15 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.

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.

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.

Great coffee and cool vibes in this cavernous, slightly rough-around-the-edges café in an interesting, historic building, which also doubles as an art and community space.

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.

Wooden paneling and floral upholstery in the Café Mahler recall the taste of the 1880s, when Gustav Mahler briefly lived around the corner while working as a conductor at the theater on the other side of Horní náměstí. It's a good spot for ice cream, cake, light meals, coffee, or simply for sitting back and taking in the lovely view. Service can be abrupt, though.

This dessert spot is right across from the Church of St. Bartholomew. With an outdoor patio overlooking the square, it's a great place to cool down. Order some ice cream or a piece of cake and take in the front-row views.

Indulge in good, freshly made cakes or an ice-cream cone at Cukrárna u Matěje, a little café and pastry shop at Na baště 2, on the street leading past the château to a small lake.

On one of the town's main shopping streets is this resolutely old-fashioned, sophisticated coffeehouse, connected to Hotel Elefant. The apple strudel and coffee are quite good, and the outdoor terrace is a prime location for people-watching.

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.

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.

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.

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.

At the edge of Jarni Park, near Sladkova, is this aptly-named café serving a small array of house-made baked goods like chocolate tart and carrot cake. There's also soft-serve ice cream, juice, coffee and tea, and lunch options that change every couple of days—sub sandwiches on whole grain rolls, small salads, and quiche. This is a lovely place to relax with a book or your computer (they have free Wi-Fi) while the kids play in the sandbox.

Craft beer and cake is a great refueling combination in this cute, family-run café in a historic building (check out the mini-exhibition on the way in).