dishes. There are many restaurants with distinctive cuisine, so it is difficult to choose where to eat deliciously and inexpensively in Prague.
What national dishes are worth trying
At first glance, it seems that Czech cuisine is too simple. It consists of meat and poultry dishes, potatoes and dough products. These delicacies pair perfectly with the main drink in the Czech Republic - beer. The Czechs themselves say that their national cuisine is based on the trinity of meat-dumplings-beer.
You can read about the peculiarities of different types of beer and get acquainted with the map of beer establishments in the capital of the Czech Republic in the article "Beer establishments in the capital of the Czech Republic Prague".
Soups occupy an important place in the national cuisine. Czechs love thick, rich broth soups and sweet and sour soups with cabbage, sour milk or apples. Most visitors are delighted with soups in bread.
| Traditional Czech soups | Description |
|---|---|
| Bramborova polevka or bramboracka | Thick potato soup with smoked meats or mushrooms of your choice. Sour cream and flour are used for dressing. Serve - more often in bread. |
| Gulasova polevka | Goulash soup. The soup is based on beef, pork and poultry (sometimes rabbit). In addition to meat, chicken or duck giblets are sometimes added to the soup. Served in bread. |
| Cesnekova polevka | Garlic soup. The thickening of the soup is achieved by adding beaten eggs. You can also choose from a thin version of this soup without eggs. |
| Koprova polevka | Dill soup with sour milk, to which sour cream and a lot of greens are added. It is considered an effective hangover cure. |
| Cibulova polevka | Onion soup with cheese and dried bread slices. The basis of the soup is meat broth, and the onions are fried in lard. |
Boar knee, ribs in honey and svichkova are popular main dishes of the national cuisine. Thus, Czechs prefer meat dishes with side dishes for the second.
| Traditional second courses | Description |
|---|---|
| Baked pork knee (Pecene veprove koleno) | The dish is prepared from pork shank. The traditional recipe involves first boiling in broth or beer with onions, garlic and spices, and then grilling. |
| Baked pork ribs in honey (Pecena veprova zebirka v medu) | The main thing in this dish is the honey-based marinade. Before baking the ribs, they are carefully marinated. |
| Vepro-knedlo-zedlo | The dish consists of baked pork, dumplings and cabbage. Before serving, the dish is poured abundantly with gravy. |
| Svickova na smetane | This is a young beef stew (tenderloin) with sauce. The first stage of cooking is placing the meat in the marinade for 2 days. The sauce is stewed vegetables in meat broth with the addition of cream or sour cream. |
Among Czechs, their favorite second courses are also fried pork chop in breadcrumbs, baked pork liver, beef goulash with dumplings, baked duck or goose, lamb with rosemary, baked carp or trout.
We should also talk about Czech garnishes separately. Side dishes are divided into 2 parts - dumplings and everything else.
Every self-respecting housewife in the Czech Republic knows how to cook at least 3 types of dumplings - potato, bread and sweet.
Each Czech region has its own special way of cooking. But the common thing is that dumplings are cooked in steam or in boiling water, but they consist of a doughy mass of various ingredients. Due to the low-expressive taste, the dumplings absorb all the flavors of the main dish.
| Traditional side dishes | Description |
|---|---|
| Bramborova kase | Mashed potatoes. Well complements meat dishes with thick sauces. |
| Bramborove hranolky | Czech variation of French fries. |
| Krokety | Deep-fried potato balls. May take other forms. |
| Dusene zeli (cabbage stew) and Dusene kysane zeli (sauerkraut stew) | The base of the garnish is sauerkraut. Can be served separately as a dish. It goes best with shank, baked ribs and drowned fish. |
| Fazolove lusky | Green beans, boiled or stewed. |
Czech cuisine also includes traditional beer snacks. Drinking beer in the Czech Republic is a centuries-old tradition that visitors are happy to support. The snack has only two purposes: to emphasize the delicate taste of the drink and the appearance of thirst for ordering the next glass.
| Traditional beer snacks | Description |
|---|---|
| Pickled Hermeline | Translated into Russian, hermelin is an ermine. " This is a type of soft, fatty cheese with a white mold. The cheese tastes like French Camembert. The appetizer is prepared for 2 weeks in a marinade prepared with vegetable oil and spices. The cheese gets its exquisite aroma from onions, garlic, allspice and black pepper, thyme, chili pepper, bay leaf and feferoni pepper. |
| Drowned | These are fatty meat sausages that are marinated for two weeks. Then they are served by cutting lengthwise and placing slices of tomatoes, pickled onions, sweet peppers, pickles and pepperoni in the cut. |
| Olomouc cheeses | Ripening curd cheese with a peculiar taste and smell. Recommended for use with toast with butter. |
| Beef tartar | Raw ground beef with egg yolk. Seasoned with spices and served with crisp bread. |
Prague is actively visited by millions of tourists, so street food is an integral part of the city.
Popular street foods include hot dogs (parek), side-fried sausages and shawarma. A variant of the Czech shawarma (bramborak) is ham, bacon, salami with herbs and vegetables wrapped in a potato pancake.
Take a sociological survey!
List of famous restaurants in Prague
There are many establishments in Prague with distinctive Czech cuisine. Below is a list of establishments where every tourist can have a tasty snack at a reasonable price.
Restaurant-brewery U dvou kocek
The restaurant was opened in 1678. The interior is decorated in traditional Czech medieval style. Live music plays here every evening - Czech melodies or modern hits in folklore.
The theme of cats in this restaurant is everywhere - in the interior design, the names of dishes and beers.
A large mug of beer will cost 80 CZK. The menu is presented in four languages - Czech, English, German and Russian. The total includes water, bread, spices and even live music. The restaurant has 180 seats.
Prices:
- Light soup - 29 CZK;
- a large portion of spaghetti - 98 CZK;
- steak - 298 CZK;
- a large mug of beer - 80 CZK.
Restaurant address: Uhelny trh 415/10, Praha 1.
Working hours: 11.00-23.00
Check the details on the official website or by phone - +420 224 229 982.
U Bansethu Restaurant
In 2007, the Sousedsky pivovar Basta microbrewery was built. Ten years later, Basta is a brewery complex that includes a bakery, a brewery and the U Bansethu restaurant.
The restaurant has rooms for smokers and non-smokers. Table reservations start at 14.00, as the place is very popular.
The cost of lunch is only 100-150 CZK. The establishment has a special lunch menu that includes a main course, salad, dessert and a wheat drink.
The price of the most popular drink - beer - ranges from 14 to 40 CZK per 0.5 liter.
Restaurant address: Taborska 389/49, Praha 4.
Working hours: from 11.00 to 24.00
Specify details on the official page or by phone - +420 261 222 530.
V Cipu Restaurant
The restaurant with low prices and Czech cuisine is located in the center of Prague. The institution will delight visitors with delicious and huge portions. Tourists recommend taking the following items from the menu: boar knee, ribs, baked duck, drowned fish and fresh vegetable salad.
Restaurant address: Michalska 459/25, Praha 1.
Working hours: from 11.00 to 23.00
Check the details on the website https://www.vcipu.cz/en/ or call +420 775 007 107.
Zvonarka Restaurant
A restaurant with an average price level will delight visitors with a large selection of drinks in the bar. The bar menu includes aperitifs, liqueurs, cocktails, Czech liqueurs (plum brandy, grushovitsa), vodka, wine and Czech beer.
Visitors recommend eating pork neck with green beans, chicken steak with pineapple and potatoes baked in foil with garlic.
Restaurant address: Safarikova 1, Praha.
Opening hours: Monday to Thursday from 11.30 to 24.00, Friday - from 11.30 to 1.00, Saturday - from 12.00 to 24.00, Sunday - from 12.00 to 23.00.
Check the details on the official page or call - +420 224 251 990.
Ferdinanda Restaurant
The restaurant is located near the Charles Bridge. Like most establishments in Prague, Ferdinand's restaurant is located in an underground room.
The restaurant is part of a brewery that opened in 2009, so visitors are always welcomed with freshly brewed beer for lunch.
The institution accommodates a large number of visitors, so it is good to gather here and dine with a large company.
The menu is varied and the prices are reasonable:
- Greek salad - 85 CZK;
- pork steak - 153 crowns;
- spicy pickled sausages - 65 CZK;
- branded beer - 29 CZK for a large mug.
Restaurant address: Politickych veznu 19.
To clarify the details, call - +420 222 244 302.
Steak Hracanska Restaurant
The establishment is located near the Hracanska metro station. It has a good value for money and specializes in steak cooking.
Visitors recommend trying duck leg and beef broth snacks.
Restaurant address: Milady Horakove 125.
Opening hours: from 11.00 to 24.00 daily
To clarify the details, go to the official website or call - +420 233 320 116.
Budget canteens in Prague
The planned expenses are different for each traveler. Therefore, not everyone can afford to go to the best restaurants or even cafes with an average price level. For budget tourists, there are inexpensive canteens and fast foods in Prague.
Among the popular canteens, it is worth noting:
- Jidelna Malesice,
- Lidova jidelna Tesnov,
- Liberske lahudky,
- Rychle Obcerstveni On Na Mustku Street.
The average bill in these establishments is 100-200 kroons.
In Jidelna Malesice, visitors are offered three types of menus and soup. While you wait for your meal, croquettes are brought in for a snack. To clarify the details, go to the official website and call - +420 733 532 178. The institution is located at Vrsovicka 68/1429.
Lidova jidelna Tesnov prepares 6 dishes of your choice, 1 type of soup and 5 vegetable salads. You can eat at the restaurant or take food with you. Every day, all items on the menu are served from 10.30 to 19.00.
Soft drinks cost 4 CZK, wine 30 CZK, tea 8 CZK and coffee 10 CZK. Bottled drinks cost up to 15 CZK and beer up to 25 CZK.
For more details, follow the link. The institution is open from Monday to Friday from 10.30 to 19.00.
Another inexpensive place for a bite to eat is Liberske lahudky. There is a large selection of salads, snacks (canapes, toasts, ciabatta), pastries, a couple of types of soup are always offered. You can order lunch to go, while the prices are very affordable.
To view the menu and clarify the details, go to the official website or call +420 777 599 727. Regardless of where you are staying, it will be convenient for you to get to this institution, since Liberske lahudky is available throughout Prague (see the map).
Cheap dining places include the Peklo restaurant, which is located in the Svetozor shopping center at 39 Vodichkova St. Do not confuse it with the elite restaurant of the same name.
Lovers of exotic cuisine at reasonable prices should visit the Sapa Asian market in the southern part of Prague, where they sell both things and groceries. There are small Asian restaurants, the most popular of which is the Chinese restaurant Hai Ha.
The Thai restaurant The Noodle bar is located in Prague 4. In this place, the main course costs about 140 CZK, but it is worth trying.
Cafe with pastries and pastries
Having tried all the dishes of Czech cuisine, the tourist must taste at least one Czech dessert. On every street in Prague, there is either a café-pastry shop, or a fragrant bakery, or a sweet shop.
The national Czech pastry is called kolac. It is a sweet bread baked with hazelnuts, poppy seeds, curd or plum jam.
The prices for desserts are affordable, for example, cheesecake will cost 40 CZK. But do not try desserts in places that are in demand among tourists. There, prices will be overpriced.
Cafe Paul
This network of French bakeries is represented in many countries around the world. The first bakery appeared in France in the city of Croix in 1889. In Prague, Paul stores are concentrated in all popular shopping centers.
Desserts and pastries are prepared exclusively using French technology. The menu contains more than 140 items. Here you can have breakfast with a croissant with aromatic coffee, a muffin, a light piece of cake or pastry. The average price of one item ranges from 20 to 30 CZK.
For more details, go to the official website. The site also has an online store where you can order desserts and pastries at home.
Cafe Paneria
The Paneria chain offers a wide selection of pastries. Visitors recommend trying the specialty cakes in one of the twenty establishments of this chain in Prague.
All positions are presented here at affordable prices. For example, a 1 kg strawberry cake will cost 315 CZK. Price for 1 piece - 42 CZK.
For details and addresses, follow the link.
Cafe Ovocny Svetozor
The first café in Prague was founded in 1992. Today the network includes 9 such cafes throughout the city. The assortment in the pastry shop is very large - sandwiches, pastries, cakes, ice cream. Dessert prices are moderate - from 40 to 70 CZK.
Low prices do not scare visitors: the chain has an excellent reputation, they monitor the freshness and quality of products.
For details and addresses, go to the official website of the Ovocny Svetozor network.
Beer establishments in Prague
The first brewery in the Czech Republic was opened in 1087. In those days, according to tradition, beer producers tasted competitors' drinks: if the drink did not suit the taste, it was poured onto the ground in the square, and the producer was beaten with rods.
Since the Middle Ages, beer has been considered a symbol of the country.
And after a thousand years in the capital of the Czech Republic there are beer bars and restaurants on every corner. Their number is so great that it is difficult for a traveler to make a choice of where to go.
| Pub name | Description | Address | Working hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brewery and restaurant "U Fleku" | The most famous Prague pub. There is a brewery of the same name, which was opened in the 15th century. Among the exclusive products is a dark thick beer with a caramel flavor. | Kremencova 1651/11 | Daily from 10.00 to 23.00 |
| Beer House "At St. Thomas" (U Sv. Tomase) | According to legend, this brewery was founded by monks in 1352. Arriving at the establishment, order 2 mugs of "Brannik" at once. | Letenska 33/12 | Every day from 11.00 to 24.00 |
| Beer House "U Kalicha" | This institution was mentioned by Jaroslav Hasek in the novel The Adventures of the Gallant Soldier Schweik. It is difficult to meet Czechs here, as the prices in the institution are high. The main “exhibit” of the pub is “Idle” beer. | Na Bojisti 1733/12 | Every day from 11.00 to 23.00 |
| Beer House "At the Black Ox" (U Cerneho Vola) | It is worth coming here to feel the spirit of old Prague. Mostly Czechs rest here. Smikhovsky's half-liter mug disposes to a quiet pastime. | Loretanske nam. 107/1 | Daily from 10.00 to 22.00 |
| Beer House "At the Golden Tiger" (U zlateho tygra) | The fame of this institution was brought by its visitors - Bill Clinton and Vaclav Havel. Places in the institution must be booked in advance. Obligatory for tasting the "Pilsen Urquell" mug. | Husova 228/17 | Every day from 15.00 to 23.00 |
| Brewery "Pivovarsky dum" | Previously, almost no one knew about the brewery, but now the owners constantly surprise visitors and residents with new brewing products. The most unusual positions are kavove pivo, as well as beer-champagne - pivny sekt. | Jecna 15 | Every day from 11.00 to 23.00 |
| Restaurant-beer house "U Mecenase" | Previously, this institution was only for the elite. It was attended by Tycho Brahe, Princess Diana, high-ranking officials of Czechoslovakia and Germany. Every waiter here will definitely offer a bittersweet “Budweiser” - a malt drink with the highest alcohol content. | Malostranske nam. 261/10 | Daily from 10.30 to 23.00 |
| Restaurant-beer house "U stare pani" | The institution is considered a favorite among the inhabitants of Prague. The beer is poured here so that the dense foam does not allow the pencil to fall. Lovers of light Staropramen, Gambrinus, Velvet, Krusovice gather here. | Michalska 441/9 | Daily from 11.30 to 23.00 |
Custom cafes in the Czech capital
There are many traditional Czech restaurants in Prague. But few people know about establishments with a unique atmosphere and mysterious history.
| Name of the establishment | Description | Address | Notes (edit) |
|---|---|---|---|
Medieval tavern "At the King of Brabant" (Krcma U krale Brabantskeho) | The oldest inn in Prague, opened in 1375. Here, antique furniture, skulls and candlesticks add ambiance to the establishment. The main feature of the establishment is the medieval show. The cost of the show program is 8 euros. | Thunovska 198/15 | Details on website |
| Primeval Pravek Restaurant | Rock paintings, stone chairs, animal skins - all this takes the visitor back to the Stone Age. There is no cutlery here, you have to eat with your hands. | Sokolska 60 (this is where the show takes place) | - |
| Old Bohemian restaurant "Monastic tavern" (Klasterni senk) | Locals love this place for the atmosphere of warmth, comfort and tranquility. The restaurant is located on the territory of the current Brzhevnovsky monastery. The monks themselves bake the bread for the restaurant. And the pork knee is the best in town. | Marketska 1/28 | Details on the site |
| Beer Bar The PUB | Each table in the bar is equipped with a beer dispensing system. There is no need to wait for the waiter, and the glasses are counted by the machine. | Veleslavinova 3 | Details on the site |
| Restaurant "Locomotive depot" (Vytopna) | Both locals and tourists visit the institution with children, who will surely be delighted. Each table has rails, and orders are pulled by a locomotive. Each locomotive brings 12 mugs at a time. | Vaclavske nam. 56 (palace Fenix) | - |
| Coyotes Praha | This is the place for lovers of nightlife. The main feature of the establishment is the incendiary dances of the barmaids on the bar counter. | Male namesti 2 | Details on the site (there is a Russian version) |
| OBLACA cafe, bar and restaurant | The establishment is located inside the restored Zizkov Tower, which is 66 meters high. | Tower Park Praha, Mahlerovy sady 1 | Details on the site |
Finally
The Czech Republic and its capital Prague are not considered a gourmet paradise like France or Italy. But at the same time, local restaurants and cafes offer travelers hearty, tasty and inexpensive dishes of Czech national cuisine. The portions in Prague, as well as throughout the Czech Republic, are huge and the prices are moderate.
Prague is famous for its freshly brewed beer, which is pleasant to taste with a selection of traditional snacks. Day and night in Prague, establishments are rarely open, so it is better to know the opening hours in advance. And in popular establishments, it is better to book a table in advance.
