Best Coffee Hotspots for Latte, Cappuccino or Videnska

A kavarna or cafe is one of the best places to take a break from all the walking and sightseeing in Prague. Check your WhatsApp messages, WiFi is almost always free, or browse your travel guide while enjoying a cup of coffee and some cakes. Besides sweet dishes, most cafes also serve lunch. If you are not a fan of latte, espresso or cappuccino, don’t worry because every cafe also serves beer.

Cafes and Kavarna

Everywhere in Prague you will find cafes and kavarna to drink coffee, a very popular drink in Prague. The Czechs proudly claim that their coffee is the best, even in the communist era, when the beans were imported from Cuba. In those days, traditional coffee houses were popular meeting places for politicians, artists and dissidents who were closely watched by the secret police.

Nowadays, students and young professionals can sit for as long as they want for the price of one cup of coffee and see to current affairs on their laptops. You may overhear a private Czech lessons being given at the table next to you. Apartments are often quite small and in the suburbs, and there is no room to teach.

Videnská and Alžírská Káva

A must-try is Videnská káva (Viennese coffee), a rich mix with whipped cream and served in a tall, narrow glass. If you fancy something stronger, try Alžírská káva (Algerian coffee), with a generous dash of eggnog

There are so many coffee shops and cafes that it’s hard to decide where to get your caffeine fix. You may not have enough time to explore all of the coffee shops listed below during your stay in Prague, but even if you only visit one, you will have fond memories of it.

1. MamaCoffee

If you’re looking for fair trade coffee or tea, Mamacoffee is your place. Choose from a wide range of high-quality roasted beans from all over the world. The cappuccino and latte here taste great because the beans are freshly ground for each cup. Ginger beer or iced mint rooibos are the perfect summer drinks and go very well with a vegetable quiche or bulgur with mixed vegetables. Mama Coffee is frequented by young mothers and you will always find prams and children there. If you don’t have time for coffee, buy beans or ground coffee to take home. There are also all sorts of knick-knacks and trinkets for sale.

Address: Mamacoffee, Vodičkova 6, Nove Mesto, Prague
Open: Monday to Friday: 8.00-21.00. Saturday and Sunday: 09.00-20.00

2. Café McQueen

Café McQueen, hidden in a courtyard on Narodni Street, is a popular kavarna. The coffee is 100% Arabica, strong and robust. If there is no table available, go and sit at someone else’s table. That is quite normal in Prague. Their sandwiches with cream cheese and chives go very well with a coffee, or would you prefer carrot cake or banana bread, and what about chocolate muffins?

Address: Café McQueen, Pasaz Platyz, Národní 37, Nové Město, Prague
Open: Monday to Friday from 08.30 to 21.00, Saturday and Sunday from 10.00 to 21.00

3. Café Nona

Café Nona is the perfect place to relax after shopping at Wenceslas Square. The café is located on the first floor of the Nova Scena Theatre, next to the National Theatre. Cafés are usually restaurants as well and if you only want to drink coffee at lunchtime you may have a problem.

Café Nona is an exception to this rule. You can pop in here at any time of day for a cup of coffee without ordering anything to eat. They don’t serve lunches at all, but they do have cakes and pastries. Sit by the window and watch the hustle and bustle of Narodni Street, the trams passing by, and if you may catch a glimpse of the Vltava River.

Address: Café Nona, Narodni 4, Prague
Open: Monday to Friday 10.00-midnight, Saturday and Sunday from 11.00

4. Cukravalimonada

Tucked away in a side street in the Mala Strana district, Cukrakavalimonada is a combination of restaurant, wine bar and pastry shop. The painted wooden ceiling matches the modern furniture. This is the ideal place to recharge your batteries before walking up to Prague Castle. Sit outside and have a café latte with fluffy meringue pastry. The hot chocolate combines well with the cherry cake and tastes heavenly, and is almost a meal in itself. The mint, lemon and elderberry drink is wonderfully refreshing. The lunch is also not to be missed: homemade pasta, salads and pancakes.

Address: Cukrakavalimonada, Lázeňská 7, Malá Strana, Prague
Open daily from 09.00-19.00

5. Café Savoy

Be sure to try Videnská káva, which perfectly matches the Art Nouveau elegance of Café Savoy. Sit on the mezzanine and watch what’s going on below. From here you also have a great view of the beautiful chandeliers. Café Savoy is located near the Vltava River and Kampa Island and looks like two peas in a pod of classic Viennese coffee houses.

After the Velvet Revolution in 1989, it was the meeting place for dissidents. Even if you’re not a coffee drinker, Café Savoy is worth a visit, if only to admire the beautiful hand-painted ceiling. Rest assured Café Savoy also serves beer. Savoy is also an ideal place for a gourmet lunch. Make sure to book a table, because many tourists have discovered this gem.

Address: Café Savoy, Vítězná 5, Prague
Open: Daily 08:00-22:00, Saturday and Sunday from 09:00

Photos: Marianne Crone

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