Over five and a half days in Prague, I had the opportunity to eat a lot of delicious food and try some traditional Czech pivo. When searching for restaurants in Prague, one thing that surprised me was the number of vegetarian and vegan restaurants available. Although I may occasionally eat fish, my diet is mainly vegetarian.
The tour included two dinners, and my hotel provided breakfast, so I only had to manage my lunches and a handful of dinners. The only restaurant on my must-try list was Maitrea; all others I discovered by chance while walking around Prague. I loved Maitrea so much that I returned for a second visit. Bageterie Boulevard was great after a long day of travel or if you needed a quick, cheap bite in the middle of the day.
I recommend travelers avoid restaurants located right on Old Town Square. I noticed those charged higher prices and catered mainly to tourists.
Unlike the United States, tipping is not “strongly suggested” in Czechia. I noticed that in many restaurants, when paying via credit card, there was no option given to leave a tip. I do like tipping, especially when I am provided great service, so I would just give my waiter cash at the end of my meal.
Note: Prices listed are what I paid in USD based on the exchange between May 23rd and 29th. Tips are not included in the cost.
Café Šternberk – Mezi řádky
I am listing this eatery first because of its wonderful mission. This chain of cafés and bistros hires locals with disabilities to give them an opportunity to learn and grow.
Mezi řádky has several locations, and the one I stumbled upon is tucked away in a courtyard inside Šternberský Palace (in Hradčany Square next to Castle Prague).
I found this café in between visiting the art galleries at Schwarzenberg Palace & Šternberský Palace. It was around lunchtime on a Saturday afternoon, and there were no crowds. I ordered an iced latte, sundried tomatoes & black olives quiche, and a plum crumble. The quiche was absolutely delicious!!
If you are looking for a great place to escape the crowds and warm weather after visiting Castle Prague or the art museums, then I recommend stopping by Café Šternberk – Mezi řádky. Note that this location is closed on Mondays.
Cost: $8.50
Bageterie Boulevard
I discovered this sandwich shop when I arrived in Prague and just wanted a quick bite after 26 hours of travel. Part of a local chain, Bageterie Boulevard serves sandwiches, soups, salads, various sides, and delicious desserts. There was a location near my hotel, and given that my hotel room had a terrace with a view, I always opted to take my food to go. Nothing beats outdoor dining with a view!
If you are looking for a quick, inexpensive meal, then I recommend Bageterie Boulevard. I tried different types of breads the 3 times I went, and they were all fresh and flavorful. The tuna subs were delicious, and I wish we had something similar in the United States! For these subs, the tuna was flavored with dressing, not mayo, and they included sliced hardboiled eggs. Unfortunately, I did not enjoy the salmon sub; it had a weird flavor and texture. The “cheese fingers” are similar to the mozzarella sticks one finds in the United States, and the desserts were great. The chocolate-filled croissant would actually pair well with coffee!
Cost: $10.50 (tuna sub, drink, dessert); $13.18 (salmon sub, drink, side); $ 10.54 (tuna sub, drink, dessert)
Kogo Havelská
Kogo Havelská is an Italian restaurant located next to the Hotel Leon D’ Oro (my hotel in Prague). I decided to try this restaurant based on the reviews and its menu, which had some delicious-sounding options. I arrived at the restaurant around 8:30 PM on a Saturday, and it was not crowded.
My meal was a glass of lemonade and the risotto mare e monti (risotto with shrimp and porcini mushrooms). I love risotto, so when I see it listed on a menu, I tend to order it. Sadly, it was not a good meal. While the shrimp and mushrooms were plentiful, the dish was very salty! I only managed to eat about half. Some of my tourmates who visited this restaurant said they really liked the pasta dishes so maybe selecting the risotto was not a good choice on my part. Although my meal was not the best, the restaurant did provide great service, and I enjoyed the environment – no loud music, tasteful decor, and comfortable seating.
Cost: $20.82
Maitrea
Maitrea is a wonderful vegetarian restaurant located one block from Old Town Square. When searching for the best vegetarian restaurants in Prague, Maitrea was seemingly listed in every guidebook and travel blog. On my first visit, the hostess shared that the downstairs area was better, and she was correct. It was a very peaceful area with some lovely water features and plants. This restaurant was truly an oasis from the hustle and bustle of the crowds.
I ordered an iced coffee with maple syrup and the avocado salad (salad with avocado, marinated tofu, bell pepper, sun-dried tomatoes, arugula, nachos, rice miso-sesame dressing, sprinkled with hemp seeds). It was honestly one of the best salads I have ever eaten!! The salad was very flavorful and fresh. The iced coffee was delicious; the first time I had coffee sweetened with maple syrup.
On my second visit, I went with a fellow tourmate, and we both ordered the iced coffee and avocado salad. Interestingly, the iced coffee was served in a larger glass on my second visit. The menu does not indicate a size, so I am not sure why there is a difference.
I highly recommend this restaurant even if you are not vegetarian! They have a wonderful selection of soups, salads, and entrees. One of my servers shared that the restaurant does get busy during dinner so it’ll be best to make reservations.
Cost: $17.64
Restaurace U Mecenáše
The meal at Restaurace U Mecenáše was the tour group’s “Welcome to Prague” dinner. The meal started with drinks (I opted for a raspberry lemonade) and a garden salad, followed by the entrees. The vegetarian option for the group was a bowl of roasted potatoes and veggies. Dinner ended with a dessert of apple strudel with plum and molasses puree. Overall, the meal was good, and the dessert was scrumptious; it was flavorful but not too sweet!
Located in Malá Strana (Lesser Town), not far from Charles Bridge, this restaurant specializes in local Czech cuisine. Many of my tourmates chose the Svíčková, a traditional dish of braised beef with dumplings and cranberries, as their dinner option, and the feedback was mainly positive. When my parents visited Prague in 2023, they also dined at U Mecenáše, and both enjoyed their meal. While vegetarian options are limited, and there is only one seafood dish, I still recommend this restaurant given the quality of food and the great service.
Cost: This dinner was part of the tour.
Pizzeria Pulcinella
Located at the end of an alleyway near Old Town Square, Pizzeria Pulcinella is a great place to unwind after a long day of sightseeing. A fellow tourmate and I visited this eatery on a Tuesday evening, and it was not crowded. Most of the tables at the restaurant are set in a lovely courtyard decorated with string lights and pictures of Italy.
The restaurant has an extensive menu, including several risotto dishes, but that evening, I was in the mood for pizza. I ordered the raspberry lemonade, which came with mint leaves, and the funghi pizza (tomatoes, mozzarella, mushrooms). Overall, the meal was excellent – the lemonade was very flavorful, and the pizza had a wonderful thin crust and a generous amount of mozzarella and mushrooms. Aside from the good food, Pizzeria Pulcinella also provides guests with great service; we were promptly seated by the host, and we did not have to wait long for our drinks or pizza.
Cost: $17.15 (note that this restaurant charges a 10% service fee)
Národní Kavárna
Dinner at Národní Kavárna was the tour’s “Farewell to Prague” meal and consisted of soup, an entree, and dessert. The meal started with a glass of wine and a delicious split pea soup. That was followed by a bowl of pasta tossed in olive oil (the vegetarian option) and for dessert, what I believe was panna cotta. The whole meal was great and very filling.
I do have to acknowledge and thank the staff at Národní Kavárna for making another bowl of pasta after the first bowl I was served contained pesto (I am allergic to basil). I felt awful making the staff work extra to prepare another dish, but they handled the situation gracefully and professionally.
The Národní Kavárna is roughly a 10-minute walk from Old Town Square, and I found it to be a charming restaurant. It’s definitely a nice place for a romantic dinner!
Cost: This dinner was part of the tour.
Chimney Cake
There was no escaping the chimney cake in Prague. Everywhere you went, there was a stall selling this dessert. According to my tour guide, the chimney cake originated in Hungary and is now very popular elsewhere.
During my last day in Prague, I decided to stop by one of the many stalls near my hotel to buy a chimney cake. I opted for the number 9, which is a chimney cake topped with a Lotus graham biscuit, ice cream, and a drizzle of caramel (I think it was caramel). There was also another biscuit in the chimney cake itself. Sadly, I was not impressed. While the ice cream and biscuits were delicious, the cake part of the dessert was dry and tasted somewhat stale. My friend who visited Prague in 2023 absolutely loved the chimney cakes, so maybe I just selected a stall that wasn’t that great.
Cost: $8.40
Staroměstský Pivovar U Supa
The tour group’s visit to Staroměstský Pivovar to sample pivo (the Czech word for beer) was a lovely surprise planned by our tour guide, Andrea. I am generally not a beer drinker, but I enjoyed the experience and will say some of the samples were quite good. A few of the beers were not placed in the correct number slot, so I was not always 100% sure which beer I was sampling. My tourmate Roy and I paired off as sampling buddies, and I think we did a pretty good job almost finishing our set! 🍺
Staroměstský Pivovar, Prague’s oldest brewery and inn, is located near Old Town Square and a stone’s throw away from the Obecní Dům (Municipal Hall). The brewery does provide food, but during our visit, the group just sampled the beer. I recommend Staroměstský Pivovar to travelers searching for a great place to hang out and enjoy some cold pivo. Cheers to Prague!! 🍻
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