Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Left
Vegetarian snack
Right
Prague café
Eating and Drinking Tips
Vegetarian Tips
Meat- and dairy-free
dining is no longer the
problem it was a few
years ago. Many new
restaurants, such as
Dahab, offer vegetarians
a wide variety of tasty
meatless meals, while
older establishments are
increasingly sensitive to
vegetarians' needs. That
said, never assume your
vegetables won't come
smothered with cheese.
d
Dahab: Dlouhá 33 • Map
M2 • 224 827375 •
KK
Breakfast
Your hotel will
probably include a
Continental breakfast
with the price of your
room. While Irish fry-ups
can be found at bars
such as the James Joyce
and Caffrey's, American
diner-style breakfasts are
largely unheard of. Cafés
increasingly serve
hemenex
- ham and
eggs - but seldom open
before 9am. d
James
Joyce: Liliová 10; Map K5;
224 248793;
K
• Caffrey's:
Starom∂stské nám∂stí 10;
Map M3; 224 828031;
K
simply round up the bill.
If your beer and schnitzel
cost K≤82, for example,
pay K≤90. Rather than
leaving the tip on the
table, tell your waiter how
much you want to give.
Making
Reservations
Reserving a table is
never a bad idea and can
save you a great deal of
hungry wandering come
dinner time. In many
restaurants, it's common
for lone diners to join
other tables. If you're
alone and want to know
if a seat is free, point at
it and ask
“Je tu volno?”
Ordering
Except for the
grander eateries, many
Prague restaurants have
yet to grasp multiple-
course service. Empha-
size that you want your
appetizer
(jako p√edkrm)
before your main course.
You will probably also
have to order your side
dish
à la carte
. Your steak
will be well-done unless
you plead otherwise.
Brunch
If you're travelling on
a budget but still want a
taste of the good life,
you can see how the
other half eat without
breaking the bank by
doing brunch at one of
the city's fine-dining
establishments. Brunch
buffets, complete with
champagne and jazz,
abound and seldom cost
more than K≤500.
Smoking
Prague restaurants
are seldom non-smoking.
A local ordinance bans
smoking at lunch time,
but it is seldom, if ever,
enforced. If you're
looking for a smoke-free
meal, try the vegetarian
restaurants Country Life
and Lotos. d
Country Life:
Melantrichova 15; Map L4;
224 213366;
K
; and
Jungmannova 1; Map M6;
257 044419;
K
• Lotos:
Platné∫ská 13; Map K4; 222
322390;
K
Paying
Verify the restaurant
takes credit cards before
you order. Restaurants
seldom accept travellers'
cheques. Tell your waiter
you'd like to pay with one
word:
zaplatím
. You and
your party may pay
dohromady
(all together)
or
zvlá√t
(separately).
Restaurant
Classes
State-licensed eating
establishments fall into
one of three classes,
with first class being the
finest and three the
plainest. The restaurant's
class should be posted
by the front door. These
classifications are no
indications of quality. A
third-class pub may very
well offer better food
than a first-class
restaurant at times.
Late-Night Eating
Unless you're willing
to hazard the sausage
stands on Wenceslas
Square, finding a bite late
at night will prove
challenging. The club
Radost
(see p111)
serves
food until the early
hours. Better hotels have
late-night room service.
Tipping
While tipping in
Prague is approaching the
international standard of
15 per cent, it is still
common in pubs to
For a guide to restaurant prices
See p79
131
