Katerina Kaftanova (1982)

I’m not a big fan of fast food. Nevertheless, when I’m in a hurry looking for a quick bite, it’s a suitable option.

Since my studies, I have had a thing for hot dogs. It has always been cheap plus I had the feeling that I wasn’t supporting international corporations .

In Czech republic we actually have our version of hot dog called “párek v rohlíku” – the sausage is not placed in a lengthwise cut bun, but in a hole made in this bun. You can find quite a lot of hot dog stalls all around Prague. I like the one which is at Náměstí Míru (called Mírák), situated strategically near the subway entrance. You can have your hot dog with different types of mustards and ketchup. There’s also an economic value meal, with a hot dog, a wafer and a cold drink.

I recommend you take your hot dog and then eat it on the steps of the nearby church – eating fast food does not mean, that we can not slow down a little bit at the same time, right?

If you love Vietnamese food, you should check out the so-called little Hanoi aka Sapa, situated in Prague.

TTTM Sapa, located in the south surround of Prague called Písnice is a wholesale market where you can buy a lot of stuff (the majority of the items sold come from Asia of course). Actually it’s like a town in a town with different amenities for the Vietnamese community: restaurants and bistros (including some bubble tea places) beauty salons, a school, a temple etc.

I’m a big fan of Sapa especially because of the food. I like the Vietnamese groceries, where you can buy different ingredients for Asian cuisine that you can not buy anywhere else (or they are way too expensive) – various vegetables and fruits, herbs, sauces, frozen prawns, alive crabs, strange looking meat, tea, rice, tofu and much more…

Besides checking the shops you should definitely eat there. The criteria of a good place to eat is simple: eat where local people eat! Places which are oriented in one type of food are usually the strike home. My favorite place is a tiny place named Hai Há – the have the best bún chả- it is rich and savory.

P.S. if you go to Sapa by bus, you can take bus 113 from metro station Kacerov (C line) – that is the best way. A second option is the bus 198 from Smichovske nadrazi metro station (B line). The place is really on the outskirts of the city so don’t be surprised

Having a beer pub in the neighbourhood, where they have one of the largest selections of beers on tap in Prague + a beer shop next door can be quite dangerous (and money consuming). Especially if it is on your way home .

Zlý časy literally means “bad times” but trust me, you’ll always have a good time there . If you like beer and different beer styles, you can find them all there – lagers, wheat beers, IPA, EPA…mostly from Czech (micro)breweries and some specials from abroad.

Three floors (=three bars), 48 taps in total (the selection of beer is if course changing regularly) + a selection of bottled beer from all around the world –  that’s certainly worth a visit. If you want to eat something with your beer, I can recommend the classic “pub” snacks like a pickled camembert-type cheese, pork knee or ribs.

And one good thing – the place is non-smoking (after a poll taken among visitors). The pub can be quite crowded, so it is better to make a reservation, especially if you are with more than two.

P.S. If you want to buy some bottled beer, go next door to Pivkupectví shop which belongs to Zlý časy.

Like (almost) every woman I like to go shopping for clothes. I try to combine the visits in classical fashion chains with the ones at young Czech fashion designers shops – with clothes from them, you have quite a chance that you won’t meet half of Prague in the same outfit. I took in affection the brand Leeda. Every time I go there, I buy something new (and that is also the reason why I should not go there too often).

Leeda is an original Czech brand, created by a duo of designers Lucie Kutalková and Lucie Trnková. Their collections are thematically tuned and you can always find some extravagant models as well as normally wearable to the office and for leisure time. I find it interesting that Leeda is also cooperating with people from other creative areas (art, architecture, graphical design etc) – eg. the world-known architect Jan Kaplický was concerned in one of the collections named Leeda Kaplicky.

From time to time Leeda throws fashion parties to sell out old collections. It’s always a small event with a nice atmosphere – the small shop and its surrounding is full of people, chatting over a glass of wine and some chips.

P.S. Leeda is now known among movie stars – Tilda Swinton and also Kim Cattrall went shopping there while filming in Prague

I like receiving presents, but giving them even a little bit more. If I have a problem with gift selection or am only looking for some inspiration, I go to Naoko. I always stay there for a while – the shop is packed with many interesting things to see and buy, hence I have to watch my wallet carefully. If you like things with idea and uncommon design, you will definitely like Naoko.

Naoko is situated in Revoluční street (near the shopping centre Palladium) and has two shops side-by-side. The first is Eat & Drink, where you can find various things designated to cooking, eating and drinking. The second one, Home & Fun, is full of household and garden accessories, stuff for amusement and sport and last but not least funny „personal” accessories (if as a kid you were craving for a bath duck and never got it, you have a chance to compensate this with style

Naoko has a nicely done website, which works as an e-shop as well. The website is in Czech only, but you can check it to see the range of goods and also the prices.