Snacks

If you love light foamy desserts and French sweets in general, IF café is the right place for you.

The initials “IF” in the name belong to Iveta Fabešová – a young pastry-chef, who first became known as a participant of a TV culinary competition a couple of years ago. She did not win it, but since that time she has written a few cookbooks and realized her dream – opening her own patisserie.

From the desserts I strongly recommend you try any of the mousse ones (the pistachio one is quite popular). You can also find typical sweets like macarons, madeleines etc there. My personal favourite is the lemon tart.

If you don’t have the time to enjoy your dessert (and some coffee with it) inside the café, you can for sure take both away with you.

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?

Being a mother of a lively toddler and having a conversation with a friend over a coffee at the same time can be quiet adventurous. That’s why I’m always glad to find a place, where my little one has some entertainment and I have at least two minutes of free time :-).

Kafé a kakao is a cozy baby friendly (and of course non-smoking) café not far from the park Grébovka (check the Havlíčkovy sady article). There is a simple, but nice children’s corner with a variety of toys for different ages and they also have a special kids menu.

As the name of the place indicates, as a drink you can order coffee (or tea) and cocoa – I recommend the one with whipped cream. They also have good homemade lemonades. From the desserts, I recommend the chocolate cake (they also have a gluten-free variant). If you are not in the mood for something sweet, you can choose from a selection of sandwiches, quiches and salad. 

Kafé a kakao is also suitable for breakfast and lunch. The daily (healthy) lunch menu consists of one soup, main dish and a dessert.

Forget France and their croissants, pain-au-chocolates and baguettes. Central Europe is the true baking capital. Home of the houska, rohlík and koláč, baked goods are seriously good here and they are one of the few things that I’ve consistently missed when living and travelling abroad.

Antonínovo pekařství is a little bakery just a few steps from the beautiful church at Náměstí Jiího z Poděbrad. Despite its short existence, the bakery has quickly become a local favourite, drawing crowds from the surrounding neighbourhoods, who often stop by on the weekends on their way to and from the nearby farmer’s market (read about it here).

Even before entering the bakery you’ll notice a sign with something that looks like a banana painted on it. That my friend is a rohlík and it is one of the most popular types of bread in the Czech Republic. Either get the delicious Antonín’s rohlík (beware, not veggie-friendly) or Josef’s rohlík, which is just as good. Little history lesson – it is said that the crescent-shaped rohlík was invented in Vienna after an unsuccessful siege by the Ottoman empire as a reminder of the assailant’s flag.

All of the breads and pastries are freshly baked right before your eyes and you can always sit down, get some coffee and watch the masters at work. Personally, I’d recommend taking your baked goodness outside, getting a cup of coffee at the superb Mama Coffee right around the corner, and relaxing on a bench in front of the church.

Starting a new job in a totally different neighborhood can be tough. Say goodbye to all those lunch places you’ve come to love, so long comfort food, when you’ve barely enough time to abandon the keyboard for five minutes. Work food must fit several criteria – it has to be quick, tasty, inexpensive and, since I’ll likely be going there regularly, it must have something new to offer every day. Boy was I lucky fast because the Plavecká polévka soup bistro checks all the boxes.

Located in the generally quite underserved neighbourhood of Výtoň, Plavecká polévka is a favourite among locals, as well as various civil servants from the nearby ministries.

Their menu is incredibly simple. You get four soups – some traditional Czech ones, some more exotic, half of which are usually vegetarian – and two main courses, which get updated daily. Again one is usually vegetarian and one contains meat. A little quiche or dessert. But that’s it. Crystal clear and simple, perfect for people like me who get easily confused when presented with too many options.

While the interior is not especially noteworthy the prices definitely are. You can get a large soup with bread for CZK 55 and often that’s enough to fill you up. The main courses are rarely more than a hundred crowns and will definitely not disappoint.

Plavecká polevka is a great spot if you are cruising along the Vltava waterfront, it’s just a few steps away – but come early, by two it’s all gone.