Food & Drink
Dobru Chut is Czech for Bon Appetit and the locals like nothing more than a good, hearty meal. Be warned though that Prague is not the place to visit for haute cuisine, but for traditional filling dishes it is definitely the place to be.
The most popular Czech side dish, the Knedlik, which is a dumpling made from wheat or potato flour and then boiled and cut into slices and served with gravy. Richly prepared meats are also popular, such as pork, beef, turkey, duck, lamb and rabbit.
If the idea of waist-enhancing dishes which consist of bread dumplings, butter sauces, cream, eggs and animal fats do not entice you then Prague also offers most world cuisines in its restaurants, including a host of Indian, Chinese, Japanese and Mexican speciality diners.
Lighter snacks and sandwich bars can be located in the city centre, as well as a number of turn-of-the-century coffee houses, which offer the opportunity to relax and watch the world go by as you enjoy a traditional pastry or piece of gateau.
However, it is unlikely you will find many diet dishes in Prague, as the Czechs love sugar in practically every dish. Even their salad dressings are sweet. Salads are often covered in a thick mayonnaise-based dressing, which includes very small pieces of vegetable or meat.
To sample some real Czech food while you are in Prague, why not try Veprove Knedlikv or pork and dumplings. Another Czech delicacy that may not be for the faint-hearted is Teleci Kvta or leg of deer. For something that may be more attuned to the British palate, goulash is not to be missed, as well as Beefsteak na Kvselo or steak in a creamy sauce.
Thick broths are also a tradition in Prague but be warned, many of the soups are very highly flavoured, such as the Cesnekovv Polevka or garlic broth. Fish soup is also worth a taste and the national fish is carp. Carp is often served on its own in a thick cream sauce and comes with a side order of potato pancakes or fried cheese. Although the bread for dipping in soup may appear stale, this too is a traditional recipe and is supposed to be dry and chewy!
To accompany their rich diet, the Czechs tend to drink copious amounts of beer and have some of the finest varieties in the world, including Budweiser and Pilsner Urquell. Beer-lovers are well advised to take a trip to the Becher factory and Staropramen brewery, as well as the preserved estate brewery to sample some of the traditional Czech ales.
Although beer is a favourite in Prague, a meal is usually rounded off with a strong spirit such as Absinth or Becherovka, which is a medicinal herbal aperitif said to aid digestion. It is 70 per cent alcohol and has been banned in many parts of the world, but is commonly served frozen, which makes it slightly more palatable. Plum brandy (slivovice) is also popular and contains 90 per cent alcohol.
Prague is a food-lover's paradise and a decent, filling meal here does not have to cost the earth. From restaurants offering international cuisine to Czech wine bars through to traditional beer pubs, Prague is a city that will keep your taste buds wanting more!
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Food & Drink
