Guide of Prague's Best Restaurants

There is no doubt that choosing an appropriate restaurant in Prague could be a very tough task and therefore we are coming with a chart of Prague's restaurants. The aim is not to present all restaurants in Prague. We checked for your the most famous restaurant and travel charts and come up with recommendations. The first chart is from tripadvisor.com, the second comes from frommers.com and the last one is grand-restaurant.cz. We believe that these three sites represent unbiased sources of restaurant evaluation; each of them is unique by its system of evaluation. Now, let's introduce these charts a little bit closer:

• Tripadvisor.com represents set of traveller’s reviews of the “best” restaurant. The reviewers are typical travellers who were overall impressed by restaurant and rightly evaluated it on tripadvisor. (813 reviewed Prague restaurants)
  

• Frommers.com is using its Frommer's Star Ratings. Frommer's ranks every restaurant reviews for quality, value, service, amenities, and special features using a star-rating scale, an expression of the strong compare-and-contrast opinions that are a brand hallmark. (Top 56 reviewed Prague restaurants)

• Grand-restaurant.cz is an independent guide of Czech restaurants. The observation is based on opinions, visits and rates of independent and secret reviewers. (Top 10 reviewed restaurants)
  

Therefore we have three sources and it makes sense that we are not going to introduce all of the restaurants mentioned there. We picked up just the restaurants that were placed on the first places or that appeared repeatedly on these sites. We have obtained these results as of 1/13/2009 . So here we go:

BELLEAVUE


Tripadvisor: 3rd place

Frommers: 1st place

Grand-restaurant: 6th place


Hours: Daily noon-3pm and 5:30-11pm; Sun brunch 11am-3pm
Adress: Smetanovo Nabrezi 18, Old Town, Prague
Average Spending: 1655,- Kč (via Grand-restaurant)
Kitchen: International (via Grand-restaurant)

Frommers review: With its excellent view of Prague Castle, the Bellevue is my perennial top choice. The ambitious owners (who also run Vinárna V zátisí and Mlýnec, both reviewed below) have put all their energy into the Bellevue's intelligent menu: beef, nouvelle sauces, well-dressed fish and duck, delicate pastas, and artistic desserts. For a tamer but extraordinary treat, try the filet of fallow deer. Al dente pastas share a plate with lobster-and-spinach purée, garlic and herbs, or tomatoes and olives. The greens on the side are always fresh and never overcooked. Desserts feature hot bitter chocolate tart, or wild berries in port and cognac served with vanilla and walnut ice cream. The consistent food and presentation and the pleasant and perfectly timed service make your meal at Bellevue one to remember.

Chosen Tripadvisor review: Huge number of flavors that enhance, but don't overwhelm - melting venison carpaccio: sweet, soft, crispy duck with cabbage and dumplings: deconstructed apple strudel. Nice half bottle of Moravian Red wine recommended and enjoyed... and according to my partner good vegetarian (if small selection).

LA DEGUSTATION


Tripadvisor: 26th place

Frommers: 2nd place

Grand-restaurant: 2nd place






Hours: Mon-Sat 5pm-midnight
Adress: Hastalska 18, Old Town, Prague
Average Spending: 2244,- Kč (via Grand-restaurant)
Kitchen: International (via Grand-restaurant)

Frommers review: Without a doubt, this is one of the city's best dining spots. It is housed in an Old Town corner building and has a minimalist interior. Three different seven-course menus are served, with a focus on diners' sampling an array of both food and wine. The Boheme Bourgoisie menu provides a spin on classic and modern European food, while the Boheme Continentale offers a tasting of smaller and simpler dishes. The Boheme Traditionnelle menu finds inspiration in old Czech cookbooks, and successfully raises, by miles, the level of Czech classic cuisine served in restaurants here. Each dish is accompanied by an excellent selection of wines served by experienced sommeliers. This unique experience is simply worth the money.

Chosen Tripadvisor review: Best meal I have ever had. I love tasting menus, but sometimes there is a compromise between the look and the taste of a dish. This restaurant has it all: ambience, style and substance. We chose different menus with accompanying wines and took three hours to savour everything that was put before us. I think they also do a shorter pre-theatre menu. The staff were delightful and very knowledgeable. I would go back to Prague just for the pleasure of eating at la Degustation again.

V ZATISI


Tripadvisor: 5th place

Frommers: 10th place

Grand-restaurant: 5th place


Hours: Daily noon-3pm and 5:30-11pm
Adress: Liliova 1, Old Town, Prague
Average Spending: 1610,- Kč (via Grand-restaurant)
Kitchen: International (via Grand-restaurant)

Frommers review: Best described as "Bellevue Light," this laid-back version of our riverfront favorite provides the same quality and similar ingredients, with a few lighter choices such as the vegetarian dish gratinéed tagliatelle with broad beans. There are some fish choices as well. V zátisí ("still life") has a casual elegance, like the living room of a beachfront Mediterranean villa, with cushy upholstered wrought-iron chairs and plenty of artfully arranged flora.

Chosen Tripadvisor review: Amazing food, very nice restaurant with very helpful and friendly staff. It is a bit upper scale, so its a bit expensive, but still food was amazing, tried the bohemian sampler (Duck, deer and beef) which was delicious, especially the deer, although the portions were quite small with the price high (695 Kr). They do have meal combos for 3 course meal running at about 999 and they have wine coupling as well. Overall good, but a bit price.

FRANCOUZSKA RESTAURACE V OBECNIM DOME


Tripadvisor: Non-sufficient data (only 1 review)

Frommers: 6th place

Grand-restaurant: 3th place


Hours: Daily 7:30am-11pm
Adress: Namesti Republiky 5, Old Town, Prague
Average Spending: 1570,- Kč (via Grand-restaurant)
Kitchen: International (via Grand-restaurant)

Frommers review: An afternoon here feels like a trip back to the time when Art Nouveau was the newest fashion, not history. The reopening of the entire Municipal House in the spring of 1997 was a treat for those who love this style of architecture, and the restaurant and kavarna might be its most spectacular public room. Witness the lofty ceilings, marble wall accents and tables, altarlike mantle at the far end, and huge windows and period chandeliers. Coffee, tea, and other drinks come with pastries and light sandwiches (for kavarna).

Chosen Tripadvisor review: The restaurant has a fantastic setting in a beautiful room. The meal was ok to good, BUT....You are offered a glace of champagne before getting settled at the table and before seeing the wine list. BEWARE, at 500 crown (nearly £20) per glass!! The wine menu is not offered until after you've ordered your food. When you see the prices, you'll know why! Also, check your bill, as they tried to add an extra 700 crowns to an already large bill. Good food, but be warned.

Hidden Gem:
AMBIENTE - PASTA FRESCA


Tripadvisor: 2nd place

Frommers: listed, but not rated

Grand-restaurant: not in TOP 2009, but very well rated overall



Hours: Daily 11am-midnight
Adress: Celetna 11, Old Town, Prague
Average Spending: 740,- Kč (via Grand-restaurant)
Kitchen: Italian (via Grand-restaurant)

Frommers review: This pasta joint on the Royal Route, just off Old Town Square, is one of the best of the Ambiente family of "living restaurants." While Ambiente's Vinohrady locations once warranted the trip out of the city center for what used to be the only ribs and Tex-Mex in town, other joints have since caught on to ethnic menus, which go beyond the basic Czech fare. What this outlet on Celetná offers is location, location, location, and usually enough tables to satisfy the endless tourist rush hour. In a candlelit basement trattoria, the menu is limited to pastas -- albeit served about 50 different ways -- salads, a few meaty entrees, and garlic bread if you're still hungry.

Chosen Tripadvisor review: Was back in Prague for second time in October and booked this restaurant for almost every night of our stay! The food is amazing and so reasonable! Homemade pasta-pasta will never taste the same after! Cannot recommend this highly enough and would advise booking ahead.