119 Best Restaurants in Prague, Czech Republic

Prague's first English-language bookstore with a café continues to draw both foreigners and Czechs for its large selection of novels, regional nonfiction, popular brunches, and memories of the go-go '90s. The recently upgraded menu includes an excellent burger, good salads, and various American classics. Head over in the evening for regular themed nights, as well as occasional live music.

This small and stylish bistro, run by mother-and-daughter team Zuzana and Pavlína, offers a casual, family-friendly atmosphere in which to enjoy a delicious meal. Open from breakfast to dinner, the place is busiest at lunch, where the good-value daily menus feature some of the restaurant's best dishes (like the gnocchi with salmon and sun-dried tomatoes) at half the usual price. Save space for dessert; the cakes are superb.

A nice counterpoint to the heavy, meaty cuisine found in most Prague diners, Hanil serves good-quality sushi as well as Korean and other Asian dishes at premium but affordable prices. The open, casual setting, which is accented with elegant light and dark woods, burnt-orange chair cushions, and curves galore, attracts a largely local crowd of young professionals who appreciate the blend of high-quality food with a lack of pretension. Opt for the good-value sushi sets, or if you're feeling adventurous, try the pa-jeon, a tasty pancake with spring onion and seafood, or the ojingo bokkum, a squid stir-fry served on a hot plate.

This old-school canteen dishes up classic Czech grub very cheaply, and aims to do so within five minutes of getting the order, so unsurprisingly it can get very busy at lunchtime. The soups in particular are a bargain and very traditional.

A popular café-bistro-bar with a homey feel (per its name), the menu here changes daily, taking inspiration from a mix of the owners' grandmothers and U.K. superchef Gordon Ramsay. There's also a shop for fresh vegetables and pastries. The coffee is great and at night there are often DJs.  

This large beer garden is one of Prague's most popular after-work hangouts during the summer months, and it's no wonder with those stunning city views.

Tucked into a side street between Malá Strana and Smíchov, the Ichnusa Botega & Bistro evokes the island of Sardinia, with Mediterranean-blue accents, rustic wall decor, and plenty of seafood and wines from Italy's southern reaches. The owners are Sardinian, so the experience is authentic overall. Be sure to ask about daily specials.

American expatriates, Czech politicians, international consultants, and a constant crowd of students make this Czech--American hybrid pub feel like a place where everyone is welcome—especially when there's a big soccer game.

The "Little Coffee" grinds freshly roasted beans from Brazil, Kenya, Colombia, and other renowned growing regions. Superlative strudel and small snacks in a peaceful setting make this a pleasant stop for refueling.

The zenith of riverside dining is offered at this legendary restaurant just off the Charles Bridge, known almost as much for its chic decor and celebrity guests as it is for its elegant continental cuisine and great wines—it's the kind of place where European royals and heads of state mingle with their head-of-studio counterparts from Hollywood. But the real star power arrives on the plate, with dishes like olive-oil-poached halibut with truffle pearls or tuna tartare with caviar butter. The only drawback: the food and views command some of the highest prices in town.

This cozy little café, which is tucked away on one of the city's prettiest backstreets, is a great stop for coffee and cake. It's only open from mid-morning to early evening (and not at all on Mondays), so you'll need to time it right.

This ground-floor café is every bit as opulent as the magnificent art nouveau Municipal House it sits in. Step through the doors and into another era—the first decade of the 20th century to be specific—when the practice of coffee drinking was given white-glove treatment. The food menu is on the light side, mostly cakes, with some sandwiches, salads, and cheese plates too. As with other cafés in town, in addition to coffee, tea, and soft drinks, it's possible to order a glass of wine or beer.

Easily the city's best-known café, Slavia serves good coffee, drinks, and light snacks, as well as the greatest hits of Czech cuisine: roast duck with potato dumplings and sauerkraut, beef guláš, and roast smoked pork with white cabbage and potato pancakes. Plus, the café offers rich views of the National Theater and Prague Castle. The spectacular location has a historic air that reaches back to the days of Viktor Oliva's painting The Absinthe Drinker (which hangs in the main room) through the 1970s and '80s when the late Václav Havel was a regular.

There are lots of pub-restaurants in Staré Mĕsto like Krčma—all beer, hearty Czech classics. and brick-lined cellar—but this is the best of the bunch. Staff are friendly, prices are reasonable, it's not usually mobbed, and it retains a whiff of authenticity.

On Vítězné náměstí, the big roundabout above the Dejvická metro station, this cavernous restaurant and pub is owned by the Pilsner Urquell brewery, ensuring fresh, well-tapped beer. The menu is strong on traditional Czech dishes, like Moravský vrabec, roast pork seasoned with onion and garlic, and pečené vepřové koleno, roast pig knuckle, served here with sides of grated horseradish and mustard. The rich food and good beer attract a loud, youngish crowd, so be ready for a little boisterousness.

A tiny bakery with a big reputation, this place allows you to take your pick from dozens of different focaccias, as well as delicious arancini (small balls of rice stuffed with a savory filling), fresh ciabattas, crispy Italian biscuits, and various pastries and cakes.

Choose from more than 50 varieties of chlebíček (Czech traditional open sandwich) at this old-school lunch stop.

Vinohrady has several very good Indian restaurants, but this corner restaurant along one of the area's prettiest streets may just be the best. Those familiar with Indian cooking can expect all of the standard curries, tandoori dishes, samosas, naans, and other staples of Indian cuisine. The difference here is the level of cooking and the unwillingness to cut corners. The lamb dishes, for example, will have three or four good-size pieces of lamb. Another winning detail: the English-speaking waitstaff will go out of their way to please guests.

A mini-oasis in the heart of Žižkov, this family-owned restaurant sits on a busy street but has a hidden garden terrace and conservatory around the back. The menu features a mix of Czech staples (like beef goulash) and lesser-spotted dishes (like salmon fillet with pumpkin purée), as well as lots of vegetarian options. There's a lovely ambience throughout, and the service is fast, attentive, and unfailingly friendly.

The main restaurant of the Grand Mark Hotel has established itself as one of the best restaurants in the country. Don't expect lots of innovation here, but dishes are skillfully prepared and presented, and the focus is on seasonal ingredients, with a monthly changing menu. Plush velvet chairs, recessed lighting, and neutral textiles make the atmosphere hushed and professional.

Lemon Leaf serves a long list of Thai classics to an appreciative, dedicated clientele. Airy and luminous, with big pots of plants, tall windows, and funky lamps, this spot provides a solid alternative to European cuisine for lunch or dinner. It's all delicious, but keep an eye on the little flame symbols in the menu that denote the hotness of dishes.

Staré Mĕsto can sometimes feel relentlessly "olde-worlde" Czech, and Belgian-styled bistro Les Moules represents part of the appeal of dining in Josefov instead, with a more international, modern vibe. There's a nice open terrace and a fine selection of mussels, as you'd expect from the name. If you're tired of Pilsner Urquell, too (sacrilegious as this may be), there's a variety of Belgian Trappist beers.

The global trend for Nordic cuisine hasn't bypassed Prague, as evidenced by this hip basement restaurant with living plant walls, sounds of nature, and inventive, seasonal cooking delivered via tasting menus that are a blend of Scandinavian and Asian influences. There are only 22 seats, so it's best to book.

If you're visiting Lobkowicz Palace (or even if you aren't), save time for a coffee, pastry, or even lunch at this lovely little café. The menu is full of tasty treats, from Czech classics like goulash and schnitzel to simple fare like soups, salads, and grilled cheese sandwiches. There are also some great desserts; try the Bohemian apple strudel. The prices are a little high for what you get, but it's worth it for the lovely terrace views over Malá Strana.

The same talented team behind Lokál Dlouhááá and Café Savoy refurbished this long-standing Czech pub near Stromovka Park in 2013. Not only did they add a fresh coat of paint to the walls, but, true to form, they refreshed and reintroduced some traditional tavern classics alongside great beer. A solid choice if you are in the area.

Sometimes, only a beer and a burger will do, and until recently, that would have been a difficult ask in this historic part of town. Enter Loki Burgers, with quality patties and a relaxed atmosphere, at the Petřín park end of town rather than up the hill by the castle.

The decor is bright and eccentric—think cats in fake windows, Picasso-esque murals, and bells hanging from the ceiling—but the ambience is friendly at this pan-Balkan restaurant on a busy stretch of the Malá Strana. Taking cues from Bosnian, Serbian, and Macedonian cuisine, the menu branches out to cover the best of the coasts and hill country plus hearty regional wines from family-run vineyards.

Vegetarians, you're in luck: the Czech Republic's best vegetarian restaurant just happens to be a five-minute walk from Old Town Square. Here, veg food is not viewed as a radical departure from other cuisines; indeed, most of the dishes, a mish-mash of global favorites, look and taste close to the originals, only without the meat. The interior design is attractive but a bit space-agey, with swoopy fabric light fixtures reminiscent of giant white mushrooms, which coincidentally turn up in many of the entrées.