Is lighter food available around Prague, such as green salads and seafood?

by Eric
(Bothell, WA, USA)

Question:

My wife is concerned about the heavy meat and potatoes Czech diet, she likes green salads and seafood, fish, and chicken...

It seems like there are many diverse restaurants, are there many types of cuisine available...?

Our Answer:

Hi Eric!

Thanks for taking the time to ask this question. I think there's a lot of misunderstanding regarding food in Prague. Not every restaurant in Prague is a "Meat and Potatoes" kind of place. Definitely not!

There is absolutely a diverse mix of cuisines here. I think you'll find that Prague is a lot like many other capitals with more emphasis on diversity than in the past. So, I would let your personal preferences lead you to the type of food you want.

Unfortunately, much of what you might hear or read (on the web at least) focuses on traditional Czech foods in Prague. And, it doesn't help when a lot of Czech restaurants in the main tourist areas like to advertise these heavy meals. They act like everyone is coming to Prague to feast on "pork knee."

But this focus isn't really fair because Prague has so much more to offer. Of course traditional Czech food can be heavy with potatoes and meat at times, but not everyone eats like this day in and day out. This is more of a trademark idea of Czech food and local menus have been slowly changing to adapt to broader local tastes.

In many traditional restaurants you will also find a selection of salads, soups, chicken and even fish. The diversity of salads at Czech restaurants may not be ideal, but there's usually an offer to consider unless you're dining in local pubs.

Actually, soups are very important to typical Czech meals, but they rarely get much attention. My grandmother made soup everyday when I was growing up and counted it as essential to a main lunch meal, especially on the weekend. You'll even see business men and women dining out for lunch and ordering soup before their main meal.

Other than Czech restaurants, you might consider the vast number of international cuisines in the city.

We like to point out the pleasant area of Ujezd in Mala Strana as an example. This is a local area a short walk from Charles Bridge and it has a grand mix of international flavors. In just a couple of blocks you'll find authentic Thai, sushi, Mexican and a blend of Mediterranean and Italian restaurants too.

In fact, at first glance in Prague, you might be surprised to see how popular pizzerias are. They seem to show up on every block with their (often very good) thin crusted Italian style pizza.

Well, these are just some thoughts regarding local cuisines. I hope this helps. If you have other questions, please contact us here directly.

All the best from Prague!

Martina
My Prague Sights