90 Best Restaurants in Czech Republic

An excellent pit stop while exploring Malá Strana, this warm, inviting café and bakery serves freshly made soups, salads, sandwiches, and pasta dishes, making it a convenient oasis for lunch. Or just rest your feet with a coffee and a slice of pie or cake. The light-wood booths and exposed-beam ceilings give Cukrkávalimonáda (literally "Sugarcoffeelemonade") a country-farmhouse feel. Lunchtime can be overcrowded, so try to book a spot in advance; at other times, you can normally find a seat. Note: the café closes daily at 7.

A medieval tavern feel and big plates of Czech food make Dačický a warm, authentic experience. The yellow walls decorated with cartoon-style murals, the long (shared) wooden tables, and the massive chandelier also add to the ambience. Try the pork knee and the beer sampler, but don't expect to be able to move for a couple of hours: the portions are huge and the beer is plentiful.

Literally translated as "A Coffee Shop Looking for a Name," this achingly hip café-cum-gallery serves great coffee, tempting cocktails, and excellent food—including top-notch breakfasts and brunches until midday on weekdays and 3 pm on weekends. The gallery space showcases work by local artists and hosts pop-up events.

It may no longer be the novel, menu-less restaurant of old—the COVID pandemic put an end to the concept of people choosing their meals from communal pots—but this castle-side restaurant still serves up great, traditional Czech cuisine. Take a seat and order from a small menu of dishes ranging from fresh cow's cheese with pickled vegetables to duck leg with rustic bread dumplings and red cabbage. Although most of the mains are meaty, there's always at least one vegetarian option. While the interior is perfectly lovely—all copper pots, aquamarine tiles, and pine-wood tables—the terrace, with its stunning city views, is the best place to dine.

One of Prague's hottest tables, La Finestra is the meaty counterpart to its sister restaurant, Aromi, right down to the wooden tables and brick walls. Catering to local gourmands and boldface names, this restaurant lives up to the hype. As at Aromi, waiters display an array of freshly caught fish that comprise the day's specials, but here they also do the same with meat, including cuts flown in from Italy.

Despite the quality of the cooking, La Veranda remains somewhat overlooked by visitors (though popular with locals), making a visit to this stylish, softly lighted room feel like you've been let in on a wonderful secret. The food is top-notch, with seasonal specials and a not outrageously priced six-course tasting menu showcasing the restaurant's greatest hits, like an incredibly rich beef tartare with egg yolk and black truffle. The à la carte options are equally inventive and deliver on flavor, too, from beef steak, beluga lentils, and zucchini to rabbit leg confit. Wine pairings are available.

Sleek and relatively sophisticated, Lokál Dlouhááá takes the Czech pub concept to a new level with fresh local ingredients, perfectly poured beers, and friendly, efficient service. It makes for an idealized version of a corner restaurant out of another era, right down to the stark white walls, waiters in vests, and bathrooms wallpapered with old pinups and airplane posters. Many of the dishes have a modern twist: schnitzel is made from pork neck and served atop buttery whipped potatoes, while the Czech classic of svíčková (beef tenderloin in cream sauce) is tangy and fresh (not often the case at most pubs). Lokál also has pub-restaurants in Malá Strana, Karlín, and Vinohrady.

Although a little out of the way, this lovely restaurant overlooking Smíchov (the name means "On the Hill") serves exceptional, high-end Czech and international cuisine within a comfortable and casual setting. The menu is completely overhauled every three months, making the best use of seasonal, locally sourced ingredients—from rabbit and wild boar to porcini mushrooms—to create surprising and satisfying dishes. Yet for all the fine-dining credentials, there's not an ounce of pretentiousness, thanks to the unstuffy decor (including walls plastered in family photos), the friendly and informal service, and the reasonable prices.

The restaurant is about the same walking distance (15 minutes) from Radlická and Smíchovské nádraží Metro stops (both Line B), but you can save a walk uphill by arriving at Radlická and leaving from Smíchovské nádraží.

Czech comfort food is served up every day and every night at Na louži. Lovingly preserved wood furniture and paneling lend a traditional touch to this warm, inviting, family-run pub. The food is unfussy yet satisfying; take your pick from the Czech specialties on the menu. If you're feeling too full to move after dinner, the 10 country-style rooms upstairs are basic and cheap and include breakfast; perfect for a one-night stay.

This extraordinary Asian fusion restaurant, which consists of just 17 bar stalls arranged around an open kitchen, offers an interactive dining experience combining traditional Vietnamese cuisine with European techniques and flavors. It's a combination inspired by owners Khanh's and Giang's personal experiences as Vietnamese men growing up in Prague. Watch in awe as the international kitchen team painstakingly puts together each course—it's not uncommon to see four of them huddled over a single dish—before presenting and explaining it to you. There are weekly a la carte lunch menus available, but come in the evening for the exceptional eight-course tasting menu (1,790 Kč). It changes with the seasons, but typical dishes might include summer rolls with chicken and tamarind sauce, sea bass with Thai basil and fermented radish, or pork consommé with bonito and pork dumplings. Wine pairings are also available.

Unsurprisingly, the restaurant is very popular, so book ahead.

This fine-dining establishment is widely considered to be one of the country's best restaurants—and for good reason. First and foremost, the food is superb; expect mouthwatering Czech classics and lesser-spotted seafood dishes, including scallops, lobster, and sea bream ceviche, all cooked to perfection by head chef Pavel Sapík. Second, the setting is gorgeous, from the elegant mirrored dining room (which has been in almost constant use since the 16th century) to the relaxing rooftop terrace. And third, the view over Malá Strana (Lesser Quarter), with its sea of burnt-orange rooftops, is simply unbeatable. Come for a delicious à la carte lunch any day of the week, or spoil yourself rotten with the evening tasting menu and wine pairing.

On top of the boutique Golden Well Hotel, lunch or dinner, either inside or on the terrace of this Michelin-rated restaurant overlooking the city's rooftops, is a delicious experience that more than lives up to the views and prices. The menu runs the gamut from the full degustation (3,400 Kč) to more reasonably priced à la carte lunch options.

This old-fashioned tavern puts on airs, but if you're looking for the perfect Czech venue for a special occasion, it's hard to beat the "Blue Duckling." Dusty portraits hanging on the walls and lavish curtains and table settings impart a certain slightly frilly 19th-century look. The menu, filled with succulent duck and game choices, brings things down to earth a notch. There's dining on two levels, but the upper floor's intimacy—with secluded tables in each nook and cranny and soft piano music wafting through the air—is preferable. There's now a second, smaller restaurant (unimaginatively named U Modré kachničky II) near Old Town Square.

Near the Hradčanská Metro station, this restaurant is a hit with families, and it's easy to see why. The menu covers comfort-food classics—like excellent burgers and some of the city's best pizza—an easy sell for kids, but parents in the mood for something more refined can order entrées like duck risotto. Plus, 500 has a surprisingly good wine list, including decent vintages available by the glass (still a rarity in Prague). The daily luncheon specials are popular and reasonably priced. The final winning touch? In summer, an expansive terrace opens into one of the city's most exclusive neighborhoods.

In the evenings, this café, which offers affordable lunches and snacks, becomes a trendy bar. The emphasis is on fair-trade items and food from local farmers who follow ecological practices. Formerly vegetarian, the bistro now serves some meat dishes. The interior is pleasant with that stripped-down modern look.

Across from the Újezd tram stop, this gelato gem offers delicious, homemade ice cream and gelato almost all year.

The home-baked sourdough bread, the huge selection of delicious pastries, and the lovingly brewed coffee make this café-bakery a local favorite. It's so popular that there are now two other branches in Prague, including a second one in Smíchov (at Štefánikova 31).

The menu is on the decidedly short side but offers a constantly changing list of modern takes on fish, meat, and pasta dishes, served in a relaxed but trendy environment. Tasting menus with seasonal dishes include a vegetarian option. The bar serves up new spins on classic cocktails. The light wood furnishings and vaulted ceiling add to the bright and airy feel. Located close to Brno's main theaters.

Don't let the slightly weird name and offbeat location fool you: this is a gem. Great seafood, service, and wine at this hidden-away restaurant on the edge of the Mala Strana district, serving choice meals from all over the world.

Enjoy fresh, zingy Vietnamese food at this small, trendy spot on Rybná, from the eponymous baguettes to rolls, salads, and pho. There are good Vietnamese joints all over Prague thanks to ties between formerly communist Czechoslovakia and Hanoi, but until recently Staré Mĕsto was lacking its own standout. Founder Hung Le and his team have delivered with this branch, part of a minichain that brings authentic Vietnam by way of Berlin and California.

For a quick lunch on the go, walk smugly past the greasy international chains and come here for tasty fresh sandwiches, salads, and barista-brewed coffees.

Owned by Czech brewer Budvar, Budvarka is a pumped-up pub. From the selection of beers to the rough-hewn wood tables, everything here is larger than life. The samples of rare Budvar brews (including a dark and a yeast beer) are worth the trip to this neighborhood alone. The food is upscale Czech grub, including an entire section of the menu meant to pair with beer, which covers potatoes cooked in lard and pickled hermelín cheese. The Flinstonian ribs are so huge that they require special presentation on a raised metal tray. Bring an appetite or a hungry friend.

While Prague isn't famous for its Mexican food, Burrito Loco is a notable exception: fresh, spicy takeout burritos and nachos, at affordable prices, right by Old Town Square. There are a few branches around the city.

The twin stars of the show at this Gallic import are beef entrecote and French fries. Café de Paris even makes its own "special sauce" (béarnaise with a hint of mustard). The look is classic French bistro, down to the old photographs and red banquettes lining the walls, which makes sense considering its location near the French Embassy. There are a few other things on the menu, classics like Caesar salad and a rotating option of soups, but there's little reason to stray from house specialties.

High-quality meals at not-too-high prices are the order of the day at this elegant, Viennese-style café, which dates back to the 19th century. Diners can enjoy everything from cream of green pea soups to crisp seasonal salads and Parisian steak tartare to classic Wiener schnitzel, all complemented by fresh breads from the in-house bakery. The selection of cakes and pastries make for the perfect sweet finish. For the very best of Café Savoy, come for breakfast during the week or for brunch on weekends; you'll need to book ahead.

The simple rustic-type setting with a fireplace and lots of wooden details complements the classic Czech menu of duck, goose, fish, and guláš. Service is informal and friendly.

Having settled into its role as a leading light on Prague's culinary scene, the kitchen here dwells on crafting definitive Italian fare, overseen by chef Marco Veneruso. The comfortable Four Seasons restaurant and terrace (which has fantastic river views) graciously serves some of the finest Mediterranean cuisine in Prague. Even fish, the bane of many a Czech restaurant kitchen, arrives here as intricately flavored John Dory with a Champagne sauce. It pairs nicely with the hotel's own vibe, that of unquestioning luxury. Servers move seamlessly, the courses are expertly timed, and the sommelier eagerly suggests his recommendations. Despite the high prices and reverent treatment of the ingredients, the light, airy dining room is quite welcoming. And in a nod to the many family guests, there's a kids' menu, along with staff who love to pamper them.

Right behind the soaring spires of Staré Mĕsto's Týn Church, Beas offers inexpensive, Indian-style vegetarian and vegan food just a short walk from Old Town Square. Don't expect upscale service—you're going to bus your own table—but these dishes are worth the extra work. Great curries, dals, grilled flatbreads, fragrant basmati rice, rich grilled eggplant, and other vegetarian delights make you forget that nothing you're eating contains eggs, meat, or fish (and let's face it, that in itself is a bit of a rare treat in meat-loving Central Europe). Although meal prices are already low, the availability of free tap water makes it even easier on the wallet. There are a host of similarly reliable Beas branches around town.

As you would expect, Josefov has some solid kosher options for Jewish travelers. Of these, Dinitz is probably the most welcoming to both Jews and non-Jews and is a relaxed, often buzzing spot for Middle Eastern–inspired food and good grilled meat.

The simple decor—white walls and plank floors—at this wine-centric Italian restaurant on a quiet street near the Týn Church belies the quality and complexity of its food. Whether you stick to a simpler beef carpaccio or try something more complex like goat cheese and truffle mousse, the dishes are skillfully prepared and attractively presented. Beef cheeks braised with marsala and spinach or loin of wild boar with garlic polenta make excellent entrées, but if you're not up for a huge meal, opt for a pasta. The all-Italian wine list is one of the city's best.