Czech Food and Drinks

Traditional Czech food is not for the faint-hearted. An individual portion feeds the whole family and almost explodes with calories. On the bright side: Czech meals and Czech beer are a happy marriage. Traditional Czech food consists of pork or beef doused in a sauce and served with dumplings.

Meat is the mainstay of most dishes. Non-meat eaters no longer have a difficult time in Prague because almost all restaurants include vegetarian dishes. The Czechs seem to be allergic to vegetables; only the smallest sliver of red pepper, the tiniest slice of tomato and half a gherkin accompany your main dish unless you order a salad as a main course.

Czech cuisine draws from German, Polish Hungarian and Austrian recipes. Almost every menu features goulash, grilled sausages, potato pancakes and roast pork with dumplings and cabbage. And finally, there is pivo! It is impossible to talk food without mentioning pivo (beer); bottom-fermented lager from the city of Plzeň (Pilsen) or one of the brews from the micro-breweries in Prague. Prague brims with beer garden where you can savour different types of beer. They each have their own distinctive flavour.

There are so many cafés, restaurants, beer gardens and pubs in Prague that it is difficult to make a choice. Below you will find the pick of the bunch.