Prague is home to every type of food you can imagine. You can find a wealth of Thai restaurants alongside some great burger joints and modern European spots too. But when I visit somewhere new, I love to try the local cuisine.
Honestly though, I didn’t know what to expect of Czech food. I was thinking it would be quite hearty and not dissimilar to the casserole style soups and breads you find in places like Germany. After a bit of research, I discovered that the Czech Republic are rather fond of their dumplings so I made it my mission to find some as I grew up eating suet dumplings with braising steak and I hoped to share the joy of dumplings with my boyfriend who looked at me bemused as I attempted to describe what a suet dumpling is – “kind of like a ball of dough – that you boil…?”.
Let me just say, mission accomplished. My boyfriend is now a dumpling convert and we managed to find some really good traditional Czech restaurants in the short time we were in Prague.
And that is what I want to share with you all today!
Restaurace Mincovna
Staroměstské náměstí 930/7 11000 Praha
This traditional restaurant serves up delicious Czech food but in an elevated setting. Everything was a little bit fancy – from the service to the decor to the prices! Here you will find classics like beef goulash with dumplings and pickled cheeses served with pretzels (both of which I ordered and highly recommend!) but it was a much more contemporary and somewhat formal setting.
The restaurant itself is quite sophisticated and the service is very attentive. This is definitely somewhere that feels special – the ideal spot to wow on a date or celebrate a birthday. We paid just under £50 for three drinks (two of which were alcoholic), one starter, two mains, and a dessert. Comparatively, this was slightly more expensive than places serving similar dishes but with the central location and general elevated feel of the restaurant, I can completely understand the pricing.
And I highly recommend visiting! If you want to pay out on one really good meal on your trip, I think this is a great place to do it. You get to experience the delights of Czech cuisine in a convenient locations and in a setting that feels like it matches the price point.
Chimney cakes in the Jewish Quarter
Although there is some debate as to whether chimney cakes are actually Czech, you will see them everywhere in Prague. Also known as ‘Trdelnik’, these cylinder of warm dough are usually rolled in sugar and sometimes cinnamon and either served as is or, in many places, coated with a filling on the inside as well as sometimes ice cream or whipped cream.
These are a great snack to eat as you wander around Prague’s famous Christmas Markets and I highly recommend the place in the Jewish Quarter that serves kosher ones made fresh and are usually served warm. I preferred my chimney cake served warm and simply rolled in sugar and cinnamon or coated with pistachio sauce inside.
Restaurace U Provaznice
Provaznická 385/3 11000 Prag
This restaurant is the must-visit spot if you want something that feels traditionally Czech whilst also serving up delicious food and being affordable. We ordered a table full of food – including beef goulash and dumplings, sauerkraut, pickled camembert, fries, ratoutille, and two servings of gingerbread crumble cake. We also got a warm cherry liqueur and a beer. All of this came to around £30 – which is amazing value! The food all tasted delicious. My favourite dish was the pickled camembert which was filled with roasted garlic and served on a bed of pickled veg – it is definitely something that surprises you with how good it is as pickled cheese is not something I have even eaten before.
This restaurant was laid out like a tavern with lots of ornate decorations and paintings on the walls of goddesses and such like – it was not dissimilar to a traditional British pub (but maybe with better food!). The staff were so friendly and fun and made the experience super enjoyable for us – even though we don’t speak the local language.
This is definitely somewhere to visit if you want to truly experience Czech cuisine affordably and in a fun environment.
Overall, there are so many great places to eat whilst visiting Prague but I highly recommend trying Czech food at least once in your visit. I was surprised by how much I enjoyed some of the more adventurous options (like the pickled cheese!) and the hearty food is the perfect comfort, especially if you are visiting in wintertime.
For a more in depth review of each restaurant, please check out my Tik Tok at @ laurenjaji_
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