Bredovský Dvůr

This is a very popular spot and is a short walk from Wenceslas Square. It serves the usual Czech dishes, sometimes with great aplomb. Ribs hee stand out, as well as the duck. At times, the kitchen falls well short of expectations. But with a boisterous group, low prices and Pilsner Urquell straight from the tank, the misses don't matter so much.

Location: Politických vězňů 13, New Town
Open: Mon-Sat 11am until midnight; Sun 11am-11 pm
Rated: Inexpensive.

Budvarka

This is not far from the Dejvická metro station but worlds apart from most pubs when it comes to food service. There are some creative items on the menu, including an appetiser spread of pork cracklings (with decent bread) and goose liver rolled in almonds, cooked in red wine. It is better, indeed, than many three-star restaurants. Oh, and with Bud on tap, naturally.

Location: Wuchterlova 22, Dejvice
Open: daily 11am until midnight
Rated: Inexpensive.

Café Savoy

Just off Legions' Bridge, this is a picture-perfect Victorian-era café. Even if the food were marginal, it would be recommended for the setting, décor and ornate ceiling. There's a feeling of casual sophistication about the place and dishes - from entrees to desserts - match the scene: approachable, yet better than the norm.

Location: Vítězná 1, Smíchov
Open: Mon-Fri 8am-10.30pm; Sat-Sun 9am-10.30pm
Rated: Moderate.

CzecHouse Grill

This is a vast room inside the Hilton dedicated to Chef Roman Paulus' creations. He concentrates on upscale, modern versions of classics but throws in a few twists such as an over-the-top USDA prime beef tartare with caviar. Other than the less-than-stellar view of a parking lot and office building, there's nothing disappointing about this place.

Location: Pobřežní 1, Karlín (inside the Hilton Hotel)
Open: daily 6pm-11pm and for lunch Mon-Fri noon until 3 pm
Rated: Expensive.

Ferdinanda

This is a cheap, friendly and modern restaurant. Think farm tools (transformed into fixtures and decoration), Ferdinand beer on tap and what amounts to outstanding interpretations of Czech pub

food. Plebeian fried bread is topped with grated blue cheese. Try the delicious goulash and sample ‘Seven Bullets' beer brewed on the premises, named after the seven bullets that killed Archduke Franz Ferdinand. The goulash is dense, with tender meat and almost intricate layers of flavour. This is the best unrefined Czech food located just in the core of the tourist zone.

Location: Opletalova 24, New Town (just off Wenceslas Square)
Open: Mon-Fri 9am-11pm; Sat-Sun 11am-11 pm
Rated: Inexpensive.

U Palečka

Slightly uphill from Jiřího z Poděbrad, U Palečka is a neighbourhood wine cellar with decent Czech fare. The kitchen stretches traditional recipes with caramelised vegetables and fresh paprika, building dense flavours into dishes often left to fend for themselves. You will find a nice vibe, with outdoor seating under old trees and a real sense of Vinohrady.

Location: Nitranská 22, Vinohrady
Open: daily 11am until midnight
Rated: Moderate.

U Provaznice

Service here can be atrociously slow or moderately quick. The room is curious, with bizarre artwork and a poor masquerade of the faux-finish technique. Tables and chairs? Very uncomfortable, but it's quite difficult to find a more reasonably priced example of Czech cooking anywhere so close to the city centre.

Location: Provaznická 3, Old Town
Open: daily 11am until midnight
Rated: Moderate.

U zavěšenýho kafe

A cramped front room opens into several large spaces out the back, generally full of rambunctious groups. You will find typical food (read: filling) and daily Czech specials such as potato soup. The location is uphill from Prague Castle, downhill from the Petřín Hill trails - along with the colourful and eclectic décor, these may be the biggest attractions.

Location: Úvoz 6, Hradčany
Open: daily 11am until midnight
Rated: Moderate.

V Korunní

Tourists rarely, if ever, venture into this no-frills restaurant. So it is mostly a crowd of locals and a few in-the-know expats filling themselves absent-mindedly on hearty Czech meals. Food is straightforward and well-made and anything but visionary. The room is rustic and purposeful. It is pure Czech.

Location: Korunní 39, Vinohrady
Open: Mon-Tues 10am-11pm; Wed-Fri 10.30am until midnight; Sat-Sun 11am-11pm
Rated: Inexpensive.

Prague Typical Dish and Drinks

Although Czech cuisine is not exactly a synonym for healthy cooking (tends to be high in calories, fat and sugar) you still should not miss sampling some of the traditional dishes. The traditional Czech dish is knedlo, vepro, zelo (roasted pork served with sauerkraut and dumplings). Other classic dishes are svickova na smetane (sliced beef sirloin served in a cream sauce with a garnish of cranberries and, of course, dumplings), gulas (goulash served with dumplings and often garnished with onion slices), fruit filled dumplings or the apple strudel. Most common soup in Prague is polevka s jatrovymi knedlicky (soup with liver dumplings).

Czech meals are often accompanied by the national beverage, which is of course beer. It is not just the fact that Czechs enjoy beer so much but also a matter of price, a half-litre pint is cheaper than a glass of soda or a cup of coffee. The best-known brands are Plzensky Prazdroj (Pilsner Urquell) and Budejovicky Budvar (Budweiser), but just as good are Gambrinus, Krusovice, Radegast, Velkopopovicky kozel or Staropramen. In general, cerne pivo (dark beer) is sweet while svetle pivo (a light, golden-colour beer) is bitter.