Czech traditional cuisine has been influenced by German, Austrian, and Hungarian cuisine. The most used ingredients are tubers (potato, carrot, etc.), cabbage, mushrooms, and game meat. In restaurants you will find various meats with sauces, roasted meats, sausages, etc.
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We recommend the following typical Czech dishes when you dine out in Prague.
- Gulaš: Guláš (goulash), often known as Hungarian guláš, is a typical Central European dish. Each country has its own version. The Czech one is a type of beef stew meat in a rich sauce, and it’s often served with knedlíky (dumplings).
- Vepřo knedlo zelo: Pork meat with knedlíky and sour cabbage (zelí in Czech).
- Svíčková na smetaně: Roasted slices of veal in a delicious vegetable cream sauce. Served with knedlíky.
- Koleno: Roasted pork knee. A favorite dish among Czechs
- Kachna: Duck. Usually roasted thigh accompanied with sour cabbage and potato knedlíky (denser than the regular knedlíky).
- Klobasa: Sausage. Usually served with bread and mustard
- Řízek: The famous breaded chicken or pork cutlet. Kuřecí řízek refers to chicken and vepřový řízek to pork
- Smažený sýr: Fried cheese, need we say more?
- Tatarák: Raw ground beef flavored with spices, salt, pepper, and sauce. Accompanied with toast and garlic cloves to smear on the toast.
- Nakládaný hermelín: Cheese marinated in oil and spices, onion, and peppers. Served with bread.
- Knedlíky: The typical side for many Czech dishes. For example, if you order guláš, it will often be accompanied with a type of spongy bread slices called kendlíky. Since the dish tends to be rich in sauce, the knedlíky help absorb it, making it a great combination. There are also potato ones, which have a thicker texture similar to a gnocchi. Kendlíky are often called dumplings in English.
- Bramboráky: Pancakes made from fried shredded potatoes.
- Hranolky: Fries
- Bramborový salát: Potato salad.
Soups
- Gulášová polévka: Guláš soup. Similar to guláš, but with more liquid, like a soup.
- Bramboračka: Potato soup.
- Česnečka: Garlic soup. Usually served with melted cheese and toast.
Desserts
- Štrůdl or Závin: The famous apple strudel. A pastry, often made with puff pastry, filled with apples, cinnamon, and sometimes nuts. Fillings can also be poppy seed paste, cheese, plum, or some other filling.
- Medovník: A honey sponge cake filled with two types of cream, cinnamon, and other flavors.
- Palačinky: Crepes (thin pancakes). Accompanied with ice cream or some sauce.
Where Can I Find these Typical Dishes?
Now that you know what to eat while in Prague, you probably want to know where to find these dishes. You can find our recommended typical Czech restaurants in our article Where to eat affordably in Prague?
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