PRAGUE GUIDE

Cheap restaurants are not so hard to find but are less frequent around tourist spots. Generally, prices in cheap restaurants are from 100 CZK to 250 CZK for dinner and beer. Yes, it is also possible to eat extremely cheaply at some local Chinese restaurants for around 80 CZK for a lunch, but don't expect a superb portion. A meal at McDonald or KFC will cost you 100 CZK. Most of the cheap restaurants do not accept credit cards.

Bar Bar

Diverse, fresh ingredients make for whimsical crepes and galletes. Salads are also available. We recommend crepes Dublin and Paris.

Location: Všehrdova 17, Lesser Town; website
Open: daily noon-11pm
Price range: 150-250 CZK.

Bohemia Bagel

A wide variety of fresh bagels, sandwiches and homemade soups are available here as well as bottomless cups of coffee. It is recommended you try the muffins, brownies and cheesecakes.
 

Location: Újezd 16, Lesser Town; webiste
Open: daily 7am-2am
Second Location: Masná 2, Old Town
Open: Mon-Fri 7am-midnight; Sat-Sun 8 am-midnight
Price range: 40-150 CZK.

Klub architectů

This is a Czech restaurant with friendly prices and is located just opposite Bethlehem Church and under an architecture bookshop. It is a medieval place with clean-lined, modern furnishings and artistically functional ductwork. The food is also neat and quirky. Try the Bethlehem mix with pork and shallots.

Location: Betlémské náměstí 5a, Old Town; website
Open: daily 11.30am-midnight
Price range: 150-300 CZK.

Malý Buddha

Here you will find Vietnamese temple food, and a fine assortment of teas and light dishes. There is no smoking. It is recommended you try vegetarian spring rolls and Chinese chicken.

Location: Úvoz 46, Hradčany; webiste
Open: Tues-Sun 1-10.30pm
Price range: 100-200 CZK.

Pizza Coloseum

This is a place for pizza and pasta. It is usually crowded, but is great for a pre-movie dinner.

Location: Vodičkova 32, New Town; website
Open: Mon-Sat 11.30am-11.30pm; Sun noon-11.30pm
Price range: 100-300 CZK.

Pizzeria Kmotra

Here you can eat pizza. It is a perennial favourite: hence, the long queue for a table.

Location: V jirchářích 12, New Town (near Spálená); website
Open: daily 11am-midnight
Price range: 100-250 CZK.

Radost FX Cafe

This is for vegetarian food. You can enjoy a weekend brunch or good pastas on Italian night every Sunday. There are hip crowds, but glacial service. It is open late.

Location: Bělehradská 120, Vinohrady (near metro I.P. Pavlova); website
Open: daily 11.30am-4am
Price range: 100-300 CZK.

U Sádlů our pick!

The restaurant has a middle-age decor, with suits of armour and weaponry on the wall. The kitchen produces outstanding tenderloin, hearty soups and other burly fare, but with a certain ‘je ne sais quoi'. The food is really excellent and the portions are big.

Location: Klimentská 2, New Town; website
Open: daily 11am-1am
Price range: 150-300 CZK.

U Šuterů‎

This is a truly gracious Czech pub. You will find simple dishes, good value and kind service. It is very busy at peak hours.

Location: Hotel U Šuterů‎, Palackého 2, New Town
Open: daily 11am-11pm
Price range: around 250 CZK.

U Vladaře

Near Charles Bridge is a comfortable Czech restaurant and pub, where you sit in horse stalls. Here you can try horse salami with Czech beer. The prices are good and the staff are nice.

Location: Maltézské náměstí 10, Lesser Town
Open: daily 11am-11pm
Price range: around 200 CZK. 

U Zlatého Preclíku

This offers good Czech food at cheap prices but it is largely undiscovered.

Location: Tomášská 22, Lesser Town, website
Open: daily 11am-11pm
Price range: 100-250 CZK.

Go to Restaurants where Czech People Go

Many of the best areas of Prague are cobbled alleyways knotted together in delightful warrens, and this is where the best bars and restaurants can be found. Unfortunately the binge bars have moved here as well, but they are easy to tell apart. Signs and menus in English (especially if exclusively in English) are a warning to leave immediately. However, staff being able to speak English is simply a tribute to the Czech education system, and not a reflection on the establishment. A tourist wrangler on the street outside should be treated as a health warning, and their desperate or cunning entreaties ignored. Finally, a simple look at the other customers should tell you a lot. Local Czech people go to the best restaurants; tourists go to the easiest restaurants.

Tipping

the basic 5% - 15% is appreciated, but not mandatory. Also many Czechs just round the bill up. Leave cash on the table if you thought the service was good, or say "Dobry" when paying your waiter, it means "OK," as in, keep the change. Or, when handing over the money, just say how much cash you would like back. Some restaurants add a "service fee" to the final amount, so the tip is included. If you are unsure, just ask. Also, if you are unsure about any items on the check, it is wise to ask. It can be hard to figure out exactly what you're being charged for, and "mistakes" are not uncommon. And still today some establishments try to rip off tourists.  

Czech Cuisine and Etiquette

All Czech's national dishes are incredibly rich and filling for that reason be surely you won't get hungry. First impression among visitors to the Czech Republic is that table service seems less friendly, or attentive than what they're used to. Please don't take it to heart, Czechs are friendly people, but it is considered professional and respectful to be slightly impersonal, especially for a waiter.

Did you know?

Czechs are not really used to eat exotic food, for us it something new. For most foreigners it might sound wired but in fact many Czech never tried Japanese, Chinese or Thai food. But it starts to change, as many very cheap Chinese restaurants compete, Czech learning how to enjoy in Chinese food :)

Be aware

Check your bill carefully, because extra charges are sometimes added - this is relatively a common practice in Prague.