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-   -   Food or Drink Experiences Found in PRAGUE? (https://www.fodors.com/community/europe/food-or-drink-experiences-found-in-prague-516408/)

mbresso Mar 28th, 2005 09:15 AM

Food or Drink Experiences Found in PRAGUE?
 
I'm making up a little list for my trip. In New Orleans they have their gumbo and Hurricanes; San Francisco it's sourdough bread and Dungeness crab; and New England has their lobsters, etc.

So, in that vein, if you were visiting PRAGUE,

(1) What city or regional food or drink specialty is something you MUST experience because it's just not the same anywhere else; and

(2) At what place or establishment in particular prepares or provides it the best?

nytraveler Mar 28th, 2005 10:49 AM

Prague has some of the best beer in the world. The real Budweiser (nothing like our watered down swill) comes from there. (I know it's marketed here but do;t now the name.)

Food specialties are typical central european - lots of game: birds, deer, boar. But you can find almost any type of food you want.

mp413 Mar 28th, 2005 11:05 AM

Stay away from places that look touristy (English menus, patrons speaking English or German) and you will get authentic Czech meals. Some of the best (and cheapest) meals and beer can be had in pubs - where you will see locals eating inside. Goulash is another delicious classic, and you should definitely have becherovka - it's a delicious herbal liqueur. You can have it straight or mixed with tonic (called "be-ton" which means concrete ihn czech). Don't miss Cafe Imperial - delicious Czech food in a beautiful art nouveau setting. Tourists do go there as well as locals.

SAnParis Mar 28th, 2005 11:30 AM

The name of the "real" Budweiser, brewed in Ceske Budovice is labeled as Czechvar in the US. The signs & logos you will see, closely resemble their Anheiser-Busch cousin. The quality & taste however, bear little resemblance to the American swill of the same name. We had a wonderful dining experience right next to (actually kind of under) the St. Charles Bridge. Complete w/a surprisingly great little local wine & dessert all for less than $25 US.

Boots Mar 28th, 2005 12:28 PM

The men in my family swear by Pilsner Urquel (beer). Boots

FainaAgain Mar 28th, 2005 12:33 PM

Well, it was not in Prague, but in a Czech restaurant, my son was impressed with "Goulash" a dish similar to beef stew, only more beef less "stew" :)

jahoulih Mar 28th, 2005 12:42 PM

Here's a great Prague trip report, with a heavy emphasis on food:

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34382226

elaine Mar 28th, 2005 01:29 PM

and here's a more recent one, the Pancacky Papers

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34514397

mbresso Mar 28th, 2005 01:30 PM

Excellent thoughts and posts guys -- and thanks for that great link FainaAgain! Just before departure in May I'm going to print out all my "Food Specialties" by city posts and hopefully enjoy some wonderful tried and true experiences.

elaine Mar 28th, 2005 01:30 PM

that should be, Pancaky

FainaAgain Mar 28th, 2005 02:10 PM

Huh? Sorry can't take this credit :)

mp413 Mar 29th, 2005 06:45 AM

mbresso, if you haven't left yet, I thought of one more thing you absolutely must try. Go into any deli - there are several in downtown and Old Town, and they are usually crammed with locals standing inside around lunchtime - and order some chlebicky (pronounced h-LEB-eech-kih). They are little sandwiches topped with a variety of things - ham, cheese, or salami topped with pickles, eggs, red peppers...they are distinctively czech and delicious! You can stand in the deli and eat them, or you can order them to go and take them to a park to have a picnic.

mmfromam Apr 1st, 2005 04:50 AM

Hi, 2 weeks ago in Prague, I went to some restaurants I can recommend. Besides I was born in Czechoslovakia, so I think I know what is the typical Czech food. If you really want to taste the Czech cuisine, you should try for example "knedlíky", "palacinky","ovocné knedlíky", "chlebícky", "rízky", "uzené se zelím"(resp. dumplings, pancakes, fruit-dumplings, little sandwiches, schnitzels, smoked meat with sauerkraut), but I'm not sure you will like it. Most of Czech food is rather heavy, that's why they drink so much beer then, to digest better. Nevertheless, Czech beer is extraordinary good and tasty. You must try ordinary bread ("chléb") and sausage ("klobása" of "cigára"). Very cheap but tasty meal is "smažený sýr", fried chease with pommes-frites, hopefully with salad.
I'd recommend Olympia en Kolkovna (www.kolkovna-group.cz or www.kolkovna.cz) en Klášterní pivovar nearby Strahov klooster: www.klasterni-pivovar.cz (unfortunately is this website made only in Czech)or maybe Vojanùv dvùr in U Lužického semináre street nr.21, nearby Malostranské námestí. I don't know the last two restaurants from my personal experience, but they were recommended to me from my Czech friends.
PS My colleagues liked all that "Becherovka", sweet herbal liqueur. If it's cold outside, it's not so bad...

pumpkin Apr 1st, 2005 05:26 AM

Great Food everywhere we went (tourist place or not). Although we enjoy Pilsner Urquel for beer, I prefer Staropramen (sp?) even better.

In Prague, you'll see outdoor cafes with umbrellas with the name of the beer they serve. (and no others)

We Czechs like dumplings and pork.

Check out their pastries--haven't seen anything like them except in Paris. Yummy!

Enjoy yourself!


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