I started my previous post saying that Czechs in general absolutely love meat and it’s true, I could not find a single menu where there was no steak tartar, roast duck, chicken supreme, vepřo-knedlo–zelo or roast pork with pasta and sauerkraut. Because I am not exactly an enthusiastic meat eater, I usually went for other Czech specialties, like wild mushrooms and Bramboracka soup.
Before my trip, I read in a blog about Czech food that when autumn arrives, it is quite usual to see locals around town and in the metro carrying baskets full of mushrooms. They pick as much as they can, in parks and nearby forests. Then, back home, to prevent them from spoiling, they are dried in front of the fireplace or over heaters and then stored in little bags, so that when you want some you only have to rehydrate them.
After reading this, I definitely wanted to taste some mushrooms and so we went to this first place, that I want to recommend.
Café Savoy
Founded in 1983, Café Savoy is located in the Malá Strana district, inside an impressive building with neo-renaissance ceilings. It’s open from 8:00 am to 10:30 pm, every day. On the menu, we saw they have breakfasts, brunches, lunch, tea time and dinners. It also has a well-stocked wine bar.
Here I ordered a delicious dish: wild forest mushrooms with roast potatoes and truffles, poached eggs and emulsion of toasted butter. And it actually tastes ten times better than how it sounds! Before the mushrooms, Thomas had a Calvados (apple brandy) and I had one of the many Japanese teas they had.
This was my favorite place of all.
Café Louvre
And from one café to another, Café Louvre is quite different from Savoy. I wanted to come here because I had heard that they have the best hot chocolate in Prague. I wouldn’t know, I did not stop at every café where they have chocolate, but I can honestly say this was the best I’ve ever tasted in my life.
It opened in 1902 and it was frequented by the likes of Franz Kafka and Albert Einstein. It’s still very much a classic and there is still a pool room for those who like to play pool. Apart from the chocolate, I also had one of their specialties: hot apple strudel served with vanilla sauce and whipped cream. It may not be Czech, but it is very common in Prague.
Café Louvre opens Monday through Friday from 8:00 am to 11:30 pm and on weekends from 9:00 am to 11:30 pm.
Nuance Restaurant
Located in the Old Town, far from tourists, it boasts good service and excellent cuisine. We started with a panna cotta with goat cheese, beetroot, cashew and aceto balsamico, then a chicken supreme with creamy polenta, sheep cheese, pepper sauce and bacon; and finally, ravioli with venison, chestnut cream with port wine. After that, we had some delicious mini Czech desserts.
The restaurant has two Golden Lions (from TopLife Czech) and I strongly suggest booking in advance. They open every day, from 11:00 am to 11:00 pm.
Krcma
This is a typical Czech tavern with a name that is almost impossible to pronounce and where the only language you’ll hear is Czech. We found it on our Prague city guide and it was a great discovery: delicious beer, cabbage soup, goulash, grilled chicken and typical local desserts. We were lucky because we found a table –the only one left- despite not having made a reservation. But I suggest you book before you go.
The tavern is just 300 meters from the Astronomical Clock, but it can be tricky to find. They open every day from 11:00 am to 11:00 pm.
Vkolkovne
The Bramboračka is a typical Czech soup prepared with mushrooms picked in autumn. The one we tasted in this restaurant was delicious and served inside a bread bowl, something we also saw during our trip to Transylvania. We absolutely loved it. It was amazing
The restaurant is open from 11:00 am to 12:00 pm and it’s located in Staré Město (Old Town).
Czech beer
The beer here deserves its own section. They have hundreds of them, which is logical, given that the Czechs are the world’s biggest beer drinkers. One of the most traditional beers is the Prisnel Urquell. On average, in taverns or pubs in the center of Prague, lager beer costs around 45-50 CZK and black beer around 55 CZK.
One of the most popular tourist visits in Prague is to a local beer factory. If you type this on Google you will obtain many options, also in Spanish. There’s even a spa dedicated to beer in the center of Prague!
Photos and video: Carlota Fariña
The photos and video on this post were shot on iPhone XS
