6 great restaurants in Prague, Czech Republic that serve light food

While mom and I made sure we learned about Czech food by taking the Eating Prague food tour, we preferred to have somewhat lighter meals for lunch and dinner. As I didn't want to take any risks, I did a Google search for “the best restaurants in Prague, Czech Republic” and made a selection that I included into our itinerary.

I didn't do this before, but when I went to Munster I also did a search for food hotspots before I left and found some spots I otherwise probably would have never eaten at.

That being said, here are some great restaurants in Prague we ate at.

6 of the best restaurants in Prague, Czech Republic that serve light food

1. Styl & Interier

I would have never gone into Styl & Interier if I'd just walked past it as it lies on a busy road and you can't actually see that it's a café from the road. There's a sign that says “Styl & Interier” but that would make you think you're walking by a shop for interior decoration and nothing more.

While Styl & Interier does sell furniture and home decoration, it's also a café with probably the most beautiful café garden in Prague. Everything you see at the café is for sale – a bit like at coffee bar Koffie& Staal in Leuven, but obviously, mom and I went there to have lunch at a table and not to buy a table.

It does seem that we'd chosen a bit of a bad time. We went during the exam period and our Eating Prague guide – who also took us there for a food tour stop – told us that most of their regular staff wasn't there because they were students studying. This isn't necessarily bad, but the girl who served us forgot our food order and we ended up waiting for over an hour. Now, the garden was pleasant to sit and chat in, but when you've just arrived in a city like Prague, you do want to go explore.

We both had pasta with eggplant pesto and roasted eggplant. It was lovely, but the roasted eggplant was missing. Our drinks were fine and so was the special paté we had during our food tour, so I'm curious if we just got a bit unlucky with the service.

If you want to be on the safe side, I'd recommend going there for a drink in the afternoon. You'll have a bigger chance at a spot in the garden than at lunchtime and a forgotten drink is settled quicker than a forgotten meal :-)

2. Mistral Café

We had our first dinner in Prague at Mistral Café, a bit away from the main streets and the rest of the tourists but still in the Old Town. It's a spacious restaurant with wooden furniture and not too much fluff.

The menu offers mostly international cuisine at very reasonable prices. I had the grilled salmon fillet with red lentil salad and mom chose the chicken breast stuffed with parma ham, mozzarella, and sage with buttered vegetables. We both were happy with our choices and with the friendly service.

3. Lehká Hlava

Lehká Hlava is another good restaurant in Prague if you're looking for something lighter – or vegetarian! It was recommended to us by our Eating Prague tour guide Jan. Our food tour had left us both quite stuffed, so we asked him where we could get a light meal in the evening.

Lehká Hlava (“Clear Head”) is a vegetarian restaurant located in a 500-year old building in a tiny street close to the Moldau. It has a very interesting interior, with mushroom lamps, huge wall paintings and tables that light up.

Mom and I shared some nachos with guacamole before each having a grilled goat cheese salad with cranberry jam, walnuts, and honey-lemon dressing. It was the best meal we could have had after an afternoon filled with traditional Czech food and it wouldn't surprise me if this is one of the best vegetarian restaurants in Prague.

4. Cukrkávalimonáda

I have no idea how to pronounce the name of this cute place I found online when planning our trip. It's located across the water from the Old Town, not too far from Kampa and the Charles Bridge, and serves pastries, salads, pasta, pancakes, a wide range of wine and more.

I had a very light tomato-mozzarella salad here, while mom had something with chicken. We both also had a macaroon to go. Because. Macaron.

5. Pasta Fresca

Mom loves Italian food (then again, who doesn't) and so our last dinner had to be Italian. We chose Pasta Fresca, part of the Ambiente group, because of the good reviews it got online and because it was very close to our hotel in a pedestrian street in the Old Town.

We got to sit outside on the terrace and both enjoyed our pasta and the friendly service.

Fun fact: when you need to go to the toilet, you have to ask for the key. Pasta Fresca is located inside a university building and is not allowed to build its own toilet, so guests need to use the university toilets which are locked in the evening.

Good to know: you can only pay cash here.

6. Ristorante Pagana

We actually haven't eaten at Ristorante Pagana, but we did have a drink there! This is supposed to be the best Italian restaurant in Prague and unfortunately, that meant we couldn't get a table without a reservation. We tried making one two days beforehand, but that was already too late, so if you do want to try this place, reserve a spot before you go.

Funny enough, though, we had a drink on the terrace of Ristorante Pagana our first afternoon in the city without actually knowing that was Ristorante Pagana. Mom had a wine and water, while I ordered an iced coffee and got… an iced coffee with a scoop of vanilla ice! I'd never gotten an iced coffee like that, but I felt like I shouldn't complain ;-)

And that's it! We didn't have time to check out any other good restaurants in Prague, but I hope this list is of help to others who want to avoid the heavy Czech cuisine :-)
 

Where to stay in Prague

Boutique: Prague Inn

We spent three nights at the Hotel Prague Inn, a small hotel in the heart of the city, right by the famous Wenceslas Square. We had a very spacious room, an elaborate breakfast included and good working wi-fi. It actually was an ideal base for our trip.

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Budget: Hostel Damiell
Damiell is a simple but effective what-you-see-is-what-you-get hostel. It’s located on the western side of the river in the old town, not far from Prague Castle and picture-postcard views of river Vltava. The rooms have one to four beds, with free WiFi included. The hostel's reception is open 24/7 can guest can use the fully furnished kitchens available on each floor. Amenities are nearby, with a restaurant and supermarket just yards from the door.

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Chain: Clarion Hotel Prague City
This modern Clarion Hotel lies just a five-minute walk from Wenceslas Square and with a tram stop right outside taking you all round the city. Rooms include a coffee-maker, air-conditioning, flat-screen TV, minibar and WiFi, and guests are treated to a varied breakfast.

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Luxury: BoHo Prague Hotel
BoHo Prague lies in the center of Prague with easy access to all the most popular landmarks. The rooms are large, elegantly furnished and spacious that spare no expense, from stunning artwork to comfy modern furniture. Guests can dine at the luxurious restaurant or use the wellness center at an extra cost. Everything about this hotel spells ‘sophistication’.

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Apartment: Remember Residence
At just a few minutes walking from the stunning Charles Bridge, located on the castle side of the river, Remember Residence is great value for money. Apartments are airy and bright with large windows and soft furnishings, all creams, whites, and wood – and a hammock! Guests benefit from a kitchenette including a stovetop, coffee-machine, microwave, toaster, fridge and more. One of its best features, however, is the charming garden area for taking a breather from busy city life.

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How to get to Prague

We flew directly from Brussels Airport to Prague. Once there, we got on a private transfer that we'd booked beforehand.
Check Skyscanner for the best overview of your flight options.

If you also want to book a private transfer from the airport straight to your hotel, have a look here.

For a more budget-friendly option, this shared shuttle service gets good reviews.

There is no direct train or metro line from Prague Airport to the city center but you can take one of the regular buses that each go to a different metro stop in the city center.

• Bus 119 runs between the airport and the Dejvicka metro station.
• Bus 100 runs between the airport and Zlicin metro station.
• Bus 179 runs between the airport and Nove Butovice metro station.

There's also an Airport Express bus which runs between the airport and Hlavni Nadrazi, Prague’s main train station which is located in the heart of the city. The bus takes about 35 minutes to get there.

When traveling through Europe, you can also get to Prague by train.
Click here for train options and prices.
 

Other things to do in Prague

The Old Jewish Quarter Josefov is a must, but so are these other things to do in Prague.
 

Save money on your trip to Prague

Aside from getting the Prague City Card, there's another way to save money on your trip in Prague. Prague expert Jiri Moravic has written a book that allows you save on anything from meals to taxis, currency exchange, and shopping.

He's so certain his tips will help you save at least $60 that he offers a 30-day money-back guarantee in case you're not satisfied with the book.

Start saving money on your Prague trip
 

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