20 Best Restaurants in Czech Republic

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).

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.

A pleasantly airy American-style bakery and café counter, Bakeshop Praha sells familiar U.S. favorites, from avocado BLTs to entire pumpkin pies. Though it gets crowded during peak lunch hours, there is indoor seating, and the space, with penny-tiled floors and ceiling moldings, has a retro charm. But the takeaway sandwiches, bagels, giant cookies, and good coffee make it easy to grab and go.

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.

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.

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.

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.

This old-school canteen dishes up classic Czech grub very cheaply, and aims to do so within five minutes of getting the order, so unsurprisingly it can get very busy at lunchtime. The soups in particular are a bargain and very traditional.

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.

A tiny bakery with a big reputation, this place allows you to take your pick from dozens of different focaccias, as well as delicious arancini (small balls of rice stuffed with a savory filling), fresh ciabattas, crispy Italian biscuits, and various pastries and cakes.

This little bakery was set up by a Danish chef in 1999, which means predictably good Danish pastries and brilliant breads, including the house special, rye bread with sunflower seeds.

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.

With its hip signage and location, you could be forgiven for assuming that Piknik is style over substance. But the lines to the counter would quickly set you right, as customers line up for delicious pastries, cakes, sandwiches, breakfasts, and coffee. There are some tables, too, but as the name suggests, it's a good spot to load up on provisions to take to Letenské sady (Letná Park) just across the river or farther afield. It opens at 7:30, for those who want to get ahead of the tourist hordes.

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).

Famed for its soft and squishy cinnamon rolls (some of the best in town), this takeout spot also serves perfect pulled-pork sandwiches and lip-smacking vegan wraps.

The best of the many touristy restaurants in the town proper, this spot is just on the upper edge of the village, not far from where the castle path starts. It also offers a nice big terrace with slight views of the castle. Decent Czech-style food, including some game and fish options, is offered on the menu. The pension can also be a comfortable place to stay if you feel like being outside of Prague for a night but close to the action at Karlštejn.