While Prague was sadly too commercial for me and it took me four days to discover places outside the city’s edge and non-tourist getaways, there’s a lot of ambiance and good food if you’re patient enough to scout…and travel a bit. Some of my favorite “food” experiences are fairly central however.
1. Restaurant V Zatisi on Lilova in old town Prague. This restaurant selection was top on our concierge’s list as well and I have to agree with him, it was top notch. V Zátiší restaurant was opened in 1991 as one of the first private restaurants in Prague. Since then, it has not only become an integral part of the lives of experienced food connoisseurs, but also a place where, away from the spotlight, Prague businessmen and diplomats like to meet and greet.
The unfortunate part about our dining experience was watching 90% of our tables looking at their mobile devices, answering text messages and emails rather than talking to each other.
On the plus side, the food and the wine was out of this world. I was so intrigued that they let me into the kitchen to see other dishes come out so I could get a taste of a wide array of dishes outside of what our table ordered.
They also have an elevator lift or should I say “device” that sits one person (one handicapped person) and delivers them along a stairway railing to the bottom where the bathrooms are located. Fascinating! (apparently not that uncommon in Prague they tell me although I didn’t see it anywhere else).
The restaurant’s interior is divided into two parts: there are three smaller rooms on the right upon entry that provide an ideal environment for pleasant and relaxed meetings while the left side is occupied by a bar and a larger room over viewing Betlemske square. Each of the rooms features a unique style as the restaurant’s interior was designed by renowned local design masters – Bára Škorpilová, Barbara Hamplová and Rony Plesl. Glass artefacts by the latter promote the unique feel.
6. Lary Fary on Dklouha 30 (which btw is a quaint street full of boutiques and shops). This is not a classic Czech restaurant and feels more cosmopolitan European than anything else, however it’s a great place for a business lunch if you happened to be there on business or a lunch for two at table facing the outside open doors which face Dklouha. Their dishes are also on the lighter side, so there are plenty of salads and soups to choose from. Dishes include giant oriental kebabs, South American steaks, shrimp, Couscous, Tex-Mex, spicy Thai dishes and Sushi. They also have live guitar playing several nights throughout the week.
7. COMO Restaurant looks out onto Wenceslas Square and is located in New Town Prague. Stylish, with plenty of ambiance, COMO serves a Mediterranean menu and is a great place if you are in a group. They also have live music most nights.
8. U Mecenase, one of the oldest restaurants in Prague, is set on Lesser Town Square, in the heart of the Lesser Town (Mala Strana). You may well be seated in the place where Jan Mydlar, the famous Prague executioner used to sit in the 1620s. It is located on Malostranske namesti 10, Lesser Town, Prague 1.
9. Gabrielle Restaurant is set in a beautifully restored gothic cellar in the heart of the Old Town in Prague. Head chef is Gabriele Feliciani, who hails from the Italian region of Abruzzo. Having worked in Michelin starred restaurants, he has brought his wide understanding of the Italian gastronomic culture to Prague, cooking authentic Italian cuisine in unique surroundings. Music is huge in Prague if you haven’t noticed by the trend of live music in restaurants and cafes. They have live piano every Friday and Saturday nights.
10. Kampa Park Restaurant is one of Prague’s finest restaurants, is set in an exclusive location beside the river on Kampa Island, right next to Charles Bridge. Kampa Park offers flamboyantly presented international fare, including a superb selection of fresh seafood, classic Czech wild game dishes and innovative meat selections.
11. Tri Stoteli, which is a restaurant I literally fell on after discovering one of my favorite art galleries in the city nearby. Inside the restaurant, ancient history meets a relaxing spa-like ambiance. An area of the restaurant that resembles more of a courtyard has a pool of water with fish, sounds trickling like a waterfall around it. Tables and chairs surround this peaceful area as you sit back and take in various samples of Czech and French wine.
I tried the Boar leg ragout with dried cranberries and juniper, the goat cheese balls wrapped in pistachio and red currant chutney and the duck foie gras terrine with hot sour cherries and shavings of dark chocolate.
Other dishes on the menu worth a try include oyster mushrooms with paprika and garlic with dijon mustard and herbs, avocado carpaccio with smoked salmon, lemon pepper and cut shallots, and the Czech (Bohemian) style potato and sour cream soup “kulajda” served with a fried egg. They also serve various salads and a lovely selection of main dishes, which range from chicken, beef, pork and vegetarian to pastas.
See my standalone review of the restaurant here.
12. Little Whale Restaurant on Maltezske nam. 15 in Prague 1. I discovered this restaurant by accident after leaving a photo exhibit along the main drag and venturing into a little courtyard area which also houses a great little art gallery. They serve smoked mackerel with poached eggs, risotto primavera with herbs, spanish mussels with garlic in calvados, bruschetta with garlic, braised octopus with arugular a’aioli, and duck liver with cucumbers and apples. Not unlike other cafes and restaurants in this courtyard area, the influence is mostly French.
13. Jewel Cafe/Bar on Rytirska 3. This was another restaurant I fell upon and literally threw myself into because it was hailing down with rain that had me chilled for hours in what should have been August sunshine. While they do serve wine on the menu, what you should really order here is mixed drinks and cocktails – they do a great job at them, including a Bloody Mary Martini collection of evening cocktails served in a shaker. They also serve the prestigious Alfred Gratien champagne.
The place is modern and hip with lots of pink, black, gray and simple clean lines throughout the restaurant. Pillows are also thrown throughout on some of the benches that sit up against the walls. One other thing to note is that they have a boutique hotel connected to their restaurant.
14. Staromacek I on Stupartska 6 in Prague. The main reason I chose this place was for its charm – it’s charm over its food. If you want to grab a lunch here — sandwiches, beer, salads, soups and classic dishes, it’s a good choice. It’s a tad commercial though and in a touristy area but the prices aren’t overwhelmingly expensive and the ambiance is adorable.
15. El Centro Restaurant & Bar – located on Maltezske Namesti 9 in Prague. I absolutely fell in love with the ambiance of this place and it’s a stone’s throw from Little Whale in the artsy courtyard where French influence reigns. It’s very Spanish in style and while they have a very poor selection of wine by the glass, they have an excellent assortment of wines by the bottle. In other words, go in a small group if you can — also makes for fun sharing of their countless unique dishes.
16. Vysoky Dum 99 Rustic Restaurant on U Luzicheho Seminare 15 in Prague 1. (Mala Strana). Vysoky Dum 99 is a very quaint, rustic and family style restaurant that serves traditional Czech cuisine in a typical nenakašírovaném and rustic environment. You can opt for the goulash with homemade dumplings, which Swallow Pilsner “Pilsner Urquell” or a delicious wine from Moravia.
The eatery is incredibly quaint and rustic and in the winter months, you can sit by the fire or in their flower garden. The place is located in a Renaissance building right next to the Charles Bridge. The interior is very sensitively furnished with antique furniture in rustic style and historic tiles.
17. Klasterni Senk, a restaurant inside one of the ancient monastery buildings at Brevnovsky Klaster. The monastery was established in 993 and is the oldest monastery in Bohemia. It’s located on the outskirts of Prague – take Tram 22 and stop off at Brevnovsky Klaster. (it’s the restaurant inside the church).
18. Angel which is located at V kolkovne 7 in Prague has star chef Sofia Smith who is known for her alchemistic concoctions of Asian spices and central European staples such as lamb shank, pork belly, and duck. Angel’s 2008 opening was the culinary event of the year — you can read more about the restaurant from Frommers here.
19. Cafe u Filu on Klimentska 2 and Pohodicka Cafe/Bar on Karlova 25 if on a budget. Note: you do not come here to either for the food. Cafe u Filu is great if you’re after some expat energy and want to hang out in a very low key environment and not spend a lot of money. They serve Czech beer on tap, wide range of moravian and other fine wines and also cocktails.
20. Vino Deja Vu on Maltese Square 8 118 00 Prague 1 – Malá Strana. Their goal is to highlight the best of Moravian and Czech wines, its winemakers, but also those who like to wander into the corners of the wine of France, Spain, Italy, Germany, Austria and New World. They specialize in producing mostly small and medium-sized wineries in those countries. You can choose wines from wineries such as Regina Coeli, Glos, Moravíno, Hort Kraus Mikrosvín, Sonberk, or Volařík Žernoseky.
Also Weingut Geil, Gardet & Cie, the Hacienda del Carchi, Salomon Estate and many others . While they’re not big on food, you can choose from a selected menu of cheeses, smoked meats and olives served with various sauces and attachments.
LASTLY, worth mentioning is not a restaurant but a delicatessan, cafe, bakery and chocolate house all in one called Krusta on Karlova 44. YUM (baked goods are a specialty and cakes).
Renee Blodgett is the founder of We Blog the World. The site combines the magic of an online culture and travel magazine with a global blog network and has contributors from every continent in the world. Having lived in 10 countries and explored nearly 80, she is an avid traveler, and a lover, observer and participant in cultural diversity.
She is also the CEO and founder of Magic Sauce Media, a new media services consultancy focused on viral marketing, social media, branding, events and PR. For over 20 years, she has helped companies from 12 countries get traction in the market. Known for her global and organic approach to product and corporate launches, Renee practices what she pitches and as an active user of social media, she helps clients navigate digital waters from around the world. Renee has been blogging for over 16 years and regularly writes on her personal blog Down the Avenue, Huffington Post, BlogHer, We Blog the World and other sites. She was ranked #12 Social Media Influencer by Forbes Magazine and is listed as a new media influencer and game changer on various sites and books on the new media revolution. In 2013, she was listed as the 6th most influential woman in social media by Forbes Magazine on a Top 20 List.
Her passion for art, storytelling and photography led to the launch of Magic Sauce Photography, which is a visual extension of her writing, the result of which has led to producing six photo books: Galapagos Islands, London, South Africa, Rome, Urbanization and Ecuador.
Renee is also the co-founder of Traveling Geeks, an initiative that brings entrepreneurs, thought leaders, bloggers, creators, curators and influencers to other countries to share and learn from peers, governments, corporations, and the general public in order to educate, share, evaluate, and promote innovative technologies.
