Snacks

Proudly standing on the corner of Celetná and Ovocný trh, the House at the Black Madonna is a true home of Czech Cubism. It is worth seeing as this art period was, in Czech, strong and fruitful. “Sharp points, slicing planes, crystalline shapes. These are the trademarks of the Czech Cubists – a unique, avant-garde group, feverishly active in Prague between 1910 and 1914.”, says Modernista. There is a stable exhibition of the artwork of e. g. Otto Gutfreund, Emil Filla, Josef Čapek (brother of Karel Čapek, the writer) and Josef Gočár, of course, the architect of this amazing building.

After the art-seeing, to revive your stamina, have a coffee or snack on the first floor, in the Grand Café Orient. You can choose from desserts and sandwiches, fresh juices and hot chocolate – and all will be served in designer porcelain. If you’re enchanted by the elegance of straight lines and edges, you can buy your own piece in the downstairs shop, Kubista. It is a bit pricey and the service is not the best I’ve ever had, but even just a coffee here is worth the interiors.

Fast does not mean low quality. Fast means well done, with great love and attention, served in style and for a nice price. These are the reasons I like Bistro Santinka and why I take the time to go there. Actually it’s a great spot on your way to/from the airport for a good snack.

Overall, the food here is very good, the recipes take inspiration from traditional Czech cuisine, but update it to a more modern style. Light, healthy and interesting are the best descriptions.

I recommend their filled potatoes or salads, both very rich in taste and satisfying. The meals are carefully chosen by chefs – as this bistro was founded and is run by the same people who run the restaurant Na Kopci (see the Na Kopci article). For a special I recommend tartar steak (raw beef), which is done in a style I have never seen anywhere else – and it is delicious.

Bistro Santinka is quite small, and has a couple of tables outside for smokers. For the evenings I recommend making a reservation by phone.

Is there a city without a “true Italian restaurant”? I really doubt it. But I do value those which really are authentic Italian. In Prague it can be Alforno Focacceria Italiana, located on a beautiful square Petrské náměstí.

In summer they also place tables outside under the trees, not just on the side by the restaurant but also further out. Their service is pleasant, the prices are reasonable and the food – I love it. Homemade pasta, thin pizza and great salads.

It’s a great spot for a nice dinner in the old city center, located close to the river. I do recommend you book a table by phone a couple hours beforehand so you can be sure you get a table without having to wait.

I love ice cream. I love when orange tastes like frozen oranges, pistachio has a tiny tint of bitterness and hazelnut is full of that deep, rich taste. 

There are two places in Prague where I have found this type of ice cream – true Italian gelato and true sorbets. One is called Angelato and can be found in Rytířská 27 below Václavské náměstí or in Újezd 24 next to Petřín funicular station. Every month they have specials in ice creams, and they also do great coffee and fresh juices and smoothies.

In July the special is: black currant. I’ve fallen in love with it.

The other place is in Nový Svět (check the Nový Svět article), a neighborhood described by my friend Katerina, where they have ice cream from one little family business. For what it’s worth, take those few extra steps behind the Prague Castle to discover not only the café, but also the whole area.

For sweet lovers with refined taste, patisserie St. Tropez is a very dangerous place, where your passion for chocolate can fully break out.

Under the name Passion Chocolat the French married couple Musso ran their company at Vinohrady neighborhood, in 2009 they relocated further into the city centre to the passage at Dům U Nováků (just a couple footsteps from Wenceslas square).

The interior of the patisserie feels airy and holds our interest with the prep place where you can observe the production…fortunately all the goodies are separated by a glass wall. The place is strictly non-smoking.

Croissants for breakfast, cakes and tarts of various flavors to afternoon coffee or a cup of tea, delicious chocolate pralines, popular macarons or gateaux to order – everybody will find his or her favorite in St. Tropez.

If you have a dilemma, which one among the many sweets you should choose, try a couple of mini-sweets out (I also recommend the macarons, e.g. the lavender one) and then let the smiley madame Nadine pack the one which you like the most for you in its classic size.