One of my favorite galleries in Prague is situated in Školská street, just a few meters above the Cafe Therapy restaurant (check the Café Therapy article). Leica Gallery Prague is run by a non-profitable company of the same name and its objective is not only organization of quality photographic exhibition, but also running workshops for public and other activities.

During the years that LGP was open, I have seen a number of great exhibitions held there. Besides their own showroom, LGP has been using various exhibition spaces (such as the Prague Castle in the past or Mánes). Until 17.6. there is an exhibition of Jan Lukas – The New York city diary – photos from NYC. 

LGP has an added value – the café which is part of the showroom. The coffee there is fine and if you are in the mood for something else, you can for sure to enjoy a glass of wine and browse some of the art books and magazines they have there.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Leica Gallery | Art & culture, Coffee & tea, Festivals & events | Exhibition entry CZK 70
Školská 28 | Praha 1 | +420608963523
Mon – Fri 11:00 – 21:00, Sat – Sun 14:00 – 21:00

Vaguely reminiscent of a French countryside living-room, with its blue and white décor and lavender stems in glass vases, Prádelna is all nouveau Žižkov. With mismatched quaint furniture, white walls and black-board menu, this non-smoking café seems to be made for a lazy afternoon of conversation and light snacking.

Prádelna, or laundry room in translation, is home-made through and through. Aside from the furnishing, the cakes, panini, soups and even the paté, which is a staple on the menu, are also all made with love by the café staff and associates. Although service can be a bit on the slow side – all the times I’ve been there, there was only one young lady serving the whole place – it is very pleasant and laid-back.

This café is definitely a great stop on your way from Riegrovy Sady (check the article) or a late-morning coffee after doing your shopping at the farmers’ market (check the article) at Jiřího z Poděbrad. I prefer the latter. The only downside to this place is that it closes at 20:00.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Prádelna Café | Coffee & tea, Relaxing | Home-made paté CZK 65
Slavíkova 21 | Praha 2 | +420774843477
11:00 – 20:00 daily

I often hear from my friends and family that this cake and that tart were much larger and cheaper a certain time ago! What the cause is for these thoughts is a deep question – maybe we grow and the cakes do not. Well, in this sweetshop you can be sure the sizes are like in those childhood days, but, honestly, I cannot bet on the prices as well.

Erhartova Cukrarna is not only interesting simly because of the perfect desserts they prepare, but also because of the location. In this very spot the sweetshop has been located since 1937 when the building was built. The pure functionalist interior was very gently renovated just few years ago and, truly, it is a miracle the interior was not destroyed during the last era.

The new unobtrusive design is balanced by a rich variety of the desserts. From little soft cookies to large heavy cakes for cream lovers, I believe each of you can choose the right one. Of course you can sit inside and accompany the cake with a coffee. Here is another important message for quality lovers – all desserts are prepared right in the sweetshop and the bakers are using high-quality and natural products like real cream. And that is rare to see these days.

Continue to Stromovka (check the Stromovka article) to walk after all the sweets you could not resist to eat or to Bio Oko (check the Bio Oko article) to see a nice movie!

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Erhartova Cukrarna | Coffee & tea, Snacks | Apple Strudel CZK 25.00
MIlady Horákové 56 | Praha 7 | +420233312148
10:00 – 19:00 daily

Sitting by the river in a restaurant named after that same river – what else do we need. I officially confirm that Saturday February 25th 2012 was the first spring-like day this year and I had a beer outside of the Restaurant Vltava and I did not freeze. Between the Hamburk boat and the Nautilus boat, directly on the riverside, is a simple wooden building that was built there shortly after the Second World War. Until now, it serves its original purpose and after restitution belongs to the family which built it.

I love to ride my bike along the river and to stop there for one beer or two. During spring and summer, the riverside is very popular for walks and cycling. In the afternoon, when the sun shines directly on this side of the river and the time is slowing down, enjoy the light dancing on the water level. Restaurant Vltava offers also some nice Czech meals, usually average quality. I would recommend small meals going along with beer. The restaurant is located in the centre and you can afterwards continue your walk almost anywhere.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Restaurant Vltava | Bars, Coffee & tea, Snacks, Restaurants (Czech cuisine) | Large Pilsner CZK 39.00
Rašínovo nábřeží 2084 | Praha 2 | +420224930015
11:00 – 22:00 daily

La Casa Blu pub is cozy inside and on one of the most cozy places of Prague! On a street corner like from old times, in the heart of Jewish town, very near to all attractive sites of the city, is a bar founded by Prague Chilean Jorge Zúñiga and is called the ‘Hispanic’ pub, café and bar.

Inside is always a welcoming environment and I can right now think of several moods the bar was in when I spent some time there. Nicely smelling lunch time, offering its tasty fusion of tex-mex and Latin cuisine. Lazy summer afternoons with chilling cocktails. A totally busy night where crossing 10 meters from one side of the bar to another took an hour, because the motion characterized by the situation was more Brownian motion than a walk. I am looking forward to hearing about your experience!

When visiting, enjoy the food – soups, nachos, salads, tacos, burritos, sandwiches, quesadillas and other delicious meals. As for drinks, your will get anything you wish, starting with coffee, beer, vine, a wide variety of spirits and last but not least cocktails. The bar became non-smoking after a local referendum among customers.

Spanish speaking visitors will be pleased by Spanish speaking bartenders. I met at least one every time I spent one warming moment there.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
La Casa Blu | Bars, Coffee & tea, Snacks, Restaurants (Fusion) | Cappucino CZK 44.00
Kozí 15 | Praha 1 | +420723446002
Mon – Fri 11:00 – open end, Sat 12:00 – open end, Sun 14:00 – open end

As you enter the front space of Dobra Trafika on Korunni you find yourself in a normal cafe combined with a trafika – or a newspaper and tobacco shop. But when you enter the main room in the back, you actual feel like you’re in someone’s living room. And it has to be noted, that this someone collects random old furniture, likes to play boardgames and used to smoke.

The backroom is filled with random chairs, a big comfy couch, an old armchair that you have to fall into at least once, and similarly haphazard objects on the walls. One of my favorite things about Dobra Trafika has always been the backyard, which, although small, is quiet and peaceful for great summer-time conversations and real Vinohrady courtyard feel. Recently, they made a kind of wooden shed extension of the cafe, taking up half of the yard, so you can sit there even if it’s raining or not so warm out.

The cafe has an absurdly long list of exotic teas and coffees (they even have a shop selling them separately two doors down) and serves up small and curious snacks like half a pita bread filled with apple and cinnamon or banana. There are also books sold at the front.

This place is great to come and just relax, feeling slightly cut off from the world in the quiet back room or the yard. The service is usually not that speedy, but in a place like this, it really doesn’t have to be.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Dobrá trafika | Coffee & tea, Shopping, Snacks | Cappuccino CZK 35
Korunní 42 | Praha 2 | +420737907635
Mon – Fri 06:30 – 23:00, Sat 07:30 – 23:00, Sun 09:00 – 23:00

I used to spend many wonderful moments in U Zavesenyho Kafe a few years ago. Right at the foot of the hill near to the main tourist artery, Nerudova Street, is a stylish cafe with an unusual habit – but more about that later. I think you might appreciate the cafe after climbing up to the castle and wandering around Novy Svet (check the Novy Svet article). This cafe is also my recommendation especially if the touristy cafe-traps with low spirits are not tempting for you.

During the week the chef prepares lunch specials for great price (from 12:00 – 14:00 for 84 CZK). Apart from the lunch time you have a wide choice of nice meals. On tap is Czech beer, English cider and variety of coffee and drinks in the menu should satisfy almost anyone. Mentioning coffee I must reveal the unusual habit of this cafe…or better not. It is really precious habit and maybe it is better you find out yourselves. A hint – you can get a cup of coffee even if you are broke…but you can also provide a coffee to a broke one.

U Zavesenyho Kafe has a concept which is comforting and easygoing. Drop in anytime and relax. If you do like this cafe, buy a T-shirt to support it. Check the walls in the inner garden and send your photo from home, wherever it is. Next time you might find your smiling picture there also.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
U Zavěšenýho Kafe | Bars, Coffee & tea, Snacks, Restaurants (Czech cuisine) | Large Pilsner CZK 38.00
Úvoz 6 | Praha 1 | +420605294595
11:00 – 00:00 daily

Downtown, I spotted a very nice place I currently visit quite often. You can easily get there by trams 3, 9 or 14 getting out at Vodičkova stop but it is also just a five-minute walk from Václavskénáměstí. It is called a “café”, it is a regular restaurant, though. The menu is rich and the prices are reasonable. As they promote on their website, it is an “oasis of calm in downtown Prague”.

The name comes from the fact that it started as a place where the employees would be rehabilitated or rehabilitating drug users. However, you couldn’t make that out just like that as the staff are very kind and compliant. It is a family place as there are separate smoker and non-smoker rooms, free wi-fi and even a small playground for the kids. At the same time they sell Czech-made ceramics.

Really cool is the design of the interior, menus and so on. Everywhere you can find advertisements from the beginning of the 20th century – most of the time they are really funny and worth seeing. I visit café Therapy most often for a beer and a “Tartar” steak (a minced raw steak you eat with toast, onion, garlic and pepper), it is just awesome. Come and try!

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Café Therapy | Coffee & tea, Restaurants (Czech) | Tartar steak & toasts CZK 159
Školská 30 | Praha 1 | +420774491177
Mon – Fri 10:30 – 23:30, Sat 12:00 – 23:00, Sun 12:00 – 22:00

One of the places to visit at Újezd is definitely Popocafépetl. There are actually five Cafés of this name in Prague (Na Struze, Italská, Melantrichova, Michalská) – this is the only one which works as a music club, though.

When you find the a bit hollow entrance and walk down the stairs to what used to be a mid-age cellar, you will immediately smell the unmistakable odour. Then you walk into the small and only mildly-lit club with an original and sort of old-school decoration and the party can begin. You can order a coffee, beer, wine or basically any cocktail you name for a very reasonable price.

Virtually every day there is a concert on. Pick yours: Fridays and Saturdays there will be a DJ playing 80′s, 90′s and dance music, live gypsy bands play Sundays, Latino Mondays and other live concerts follow the other days. Just check out the program on their website. The entry is usually free or symbolic. I would just recommend making a reservation since the small club is often very crowded.

Last but not least, Popocafepetl doesn’t basically know anything like a rigid closing-time. They just close when there are not many people left – which can be either at 02:00 or 05:00. Therefore, it’s also a great place to hang out after you’ve been kicked out from somewhere else and still feel like partying…

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Popocafépetl @ Újezd | Bars, Coffee & tea, Music | Staropramen, 0.5L CZK 29
Újezd 19 | Praha 5 | +420739110021
18:00 – 02:00 daily

Atmosféra is a favourite student place. It is spacious, consisting of three separate parts, two rooms and a summer garden in between them. The rugged space even provides two entrances from various streets. And also makes this café somewhat more interesting.

On the walls you’ll find oldschool-like satiric posters usually with some smiling face and text saying for instance „Tequila – have you hugged your toilet today?” on them. In Atmosféra, there is also a table-football, a very popular pub-game in Prague.

It is not just the interior and equipment that makes it visit-worthy. It is very much thanks to the food. It is cheap, rich and tasty. You can for example buy half a kilo of made on the spot fried potato slices which they serve with three different dressings. It is a fair snack for four (or food for two ) and costs only 70 Crowns. They also have great Mexican specialities. And five types of cold cheap draft beer… Not to forget, they have a free Wi-Fi access.

Atmosféra is located right in the center, five minutes from Charles Bridge or National Theatre. If you are ever around, hungry and thirsty, you must care for a visit!

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Atmosféra | Bars, Coffee & tea, Snacks, Restaurants (Intern.) | Dark Kozel, 0.5L CZK 29
Smetanovo nábřeží 14 / Karolíny Světlé 33 | Praha 1 | +420222222114
Café 11:30 – 01:00 daily | pub 12:00 – … | summer garden 11:30 – 22:00 daily