Prague Restaurants

Prague generally gets high marks for architectural beauty and decidedly low marks for the quality of the food. But this is an unfair assessment based on impressions from the 1990s, when finding a decent meal really was something of a challenge. Since then, the global slow-food, fresh-food revolution has washed up onto the shores of Bohemia. Everywhere you look, serious restaurants are touting the freshness of their ingredients, and often claiming to source everything locally where possible. Some places are reviving classic Czech recipes that may be more than a century old, while others are liberally borrowing ideas and inspiration from cuisines around the world.

Part of the credit for this dining renaissance goes to the Ambiente chain of restaurants, which through its stable (including La Degustation, Lokál Dlouhááá, and Pizza Nuova) has greatly raised standards. And it’s done wonders for the Czech national pride that excellent food is now easy to find. Other leading chefs have made their mark: Paul Day at Sansho, Roman Paulus at Alcron, and Ji?í Nosek at Zdenek’s Oyster Bar, among others. And Czechs have responded. A few years ago, it was a given the best restaurants were for visitors and businessmen. Now, many Czechs are discovering for themselves the pleasures of truly good food outside their kitchens.

International trends and fads, of course, have had an impact here, too. Every year seems to bring a new dining mania (and with it some great restaurants). The latest crazes for handcrafted burgers made from locally raised beef and for good Vietnamese cooking have brought a fresh crop of contenders. Past years have seen waves of sushi places, steak houses, and Thai noodle bars. We say, keep it coming.

Alas, what still needs an upgrade is service. English is widely spoken, but service can still be brusque or, worse, incompetent. Restaurateurs spend millions on the food, but don't put the same thought into training their staff. This will be surmounted in time, though, and in general the dining scene continues on the upswing.

Classic Czech fare is best sampled in a hospoda, or pub. These local joints have menus that usually include dishes for which Bohemian cuisine is justly (in)famous: pork and sauerkraut with bread dumplings; roast duck; beef in cream sauce; and, for the vegetarian, fried cheese. In recent years Czech brewers like Staropramen and Pilsner Urquell have opened chains of branded pubs (Potrefená Husa and Pilsner Urquell Original Restaurant, respectively). These chains are to the traditional pub what a new Swiss timepiece is to an old watch—light years ahead in terms of the quality. If you're looking to dip a toe into the waters of Czech cuisine, these pubs are an excellent place to begin.

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  • 1. Aromi

    $$$

    Gracious, gregarious, and extremely confident, Aromi is easily among the top tier of Italian restaurants in the city and proud of it. Classic pastas made in-house and fresh seafood shown off tableside are two of the crowd favorites, as are the superb salads and well-chosen Italian wines. With airy modernist interiors and alfresco dining in summer, the restaurant imparts a continental feel without being kitschy. Leave room for a post-dessert treat: Aromi stocks an exclusive list of rare grappas. The price of dishes reflects the high quality; come during the week for a better value lunch menu.

    Nám. Míru 6, 120 00, Czech Republic
    222–713–222

    Known For

    • Sumptuous seafood dishes
    • Extensive choice of wines and grappas
    • Faultless service

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Closed Sun. No lunch Sat.
  • 2. Benjamin

    $$$$

    Since opening in 2017, Benjamin has consistently been one of Prague's most sought-after fine-dining experiences. Well, with just 10 seats set around a horseshoe-shaped table, it's a very exclusive ticket—so make sure you book far in advance. Each boldly flavored dish on the eight-course tasting menu exhibits oodles of imagination, innovation, and inspiration—and when combined with the unique communal setup, makes for a one-of-a-kind meal. Look out for seasonal dishes inspired by hidden corners of Czech culinary history, from once-common but long-forgotten ingredients like sturgeon to classic curd desserts that hark back to communist-era kindergartens. There are also cooking classes available for couples (9,000 Kč) and larger groups. 

    Norská 14, 101 00, Czech Republic
    774–141–432

    Known For

    • Beautifully presented and flavorful dishes
    • Interactive and communal dining experience
    • Booking up months in advance

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Closed Sun.–Tues. No lunch.
  • 3. Bílá Kráva

    $$$

    Meat lovers will be in their element at this French countryside-inspired steak restaurant, situated just behind the National Museum. Take a seat beneath the wood-beamed ceiling and choose from a menu dominated by dishes of expertly aged Charolais beef, from steak tartare and tenderloin carpaccio to juicy rump steaks and hearty beef bourguignon. There are other dishes on offer, too, from frogs' legs and roast pigeon to a smattering of vegetarian and vegan options, but make no mistake: cow is king here. Go all in with a selection of steaks for two, including rare Czech wagyu beef, served with your choice of sides and sauces. Save room for a theatrical dessert in the form of curd ice cream that's frozen at the table with liquid nitrogen, as well as a taster of traditional Czech fruit spirits from Palírna Radlík distillery.

    Rubešova 10, 120 00, Czech Republic
    603–397–367

    Known For

    • Delicious aged beef dishes
    • Charming countryside-style setting
    • Good value for such high quality

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Closed Sun. No lunch Sat.
  • 4. Café Savoy

    $$

    One of the best of Prague's traditional turn-of-the-century-style grand cafés, the Savoy is popular day and night for its brunches, coffees, Czech classics, and pastries. In particular, try the větrník, a Czech classic made of choux pastry with cream and caramel. It's far more authentic than the touristy trdelník (a type of rolled, spit cake) available everywhere, although if you need that sugar hit to get up the hill to the castle, no judgment. It's also an opulent but still traditional spot for a beer in the evening—or heck, go all out and get some sekt (Czech sparkling wine). 

    Vítězná 5, 150 00, Czech Republic
    731--136--144

    Known For

    • Lavish interior
    • Warm and efficient staff
    • Long lines

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Reservations recommended.
  • 5. Café Slavia

    $$

    Overlooking the river and next to the National Theater, this old-school continental European-style café is one of a clutch in Prague where you can imagine playwright-turned-independence hero Václav Havel holding court or composer Bedřich Smetana winding down after a performance. Actually, you're not just imagining it: all sorts of Czech artistic luminaries have supped here, including the above, and Havel liked it so much he even lobbied for it to reopen when it closed for reconstruction in the 1990s. It's old-school, so beer is perfectly acceptable at almost any time of day.

    Smetanovo nábř. 2, 110 00, Czech Republic
    777--709--145

    Known For

    • Historical setting
    • Affordable daily menu
    • Czech-style café culture
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  • 6. Cukrkávalimonáda

    $$

    An excellent pit stop while exploring Malá Strana, this warm, inviting café and bakery serves freshly made soups, salads, sandwiches, and pasta dishes, making it a convenient oasis for lunch. Or just rest your feet with a coffee and a slice of pie or cake. The light-wood booths and exposed-beam ceilings give Cukrkávalimonáda (literally "Sugarcoffeelemonade") a country-farmhouse feel. Lunchtime can be overcrowded, so try to book a spot in advance; at other times, you can normally find a seat. Note: the café closes daily at 7.

    Lázeňská 7, 118 00, Czech Republic
    257–225–396

    Known For

    • Unique heritage-hipster interior
    • Delicious Viennese-style confections
    • Great value for its location
  • 7. Kantýna

    $

    With a grand setting in a gorgeous former bank, you can bank on this cool butcher-shop-meets-meat-market-and-bar being packed when you arrive. There's a butcher's counter at the front where you can select the exact meat you want. The attendant will cut it, weigh it, cook it perfectly to your specifications, and then serve it hot off the skillet. Load up a tray with meat and sides, and grab a seat at a communal table or a spot at the bar and wash it all down with great beer. Keep track of what you eat and drink on a menu card (bread is free). The modern canteen feel and reasonable prices all contribute to the incredible popularity of this place.

    Politických vězňů 5, 110 00, Czech Republic
    605--593--328

    Known For

    • The best burgers in town
    • Excellent Czech meats, to either eat on-site or take away
    • Cool vibes in a historic building
  • 8. Kavárna co hledá jméno

    $$

    Literally translated as "A Coffee Shop Looking for a Name," this achingly hip café-cum-gallery serves great coffee, tempting cocktails, and excellent food—including top-notch breakfasts and brunches until midday on weekdays and 3 pm on weekends. The gallery space showcases work by local artists and hosts pop-up events.

    Stroupežnického 10, Czech Republic

    Known For

    • No reservations possible
    • Setting in a former joiner's workshop
    • Smíchov's best brunch place
  • 9. Kuchyň

    $$

    It may no longer be the novel, menu-less restaurant of old—the COVID pandemic put an end to the concept of people choosing their meals from communal pots—but this castle-side restaurant still serves up great, traditional Czech cuisine. Take a seat and order from a small menu of dishes ranging from fresh cow's cheese with pickled vegetables to duck leg with rustic bread dumplings and red cabbage. Although most of the mains are meaty, there's always at least one vegetarian option. While the interior is perfectly lovely—all copper pots, aquamarine tiles, and pine-wood tables—the terrace, with its stunning city views, is the best place to dine.

    Hradčanské nám. 1, 118 00, Czech Republic
    736--152–891

    Known For

    • Soft sourdough bread to dip in soups
    • Wonderful location by the castle
    • Drinks including unfiltered dark beer
  • 10. La Degustation Bohême Bourgeoise

    $$$$

    One of Prague's two Michelin star holders is this elegant tasting room, where diners are taken on a superlative culinary adventure via a Czech-inspired tasting menu over an extended evening. The menu roves around Czech and European cuisine playfully and stylishly, including classic local specialties with a twist, like pork belly, cabbage, and mustard or a dessert of cream, blueberry, and basil. You'll need a full appetite to last the multiple, delicious courses, so you'll want to come hungry. One word of caution: the tasting menu is 2,450 Kč before drinks are even considered, and dinner for two, with wine and tip, can climb into the 10,000 Kč territory. But for many, the experience is worth every koruna. Book in advance.

    Haštalská 18, 110 00, Czech Republic
    222–311–234

    Known For

    • Probably Prague's best food and service
    • Playful and inventive takes on classic dishes
    • Wine-paired tasting menu

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Reservations essential
  • 11. La Finestra in Cucina

    $$$

    One of Prague's hottest tables, La Finestra is the meaty counterpart to its sister restaurant, Aromi, right down to the wooden tables and brick walls. Catering to local gourmands and boldface names, this restaurant lives up to the hype. As at Aromi, waiters display an array of freshly caught fish that comprise the day's specials, but here they also do the same with meat, including cuts flown in from Italy.

    Platnéřská 13, 110 00, Czech Republic
    222–325–325

    Known For

    • Organic dry-aged meats, foccacia and fried chickpeas to nibble on, and expert al dente pastas like spaghetti with sea urchin
    • Extensive Italian wine selection
    • Cooking classes

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Reservations essential
  • 12. La Veranda

    $$$

    Despite the quality of the cooking, La Veranda remains somewhat overlooked by visitors (though popular with locals), making a visit to this stylish, softly lighted room feel like you've been let in on a wonderful secret. The food is top-notch, with seasonal specials and a not outrageously priced six-course tasting menu showcasing the restaurant's greatest hits, like an incredibly rich beef tartare with egg yolk and black truffle. The à la carte options are equally inventive and deliver on flavor, too, from beef steak, beluga lentils, and zucchini to rabbit leg confit. Wine pairings are available.

    Elišky Krásnohorské 2, 110 00, Czech Republic
    224–814–733

    Known For

    • Delicious, seasonal food
    • Non-touristy vibe
    • Not crazily priced six-course tasting menu

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Closed Sun., Reservations essential
  • 13. Lokál Dlouhááá

    $$

    Sleek and relatively sophisticated, Lokál Dlouhááá takes the Czech pub concept to a new level with fresh local ingredients, perfectly poured beers, and friendly, efficient service. It makes for an idealized version of a corner restaurant out of another era, right down to the stark white walls, waiters in vests, and bathrooms wallpapered with old pinups and airplane posters. Many of the dishes have a modern twist: schnitzel is made from pork neck and served atop buttery whipped potatoes, while the Czech classic of svíčková (beef tenderloin in cream sauce) is tangy and fresh (not often the case at most pubs). Lokál also has pub-restaurants in Malá Strana, Karlín, and Vinohrady.

    Dlouhá 33, 110 00, Czech Republic
    734–283–874

    Known For

    • High-quality Czech food
    • Fast and friendly service
    • Always being busy (and noisy)

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Reservations essential
  • 14. Na Kopci

    $$$

    Although a little out of the way, this lovely restaurant overlooking Smíchov (the name means "On the Hill") serves exceptional, high-end Czech and international cuisine within a comfortable and casual setting. The menu is completely overhauled every three months, making the best use of seasonal, locally sourced ingredients—from rabbit and wild boar to porcini mushrooms—to create surprising and satisfying dishes. Yet for all the fine-dining credentials, there's not an ounce of pretentiousness, thanks to the unstuffy decor (including walls plastered in family photos), the friendly and informal service, and the reasonable prices. The restaurant is about the same walking distance (15 minutes) from Radlická and Smíchovské nádraží Metro stops (both Line B), but you can save a walk uphill by arriving at Radlická and leaving from Smíchovské nádraží.

    K Závěrce 20, 150 00, Czech Republic
    251–553–102

    Known For

    • Sublime seasonal dishes
    • Warm and welcoming decor
    • Good value for high quality
  • 15. Sansho

    $$$$

    When Sansho opened just over a decade ago, it radically redefined the local dining scene. Head chef Paul Day introduced many novel concepts to Prague's foodies, like pairing a simple, unadorned interior with highly intricate Asian-fusion cuisine, leaving the full focus on the plate. The public was initially skeptical but once they gathered around the long, communal tables, they were won over by the quality of the cooking (not surprising, as Day learned his craft at London's Michelin-starred Nobu). Dinner is a very reasonably priced tasting menu, featuring items such as Moravian lamb betel leaves roll and soft-shell crab, among other delicacies, while lunch is served à la carte.

    Petrská 25, 110 00, Czech Republic
    739--592--336

    Known For

    • A nose-to-tail philosophy
    • Impeccable unstuffy service
    • Best quality-to-value ratio in Prague

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Reservations essential
  • 16. Taro

    $$

    This extraordinary Asian fusion restaurant, which consists of just 17 bar stalls arranged around an open kitchen, offers an interactive dining experience combining traditional Vietnamese cuisine with European techniques and flavors. It's a combination inspired by owners Khanh's and Giang's personal experiences as Vietnamese men growing up in Prague. Watch in awe as the international kitchen team painstakingly puts together each course—it's not uncommon to see four of them huddled over a single dish—before presenting and explaining it to you. There are weekly a la carte lunch menus available, but come in the evening for the exceptional eight-course tasting menu (1,790 Kč). It changes with the seasons, but typical dishes might include summer rolls with chicken and tamarind sauce, sea bass with Thai basil and fermented radish, or pork consommé with bonito and pork dumplings. Wine pairings are also available. Unsurprisingly, the restaurant is very popular, so book ahead.

    Nádražní 100, 150 00, Czech Republic
    777–446–007

    Known For

    • Kitchen spectacle with chef interaction
    • Flavor-packed seasonal dishes
    • Great quality-to-value ratio

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Closed Sun. and Mon.
  • 17. Terasa U Zlaté studně

    $$$$

    This fine-dining establishment is widely considered to be one of the country's best restaurants—and for good reason. First and foremost, the food is superb; expect mouthwatering Czech classics and lesser-spotted seafood dishes, including scallops, lobster, and sea bream ceviche, all cooked to perfection by head chef Pavel Sapík. Second, the setting is gorgeous, from the elegant mirrored dining room (which has been in almost constant use since the 16th century) to the relaxing rooftop terrace. And third, the view over Malá Strana (Lesser Quarter), with its sea of burnt-orange rooftops, is simply unbeatable. Come for a delicious à la carte lunch any day of the week, or spoil yourself rotten with the evening tasting menu and wine pairing.

    U Zlaté studně 4, 118 00, Czech Republic
    257--533–322

    Known For

    • Delicious and beautifully presented dishes
    • The best from-the-table views in Prague
    • Out-of-the-way location
  • 18. Terasa U Zlaté studně

    $$$$

    On top of the boutique Golden Well Hotel, lunch or dinner, either inside or on the terrace of this Michelin-rated restaurant overlooking the city's rooftops, is a delicious experience that more than lives up to the views and prices. The menu runs the gamut from the full degustation (3,400 Kč) to more reasonably priced à la carte lunch options.

    U Zlaté studně 4, 118 00, Czech Republic
    257--533--322

    Known For

    • Exceptional cooking of an inventive international menu
    • Among the best views in Prague
    • Feeling of exclusivity

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Reservations recommended
  • 19. The Eatery

    $$

    This fantastic destination restaurant, with thoughtful, delicate twists on modern Czech food in a shiny-steel-and-concrete industrial setting, is certainly the district's best and even holds its own against the rest of the city. Run by the former Michelin-starred chef at Alcron, in the center of town, the Eatery is a more informal but no less delicious venture, with all the extras you'd expect from an establishment of this quality, from a chef's table to delicious wines and an open kitchen.

    U Uranie 18, 170 00, Czech Republic
    603--945--236

    Known For

    • Czech and European food, with fresh, local ingredients
    • Theatrical cooking in the open kitchen
    • Regularly buzzing

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Closed Sun. and Mon. No lunch Sat., Reservations recommended
  • 20. The Tavern

    $$

    A hopping burger bar on the fringe of Riegrovy Park in Vinohrady, the Tavern arguably serves the city's best hamburgers and cheeseburgers. The restaurant began as the dream of an American couple to use classic U.S. combinations, like bacon-cheddar or blue cheese and caramelized onion, and then re-create them with locally sourced beef and toppings. The result? It's been packed since the 2012 opening and shows no signs of slowing down. They also do veggie and vegan burgers, along with other American-style diner food, plus cocktails and craft beers. There's limited seating, so make a reservation for dinner online (there's no phone).

    Chopinova 26, 120 00, Czech Republic

    Known For

    • The city's best burgers
    • Intimate cellar setting
    • Extensive cocktail menu

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Reservations essential

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