When I first arrived to Prague, I seriously wondered what in the world I was going to eat for the next several months. Although the typical Czech cuisine of sausages, beef, duck, chicken and more sausages doesn’t tempt my taste buds, I was able to find some really great options for eating out.
Here are the 5 best things I ate while in Prague.
1. Estrella
I loved every second of my visit to Estrella! The food, the flavors, the friendly staff, the ambiance, and even the price completely wowed me. This was one of the best meals I’ve had in a very long time.
On the day I went, the special of the day was vegetable soup followed by pan fried tofu, potato salad and coleslaw. Honestly, that sounded anything but appetizing to me, but that was the day’s option and I decided to give it a try. And I’m super glad I did!
Everything was plated and presented so lovely. And the flavors … bursting!
I enjoyed the meal so much I opted for dessert. I chose the carrot cake, and it too completely topped my expectations. It tasted as if it had been homemade in a Grandmother’s kitchen.
I braced myself when it was time to ask for the bill, and was prepared to pay $25-30 for lunch. As I looked at the bill, I was shocked. Although the dessert was a bit extra, my appetizer (soup) and main meal was only 125 CZK, which comes out to be around $5.50 USD.
The only thing I regret? Not finding this gem sooner.
You can find Estrella in the area of Nadroni Trida. Reservations recommended (especially for dinner).
Click here for a list of other vegetarian restaurants in Prague.
2. Choco Café
As the name probably gave it away, this café is all about chocolate. It’s a chocoholics dream come true. I spent the afternoon here with Amy (from Amy and the Great World) and her boyfriend. We had cups of thick, rich hot chocolate and Hořice rolls. I also tried one of their macarons. Can you guess the flavor? Yep, chocolate!
Hořice rolls are thinly rolled wafers, filled with cinnamon, sugar and a light-as-air cream. You then dip the rolls in a cup of warm, melted chocolate. Pretty much anything dipped and covered in melted chocolate goes down as win in my book.
Hořice rolls are actually a Czech delicacy. The recipe dates back to 1812, and legend has it that Napoleon’s general and chef gave the recipe to a local Czech woman after she saved his life and treated his wounds that he received from the war.
3. Café Savoy
Café Savoy has been around since 1893. Stop in for breakfast/brunch on the weekend, and you’ll see why this place has withstood the test of time. While the gorgeous interior is impressive, so is the menu.
I opted for French toast, which also came with a mixture of fresh fruit. And although the French toast was delicious and completely cured my “American breakfast” cravings, the star of the breakfast for me was the café au lait. Coffee, warm milk, a dusting of cinnamon, all served in a bowl-sized cup. It tasted just like the holidays, and I loved being able to sip on it while lingering over breakfast.
Reservations recommended, especially on the weekends.
4. Café Slavia
Located directly across from the National Theatre, Café Slavia has been open since 1884. They primarily serve more of the Czech specialty dishes … hearty, meat based dishes. I stopped here one afternoon before heading to a production of The Nutcracker at the theatre. I ordered a savory crepe.
Although crepes are not a Czech specialty, the crepe batter had poppy seeds mixed in, which is very much a Czech thing. The poppy seed crepe was topped with slices of salmon, fried apples and a horseradish cream sauce, then drizzled with a red wine reduction and garnished with dried apple rings. It was a very different flavor combination, but incredibly delicious!
5. Dish
Dish is a burger bistro located in Prague 2 that has exceptional burgers. While the menu primarily consists of beef and lamb burgers, they also offer an excellent portobello burger.
The mushroom burger comes with smoked mozzarella cheese, herb pesto, baby spinach and pickled red onion. I added a side of bistro fries topped with garlic and parsley. Dish was so good I went back several more times with friends.
What about you?
Do you have a favorite meal that you enjoyed in Prague?
I need to go back and try those chocolate rolls. I did try Dish and wasn’t wowed. The burgers seemed overpriced and the patty not as large as i expected considering a side order like fries are separate. Even ketchup is charged extra for a tiny little ramekin.