I have been living in Prague for a very long time now, and what has surprised me most in recent years is the explosion of the local food scene and its move upmarket. Whatever the cuisine (20% of Prague's residents are foreigners), you can now eat very, very well in Prague (which was less true 20 years ago!).
In this article, I'll give you six historic addresses that I frequent, just like the locals. You can't go wrong! These establishments have already appeared here and there on the blog, but I've grouped them together here to make your life easier.
Good to know: as with hotels, restaurants in Prague often offer very good value for money (especially at lunchtime with the daily special). According to a FerryGoGo study, a meal for two costs an average of CZK 1,000 or around EUR 40 (CZK 1,205 or EUR 48 for dinner, again for two).
Bonus: at the end of the article, you'll find a few tips to help you spot tourist traps, where visitors who are too lazy to seek out and find the right information from a local end up!
Attractive decor and classic Czech dishes make these culinary experiences unforgettable.
Červený Jelen
This multi-level restaurant with a very Prague feel occupies the former Špork Palace, built in the Baroque style. The palace was modernized between 1923 and 1925 by Josef Gočár, founder of Czech Rondo-Cubism, to house the Anglo-Czechoslovak Bank. In homage to Gočár, the decor incorporates cubist elements as well as elements from the original bank (don't miss the vault in the basement opposite the restrooms). The restaurant also features an impressive stack of beer barrels that pays tribute to the Czech brewing tradition. The menu features classics such as goulash and roast duck, paying homage to the local culinary heritage with a modern twist. Very affordable menu during the week at lunchtime.
The small alleyway leading to the restaurant (two entrances) is home to one of the best pastry shops in the city (discover it here, and Červený Jelen is next door to Sia, a highly recommended Asian restaurant (I really recommend eating Asian food at least once in Prague) with an inexpensive lunch menu and portions that are very Prague-style, as well as a restaurant on three levels.
Hybernská 5
The Municipal House Restaurant (Obecní dům)
Very close to the previous establishment (just a few meters away), between the New Town and the Old Town, the Municipal House restaurant, a jewel of Art Nouveau in Prague, awaits you with its incredible decor! The restaurant evokes the elegance of a bygone era. High ceilings, refined mosaics, beautiful architectural details… It's a feast for the eyes!
Take note! Few visitors know this, but I always point it out to visitors on my guided tour: there is a very inexpensive lunch menu (listed in English on the right as you enter the Municipal House, at the restaurant entrance). You will find few people dining there for two reasons:
- The daily lunch menu is not mentioned in traditional travel guides.
- When visitors walk past the large windows and see the decor and the waiters in white gloves, they get scared, thinking that the restaurant must be too expensive for them. Believe me, not at lunchtime!
Be careful! However, I do not recommend this restaurant in the evening or on weekends. Unlike at lunchtime (soup for €4, main course for €10-12), the value for money is not exceptional. That said, the impressive decor and lighting have always fascinated me!
Good to know! In the basement, which I highly recommend visiting (Prague is full of monumental cellars, which I consider to be a defining feature of Prague's urban planning), below the aforementioned restaurant, you will find a brasserie that is as large as the restaurant on the ground floor. The decorative style is different (I personally describe it as "Bavarian"). Note the stained glass windows on the sides! There is a little natural light thanks to the skylights that you will notice on the sidewalk. The daily lunch menu is even cheaper (€2.50 for soup, €6-7 for a main course). However, it is only available in Czech on the ground floor, so don't hesitate to ask for it once you are seated downstairs.
In any case, at least take a look at the brasserie, where you can explore Prague's cellars and see a little more of the interior than on the ground floor (all the artists commissioned to decorate the space, including the famous Alphonse Mucha, were chosen in 1912, at the very end of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, solely because they were Czech).
The restaurant at the Municipal House (Obecní dům)
Náměstí Republiky 5
Café Imperial
The Café Imperial is also located in the New Town (Nové Město) district, just a few steps away from the two previous restaurants. It has been an integral part of Prague's gastronomic landscape for over a century. Entering it is like stepping into a lively salon where writers, artists, and intellectuals gathered between the wars. Its elegant Art Deco interior features ceramic mosaics, ornate columns, and delicate floral and animal motifs. I recommend entering the restaurant through the side door of the hotel (you'll be exposed to a little more furniture!). Here you can enjoy traditional Czech dishes, from the unmissable goulash to perfectly roasted meats, often accompanied by seasonal side dishes that showcase local produce. A truly unmissable place for generations of Praguers.
I recommend taking a quick look at the dining room even if you don't eat there (although there is a very affordable lunch menu created by Zdeněk Pohlreich, the local Philippe Etchebest, and some very good desserts). And in Prague, you can have coffee or cake in a restaurant without eating anything else! You can do whatever you want! (On my first weekend in Prague 20 years ago, two Czech ladies ordered tea in a pizzeria and the pizza never arrived. I was a little surprised, but the waiter wasn't!)
Na Poříčí 15
U Fleků
This is one of 5-6 historic breweries in Prague, and beer has been brewed here since 1499!
Good to know: When you see the word Pivovar on a restaurant's facade, it means that beer is brewed on the premises! Pivnice simply means that beer is served there (as it is everywhere in Prague!).
For a long time, I didn't recommend this brewery, U Fleků, in the New Town (lose yourself in the streets of the neighborhood, I love this area!). I criticized it for being too touristy (lots of groups in the eight rooms with 1,200 seats) and a bit of a tourist trap (you'll be offered a small glass of alcohol that you think is free but then you'll be charged for it…). I changed my mind for two reasons:
- It's an institution, the oldest brewery in Prague! You'll quickly notice the facade decorated with a clock above the entrance.
- The decor here is also exceptional (and very pleasant on sunny days thanks to a huge Bavarian-style terrace or beer garden ). Dark wood paneling, vaulted ceilings, long communal tables, the clinking of beer mugs… All this gives the place a completely timeless atmosphere.
U Fleků has been serving its own dark beer since 1843 (Bavarian recipe), which can be enjoyed with traditional Czech dishes. An accordionist often wanders between the rooms… This is not a reconstruction of the past but a place where Prague's brewing history has been perpetuated for many centuries.
Křemencova 11
U Modré kachničky
This is the least well-known of the places I mention in this article. However, I have always known this restaurant, which is highly regarded for its menu and warm decor. "The Blue Duck" is actually two restaurants, one in the Old Town on the right bank, the other in Malá Strana on the left bank (not far from the famous John Lennon Wall). In the latter restaurant, low ceilings, stone walls, and the flickering glow of candles give the establishment a unique old-world charm. You'll spot the 16th-century Baroque building in a narrow street in the neighborhood thanks to the sign and a painted blue duck. Traditional Czech cuisine takes center stage, with roast duck, game, and seasonal vegetables prepared with care. Small tables, intimate alcoves, and a serene atmosphere provide the perfect setting for a romantic evening.
Nebovidská 6
U Glaubiců
We remain on the left bank in Malá Strana. This is the place I always recommend to people on my guided tour who are looking for a restaurant not far from the Castle or Charles Bridge! A restaurant that is always popular, with its medieval cellars and Gothic vaults, right in the heart of this very touristy neighborhood. The low ceilings with exposed beams and stone arches create a relaxed atmosphere, ideal for sharing a hearty meal. Specialties include the unmissable goulash served in a hollowed-out bread roll, roast pork with dumplings and cabbage, and roast duck, which I often find delicious in Prague. A Pilsner on tap is the perfect accompaniment to this generous and comforting cuisine.
Malostranské náměstí 5
How can you spot a tourist trap restaurant?
- There are fluorescent marker signs on the front window
- The menus displayed on the same front window are translated into almost every language.
- Customers drink one-liter beers (I've never seen a Czech drink beer from a container this size! The norm is 0.5 liters.
- You are charged a cover charge (this has never happened to me in Prague, but it is quite common in tourist restaurants).
- You are invited—and this is a sign that it is already too late—to select and give a tip of 10 or 20%. Strangely enough, as a resident of Prague, I am never exposed to this dubious practice. Because you leave whatever you want as a tip!
- There is a sign of the soldier Švejk on the front of the restaurant. This restaurant chain has a very bad reputation in Prague, so be aware! On the other hand, the brave soldier Švejk is a hero of Czech popular literature (an excellent novel).
- Be wary of restaurants that are too close to Old Town Square or Karlova Street, which leads to Charles Bridge. Even if some are honest, such as U Parlamentu, U Pivrnce, Krčma, Mincovna, 420…(the last two addresses are more expensive than the first ones).
- To help you better spot tourist traps, watch this video in English.
