Cheap restaurants are not so hard to find but are less frequent around tourist spots. Generally, prices in cheap restaurants are from 100 CZK to 250 CZK for dinner and beer. Yes, it is also possible to eat extremely cheaply at some local Chinese restaurants for around 80 CZK for lunch, but don’t expect a superb portion. A meal at McDonald or KFC will cost you 100 CZK. Most of the cheap restaurants do not accept credit cards.
Shops for Sandwiches
If your budget is low and you are not too picky, you will be pleased to learn that all over Prague, you will discover small modern shops selling affordable salads, drinks, pastries and freshly made sandwiches (which can be grilled if you prefer). You can purchase food to eat at basic tables or to take out. All of this will cost a maximum of 200 crowns, including drinks. Bageterie Boulevard (www.bb.cz).
Quick Bits – Best For Cheap Eats
Pho Vietnam Tuan & Lan (www.facebook.com/photuanlan); Arslan Kebab (www.arslankebab.cz); Bea’s Vegetarian Dhaba (www.beas-dhaba.cz); Sushi Tam Da (www.sushitamda.cz)
Bar Bar
Diverse, fresh ingredients make for whimsical crepes and galettes. Salads are also available. We recommend crepes Dublin and Paris.
Location: Všehrdova 17, Lesser Town; website Open: daily noon-11pm
Price range: 150-250 CZK.
Bohemia Bagel
A wide variety of fresh bagels, sandwiches and homemade soups are available here as well as bottomless cups of coffee. It is recommended you try the muffins, brownies and cheesecakes.
Location: Újezd 16, Lesser Town; webiste
Open: daily 7am-2am
Second Location: Masná 2, Old Town
Open: Mon-Fri 7am-midnight; Sat-Sun 8 am-midnight
Price range: 40-150 CZK.
Klub architectů
This is a Czech restaurant with friendly prices and is located just opposite Bethlehem Church and under an architecture bookshop. It is a medieval place with clean-lined, modern furnishings and artistically functional ductwork. The food is also neat and quirky. Try the Bethlehem mix with pork and shallots.
Location: Betlémské náměstí 5a, Old Town; website Open: daily 11.30 am-midnight
Price range: 150-300 CZK.
Malý Buddha
Here you will find Vietnamese temple food and a fine assortment of teas and light dishes. There is no smoking. It is recommended you try vegetarian spring rolls and Chinese chicken.
Location: Úvoz 46, Hradčany; webiste
Open: Tues-Sun 1-10.30pm
Price range: 100-200 CZK.
Pizza Coloseum
This is a place for pizza and pasta. It is usually crowded but is great for a pre-movie dinner.
Location: Vodičkova 32, New Town; website Open: Mon-Sat 11.30am-11.30pm; Sun noon-11.30pm
Price range: 100-300 CZK.
Pizzeria Kmotra
Here you can eat pizza. It is a perennial favourite: hence, the long queue for a table.
Location: V jirchářích 12, New Town (near Spálená); website
Open: daily 11am-midnight
Price range: 100-250 CZK.
Radost FX Cafe
This is for vegetarian food. You can enjoy a weekend brunch or good pasta on Italian night every Sunday. There are hip crowds but glacial service. It is open late.
Location: Bělehradská 120, Vinohrady (near metro I.P. Pavlova); website Open: daily 11.30am-4am
Price range: 100-300 CZK.
U Sádlů
The restaurant has a middle-age decor, with suits of armour and weaponry on the wall. The kitchen produces outstanding tenderloin, hearty soups and other burly fares, but with a certain ‘je ne sais quoi’. The food is really excellent, and the portions are big.
Location: Klimentská 2, New Town; website
Open: daily 11am-1am
Price range: 150-300 CZK.
U Šuterů
This is a truly gracious Czech pub. You will find simple dishes, good value and kind service. It is jam-packed at peak hours.
Location: Hotel U Šuterů, Palackého 2, New Town
Open: daily 11am-11pm
Price range: around 250 CZK.
U Vladaře
Near Charles Bridge is a comfortable Czech restaurant and pub, where you sit in horse stalls. Here you can try horse salami with Czech beer. The prices are good, and the staff are nice.
Location: Maltézské náměstí 10, Lesser Town
Open: daily 11am-11pm
Price range: around 200 CZK.
U Zlatého Preclíku
This offers good Czech food at low prices, but it is largely undiscovered.
Location: Tomášská 22, Lesser Town, website
Open: daily 11am-11pm
Price range: 100-250 CZK.
Go to Restaurants Where Czech People Go
Many of the best areas of Prague are cobbled alleyways knotted together in delightful warrens, which is where the best bars and restaurants can be found. Unfortunately, the binge bars have moved here as well, but they are easy to tell apart. Signs and menus in English (especially if exclusively in English) are a warning to leave immediately. However, staff being able to speak English is simply a tribute to the Czech education system and not a reflection on the establishment. A tourist wrangler on the street outside should be treated as a health warning, and their desperate or cunning entreaties ignored. Finally, a simple look at the other customers should tell you a lot. Local Czech people go to the best restaurants; tourists go to the easiest restaurants.
Tipping
the basic 5% – 15% is appreciated but not mandatory. Also, many Czechs round the bill up. Leave cash on the table if you thought the service was good, or say “Dobry” when paying your waiter; it means “OK,” as in, keep the change. Or, when handing over the money, say how much cash you would like back. Some restaurants add a “service fee” to the final amount, so the tip is included. If you are unsure, just ask. Also, if you are unsure about any items on the check, it is wise to ask. It can be hard to figure out exactly what you’re being charged for, and “mistakes” are not uncommon. And still today, some establishments try to rip off tourists.
Czech Cuisine and Etiquette
All Czech’s national dishes are vibrant and filling for that reason, be sure you won’t get hungry. The first impression among visitors to the Czech Republic is that table service seems less friendly or attentive than what they’re used to. Please don’t take it to heart, Czechs are friendly people, but it is considered professional and respectful to be slightly impersonal, especially for a waiter.
Did you know?
Czechs are not really used to eat exotic food, for us it something new. For most foreigners, it might sound wired, but in fact, many Czech never tried Japanese, Chinese or Thai food. But it starts to change, as many very cheap Chinese restaurants compete, Czech learning how to enjoy Chinese food 🙂
Be aware
Check your bill carefully because extra charges are sometimes added – this is relatively a common practice in Prague.
When tipping you certainly won’t say how much cash you want back. You say how much you are paying. For example your bill is 279 crowns so you say three hundred.
We had WONDERFUL Cesky food at U Suteru. The garlic soup with the egg in it – Fantastic. The hot raspberries with vanilla ice cream and whipped cream – worth it for $5 USD. And the vienna coffee with the whipped cream – incredibly good! Our bill came to 640 CZK (not cheap but we had 2 soups, 2 meals, 4 beers, 1 desert and 1 coffee). We did enjoy ourselves and the freshness and authenticity of the food helped to offset the cost. Our server had a slight snob quality to him but he was very good. We had several meals at our hotel restaurace and were quite disappointed with the food.