What to eat in Prague?
Prague (Praha) is a city with rich history, great architecture, and amazing food! The dishes I had while I was there weren’t the normal European meals I was accustomed to and had a slightly different take depending on the restaurant we went to. That’s just the food though, the beer was a whole other story that left my taste buds in heaven.
So, what were these awesome meals and what should you eat when you go to Prague?
The answer is obviously going to depend on taste and dietary restrictions. This guide is going to focus on a variety but try and stay towards Czech specialties that we came across.
What makes Czech Cuisine?
Some of you may be thinking, “It’s just meat or vegtables that’s been cooked? It can’t be that different form other European foods!”. Well, let me get you your first-class ticket on the train of wrongness! While Czech dishes have a strong foundation in European cuisine, they aren’t the same and bring a blend of Eastern and Western Europe food into one place.
The food is also not known for being light and small. The meals will be jam packed full of carbs and will most likely need to be washed down with a thick Czech beer!
What food should I look for in Prague?
As mentioned earlier, the list is extensive! Prague has a lot to offer and numerous tastes that will light up or taste buds. But here are the best traditional Czech food and dishes!
Czech Soups!
Czech meals often start with a soup and they have some decent variety when it comes to them.
Some common soups you’ll come across are the Chicken Noodle, Potato, and Garlic Soups. All of them are delicious and unless you have a taste for it, I would steer clear of the Sauerkraut soup.
Czech Meals
The Czech Republic isn’t a new place, so of course they have accumulated a number of main dishes. To make it easier to read, they’ll be listed out below.
- Beef Goulash with Dumplings – A thick and hearty beef stew (a personal favorite) with dumplings (knedlíky)!
- Roasted Pork with Sauerkraut – Nothing exotic about roasted pork, but the people of Czech have a special way of preparing it that I can’t mimic. While this dish is served with Sauerkraut, it is common to also see it with Dumplings instead.
- Beef Sirloin (Svíčková) with Dumplings – This is usually served with a vegetable cream sauce and may come with whipped cream! Not the usual combination I know, but surprisingly delicious!
- Pork Schnitzel and Potatos
- Roasted Duck with Sauerkraut and Dumplings
- Czech Sausage (klobásy) – If you’ve ever been to Germany then this is similar to what you’ll see there. All over the city will have sausage stands that are ready to serve a delicious Czech snack that will be very welcomed!
If you haven’t noticed, dumplings are fairly popular and aren’t the same ones you might be used to if you’re from the U.S. They are still bread, but it’s not the same type and aren’t meant to have butter added to them. While different, they were one of my favorite food items I had in Prague and highly recommend them to anyone traveling there!
Czech Beer!
Beer in Prague is like no other I’ve had. I remember reading the first menu at a local restaurant and seeing “Blueberry beer”, it sounded out of place which immediately triggered my interest. Imagine my surprise when I took my first sip and the delicious taste of blueberries filled my taste buds.
The Czech people have a way of brewing great beer and while I had a few that I preferred, I think it’s best to try whatever the locals suggest while you’re there!
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