Food You Have to Try in Prague

Let’s be honest: Czech national cuisine is quite heavy and high in calories. You will hardly be able to eat anything without washing it down with plenty of beer 🙂

Soups

Czech people say, “Soup is the foundation,” and they mean it. In many cases, a rich soup can replace a main course. Some restaurants even serve soup in a loaf of bread instead of a regular bowl.

“Kulajda” is a creamy soup made with mushrooms, potatoes, sour cream, and eggs.

“Česnečka” is a garlic broth, usually served with croutons and cheese. It is also extremely popular as a hangover remedy.

“Bramboračka” is a traditional potato soup made with carrots, celery, mushrooms, garlic, and marjoram.

Main Courses

Main dishes are typically meat served with thick, hearty sauces and dumplings as a side dish. Dumplings are made from dough and eaten by cutting off small pieces and dipping them into the sauce. There are several types of dumplings in the Czech Republic. The most common are “houskové,” which resemble sliced bread. Potato dumplings (“bramborové”) are also very popular. Carlsbad dumplings (“karlovarské”) are made from pieces of bread fried in butter.

“Koleno” — roasted pork knee, served with mustard, horseradish, and pickled cucumbers.

“Svíčková” — roasted beef with a creamy vegetable sauce, served with dumplings.

“Guláš” — meat in paprika sauce, traditionally served with dumplings.

“Kachna se zelím a knedlíkem” — duck with cabbage and dumplings.

“Vepřová pečeně s knedlíkem a zelím” — roast pork with cabbage and dumplings.

“Smažený sýr” — breaded and fried cheese, served with potatoes and tartar sauce.

Something Sweet

“Ovocné knedlíky” — fruit dumplings made with strawberries, apricots, or plums wrapped in dough. They are usually sprinkled with poppy seeds and powdered sugar, then topped with melted butter.

“Jablečný závin” — apple strudel. While many associate it with Austria, the Czech Republic was part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire for a long time, and many dishes were adopted and became local classics.

“Palačinky” — thin pancakes served with various fillings such as fruit, jam, or ice cream.

“Lívance” — small pancakes served with sour cream, cottage cheese, fruit, or simply dusted with powdered sugar.

Something to Accompany Beer

“Utopence” — marinated sausages.

“Nakládaný hermelín” — marinated soft cheese with white mold.

“Tatarák” or “Tatarský biftek” — raw minced beef served with a raw egg and spices. It may surprise first-time visitors, but it is considered a delicacy. The meat is mixed with the egg and spices, spread on garlic-rubbed toast, and traditionally enjoyed with beer.

Interested in exploring local cuisine in more detail?

Check out beer and food tours on the Viator platform!