It’s funny how times change. A few days ago, a guest of our Prague food tours tweeted, having visited the 2015 Prague Coffee Festival, "Prague is becoming one of the world's coffee capitals.” Now, while this may be a bit of an exaggeration, the truth is that we are not longer traveling for great coffee outside of Prague. Oh no. Today, we are coming back to Prague for great coffee.
Cafes in Prague have gone a long way in the past few years. While it was nearly impossible to get filter coffee in Prague a few years ago, today it’s an item that goes without saying. Acidity in coffee has become an accepted characteristic and the variety of styles offered in Prague is quite overwhelming. And while we had to cherry pick and travel for good coffee in Prague, specialty coffee in Prague has today entered just about every Prague’s district, if we discount the outskirts.
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Book a tour Get the guide Rent the apartment Rent the pocket wifiWhat is nice about third-wave coffee in Prague is the lack of attitude and pretentiousness. The community around specialty coffee is inclusive and wants to make friends, with very little foes and enemies within it. The baristas in general don’t have attitude and don’t ridicule the customers for lack of knowledge, instead explaining and helping them navigate Prague’s coffee culture.
This is the third edition of our little Prague Speciality Café Guide. We’re talking thirty good cafes, up from maybe less than ten some three years ago. We have divided them into three groups for you, depending on how much time are you spending in Prague, and how much coffee you want to drink: "Must-visits", the cafes you should not miss, “Other favorites”, the cafes we like to frequent, and “Other good cafes”, the cafes we visit when we’re in the area.
So, there you have it. What follows is our list of the Best Cafes in Prague.
The must-visit cafes
Kavárna Místo
Arguably the most anticipated coffee opening of the year, the new café of the Doubleshot roasters has so much going for it we even don’t know where to start. A true dream team of Prague baristas that turn Místo into a true coffee destination. Great interior by the Edit! architects and a fantastic wallpaper and illustrations by Katerina Kynclova. And, most importantly, great location: just about five minutes by walk from our humble abode. Yes! Having coffee in Místo is like having coffee in business class: everything from technology to beans to baristas is top notch. You just sit down and relax, perhaps over a glass of Rosemary, the signature drink by Ondrej Hurtik that earned him the 2nd place in the World Coffee in Good Spirits competition this year.
Address: Bubenecska 12, Prague 6 (nearest stop: Hradcanska subway stop)
Website: mistoprovas.cz
Opening hours: Mo-Sa 9-22, Su 10-18
Machine: Kees van den Westen Spirit Triplette, 3-group
Beans: Doubleshot
Filters: Yes. Batch brew plus changing brew methods.
Food: Yes. Full menu for breakfast and lunch/dinner. Breakfast served all day over the weekend.
Wifi: Yes
EMA Espresso Bar
Getting to EMA on two separate occasions can lead to two different experiences: the espresso bar can get from empty to super busy and back within ten minutes. And on the busy hour, you will clearly understand that EMA has become a true Prague coffee institution where foodies, bloggers, foreign hipsters and curious travelers mix with the suited-up lawyers getting their caffeine fix on their lunch breaks. Despite the few niggles - the lack of air-conditioning that makes the temperatures inside unbelievably high during hot summers being the biggest one - EMA still has an undeniable feel-good factor and a sense of “being there”. This, and the great coffee sourced from some of the best European roasters along with a strong team of baristas, keep us coming back for more.
Address: Na Florenci 3, Prague 1 (nearest stop: Masarykovo nadrazi subway and tram stop)
Website: emaespressobar.cz
Opening hours: Mo-Fr 8-20, Sa 9-18
Machine: La Marzocco Strada EP, 3-group
Beans: JB Kaffee and other European micro-roasters
Filters: Yes. Aeropress and Hario V60 drip.
Food: Some. Sandwiches, two salads, a daily soup and a selection of sweet baked products. Have a Czech buchta with plum jam, our favorite.
Wifi: Nope. You should get ours.
Muj sálek kávy
Muj sálek kávy is a coffee legend, truly the first proper, professionally run specialty coffee place in Prague with a clear vision, whose glory far exceeds the Karlin district where it is located. That is why reservations especially during the rush hours are a must. It was also, for a long time, the flagship of the Prague-based Doubleshot roasters who have been supplying beans to nearly all specialty coffee places in Prague at least once during their existence. We were known to travel to Karlin just to get a cup of coffee in MSK, especially served outside on the street during the summer. The consistency is great and Doubleshot roasts have a standard that they never fail to reach. If you want to see them get busy, make sure you book ahead for their Sunday breakfasts. If there is a destination-cafe in Prague, this is it.
Address: Krizikova 105, Prague 8 (nearest stop: Krizikova subway stop, Urxova tram stop)
Website: mujsalekkavy.cz
Opening hours: Mo-Sa 9-22, Su 10-18
Machine: Kees van den Westen Spirit Duette, 2-group
Beans: Doubleshot
Filters: Yes. Batch brew plus changing brew methods.
Food: Yes. Full menu for breakfast and simple lunch/dinner. Breakfast served all day over the weekend.
Wifi: Yes. The current password is written on the blackboard next to the entry.
BrewBar
BrewBar has been consistently responsible for our visits to the Naplavka farmers’ markets, rain or shine, to meet our foodie friends over a cup of something nice and interesting. Jirka, the Czech Aeropress champion who represented the country in the 2015 World Barista Champs and who now runs double duty as a barista in Místo, has been keeping things interesting by finding European micro-roasters and tweaking his brewing methods to perfection. Definitely worth the wait in the line: you can spend the wait time by asking Jirka and his colleagues about the coffee. They’ll be happy to explain everything.
Address: Náplavka farmers’ market, Rasinovo nabrezi, Prague 2 (nearest stop: Vyton tram stop)
Website: brewbar.cz
Opening hours: Su 8-14 whenever the Naplavka farmers’ market is on.
Machine: What are you talkin’ about? No espresso, just filter coffee.
Beans: Various European micro-roasters
Filters: Yes! Only filters!
Food: Nope. Unless our friend Klara bakes something.
Wifi: You’re kidding, right?
Other favorites
Café Lounge
Although owned by the same people, Café Lounge could not be any more different from its sister café, EMA Espresso Bar: it is a conservative, retro place located in a dark segmented space that looks like it was somebody’s apartment, which makes it a good place for dates. It also serves as a full restaurant that serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. While the consistency of coffee varies from person to person, this is still by far your best option in the Lesser Town for coffee. Make sure you get a seat in the back garden, arguably the coolest place in Prague on a hot day and a place where our guests chose to stay whenever we finish our tours there.
Address: Plaska 8, Prague 5 (nearest stop: Ujezd tram stop)
Website: cafe-lounge.cz
Opening hours: Mo-Fr 7.30-22, Sa(Su) 9-22(17)
Machine: La Marzocco GB/5, 3-group
Beans: The Barn and other European micro-roasters
Filters: Yes. Aeropress, vacuum pot and Hario V60
Food: Yes. Café Lounge doubles as a restaurant serving daily specials and dinners, with a shorter cafe menu available during off hours. Breakfasts served until 5pm over the weekend.
Wifi: Yes. Username: guest. Password: hungerwall615.
Kafe Karlín
We owe it to Zdenek, one of the baristas of Kafe Karlín, to really ignite the spark of our interest in specialty coffee when Zuzi visited one of his early-day coffee workshops under the auspices of the Kavovy klub (Coffee Club) that has been serving great coffee to the visitors of Prague’s farmers’ markets for a few years now. The tiny espresso bar on the Sokolovska street may not be the most beautiful place to enjoy a cup of joe but many Prague’s baristas swear KK has the best espresso in town, and some pretty killer Irish Coffee on top of that. Have a chat with genuine Prague coffee pioneers and walk out with a great cup of coffee in hand, ideally continuing to Simply Good nearby for something sweet.
Address: Sokolovska 46/51, Prague 8 (nearest stop: Karlínské náměstí tram stop)
Website: kafekarlin.cz
Opening hours: Mo-Fr 7.30-18.30
Machine: La Marzocco Linea, 3-group
Beans: Kafe Karlin’s own roasts
Filters: Yes. Aeropress, batch brew.
Food: A small selection of baked products. We usually combine their coffee with Simply Good kolaachees or rakvicka from Lokal
Wifi: No.
Alza Café
Can you recommend a café in the middle of a large computer shop plagued by constant beeps inviting shoppers to collect their orders with a straight face? Actually yes, you can. Because it is used by the Doubleshot roasters to train their newly hired baristas in a high-stress environment. It is also one of the very few cafes in Prague that make money by selling coffee alone and some people swear their batch brew is the best in town, and their cappuccino by Veronika is not far behind. So there you have it. A place worth traveling for across town? We’re not sure, but unless the environment of a big warehouse is a huge turn-off, the coffee is great.
Address: Hall no. 8 of the Holesovice Market, Prague 7 (nearest stop: Holesovicka trznice tram stop)
Website: alzacafe.cz
Opening hours: Mo-Su 8-20
Machine: Kees van den Westen Mirage
Beans: Doubleshot
Filters: Yes. Batch brew.
Food: Some. A few sandwiches, banana bread, muffins and cupcakes, and 2AD ice-cream.
Wifi: Yes.
ESKA
One of the openings of 2015, Eska restaurant in the Karlin district is also the first foray of the ubiquitous Ambiente group into specialty coffee, and they have brought big guns to the table: adopting the entire original team of Anonymous Coffee, they have beans from Doubleshot, a Victoria Arduino Eagle machine and a focus on filters that borders on the pretentious, as apron-wearing baristas come to the table to discuss your coffee choices to pair with the dessert. Still, as it stands, this is the only high-end restaurant in Prague that serves specialty coffee. You don't have to have a meal to have coffee, though: just grab something sweet or a savory snack from the bakery downstairs.
Address: Pernerova 49, Prague 8 (nearest stop: Krizikova subway stop)
Website: eska.ambi.cz/en/
Opening hours: Mo-Sa 7.30-23.30 (combined time for bakery and restaurant)
Machine: Victoria Arduino The Eagle
Beans: Doubleshot. Perhaps more in the future.
Filters: Yes. Aeropress and pour over.
Food: Oooh yes. Full menu for breakfast and lunch/dinner.
Wifi: Yes. The password is "ambiente".
AnonymouS Coffee
The interiors of AnonymouS Coffee do split opinions: for some, the “V for Vendetta” theme with Guy Fawkes’ mask everywhere, supplemented by references to comic book heroes, does not really inspire trust. But the coffee will satisfy adults and you will easily forgive the fact you are sitting on furniture made of repurposed wooden palettes. While other cafes can take themselves way too seriously, the guys behind the bar of the AnonymouS Coffee do whatever the heck they want to do, and we like that. Anonymous Coffee shows you can be very serious about coffee in a very non-serious way.
Address: Jugoslávská 15, Prague 2 (nearest stop: I.P. Pavlova subway and tram stop)
Website: anonymouscoffee.cz
Opening hours: Mo-Fr 8.15-20.15, Sa-Su 13.15-19.15 (Yup. Don't even ask.)
Machine: La Marzocco Strada.
Beans: The Barn.
Filters: Yes. Aeropress.
Food: Yes, but only very simple sandwiches and baked goods
Wifi: Yes.
coffee room.
It is hard not to feel well in the Coffee Room. The very young owners, who obviously are in love with London, are there and they care and are eager to help. They have really stepped up their game since they opened and are now a great place to stop by after a visit to the nearby Jirak farmers’ markets… if they have a table for you, because their loyal followers can fill that place easily. We really like the wide selection of niche magazines. Coffee Room is a place where you can have solid coffee from various European roasters, nice local wines, a chat with friendly locals and a good read. And that are good enough reasons in our mind.
Address: Korunní 74, Prague 2 (nearest stop: Vinohradská vodárna tram stop)
Website: coffeeroom.cz
Opening hours: Mo-Fr 8-18.30, Sa 9-18
Machine: La Marzocco FB/70
Beans: Bonanza Coffee, Casino Mocca and other European roasters.
Filters: Yes. Hario V60, Aeropress, Vacuum pot, batch brew.
Food: Yes. Simple breakfasts, snacks, sandwiches and cookies for later.
Wifi: Yes.
Kafemat
People were worried about Kafemat, a local favorite in the Dejvice district, when Místo opened just a few streets away. But Kafemat is still going strong, and why wouldn’t it? The room is so small that you really get to know either the owner or the lovely barista Petra. And the coffee is hard to fault, mostly from Square Mile roasters on a La Marzocco machine. Due to the lack of chairs, most of the coffee they make is to take away, but the local moms and coffee lovers always find a way to stack each other in the windowpanes somehow.
Address: Dejvická 3, Prague 6 (nearest stop: Hradcanska subway stop)
Website: facebook.com/kafematdejvice
Opening hours: Mo-Fr 8-18, Sa 9.30-15
Machine: LaMarzocco GB/5, 3-group.
Beans: Square Mile and other European roasters.
Filters: Yes.
Food: Not really. Just small home-baked kolachees.
Wifi: Nope.
ORIGINAL COFFEE
Original Coffee, the specialty coffee offshoot of the Mama Coffee group just a few steps off the Bethlehem Square, is clearly a student hangout. But we’re talking literature students: expect turtlenecks and laptops, not beer funnels and red cups. The place is also conducive to work: very somber and clean design with no distractions, lots of power outlets, strong and clear wifi, good coffee roasted specifically by and for the cafe and the generous distribution of tables in the two rooms make for hours of undisturbed work, interrupted only by new orders of coffee, tea and some snacks and soup.
Address: Betlémská 12, Prague 1 (nearest stop: Národní divadlo tram stop)
Website: originalcoffee.cz
Opening hours: Mo-Fr(Sa) 8(10)-19
Machine: Fiorenzato
Beans: Original Coffee’s own roasts
Filters: Yes. Hario V60, Aeropress, Chemex.
Food: Hummus, Ajala chocolates, cakes from their own bakery, daily soup.
Wifi: Yes. Strong and clear.
I Need Coffee!
It’s easy to fall in love with I Need Coffee! Lucka, the passionate owner famous in the Prague designer circles, has made a clear imprint of her personality on the place: the single room is simple yet cozy and stylish. It feels a bit like a hip hangout in Berlin’s Mitte, minus the patrons speaking English with Australian accent. Lucka's personal choices make for a very eclectic mix of sandwiches, sweets - the kremrole puff pastry rolls with merengue fillings are a reason to come alone - food by local farmers, along with the occasional wearables produced by Lucka’s designer friends. I Need Coffee! is one of the few places that makes you feel hip sitting there without even a hint of the pretentiousness that normally tends to plague places like these.
Address: Na Moráni 7, Prague 2 (nearest stop: Palackého náměstí tram stop)
Website: facebook.com/ineedcoffee.cz
Opening hours: Mo-Fr 8-20, Sa 10-17
Machine: Faema E61
Beans: Casino Mocca and others
Filters: Yes.
Food: Yes. Small breakfast sets (think croissant and jam), sandwiches, cookies, kremrole (!).
Wifi: No. You should try ours.
Café Jen
Café Jen is about the owners, college friends Dominika and Hanka, and their team of young, friendly waitresses and waiters making you feel welcome and special with breakfast, their favorite meal served all day. The Vrsovice favorite is a place we love to go just to get a taste of the atmosphere. While you may probably get fancier food elsewhere, there is a homey vibe of friendliness that is hard not to feel. And the fact that every day feels like a Sunday here does not mean you get bad coffee: Has Been either as batch brew or espresso. A great place to charge your batteries before you hit the Grebovka vineyards or afterwards.
Address: Kodanska 37, Prague 10 (nearest stop: Ruska tram stop)
Website: cafejen.cz
Opening hours: Mo-Fr 8-19, Sa-Su 9.30-19
Machine: Vibiemme Replica L/2
Beans: Has Bean single-origin
Filters: Batch brew.
Food: Absolutely. Breakfast is kinda their thing, but they do cute food later on during the day, too. Try the Misa dessert. It’s a Czech classic, reinvented.
Wifi: Yes.
Kafe Kolej
Ever wondered what would happen if the people behind Kafe Karlín opened a small booth at a busy railway station? Well, that lingering question no-one's ever had has been answered by KafeKolej. As simple as it gets: go to the window, ask for coffee, pay, move on. But because it's Kafe Karlin's second outpost, it also means KafeKolej is the first place in the Smichov district that serves true specialty coffee. So what if the surroundings are your standard issue railway-meets-bus terminal ugly? Just take a sip of the coffee and you won't care.
Address: Nadrazni, Prague 5 (nearest stop: Smíchovské nádrazí subway, tram, bus stop)
Website: www.kavovyklub.cz
Opening hours: Mo-Fr 7-18
Machine: Wega, 2-group
Beans: Kavovy klub’s own roasts
Filters: Yes. Batch brew.
Food: Nothing at the moment, but soon to offer some small sweet snacks to go with the coffee.
Wifi: You're joking, right?
Other Good Cafés
BITCOIN COFFEE
Bitcoin Coffee is sooo easy to write about because they have a theme: they only accept bitcoins to pay for the coffee. So you better have some. Or use their cash machine. The interiors of the Paralelni Polis “Cryptoanarchy Institute” are also undeniably cool. With its brownfield patine, concrete walls, steel pillars and paper pulp furniture, this is a hangout straight from a movie about cool Berlin clubs. The central bar with the Synesso machine is minimalist and plain. So make sure you pay them a visit. If you have some bitcoins on you, that is.
Address: Delnicka 43, Prague 7 (nearest stop: Delnicka tram stop)
Website: paralelnipolis.cz/bitcoin-coffee-en/
Opening hours: Mo-Fr 8-20, Sa-Su 10-20.
Machine: La Marzocco, 3-group.
Beans: Bonanza Coffee
Filters: Yes. Batch brew plus changing drip methods.
Food: Hardly any. A cake, maybe some apples.
Wifi: Yes.
KAVÁRNA PRAZÍRNA
Blending in with the locals over filter and espresso-based coffee from beans roasted in-house is easy in Kavarna Prazirna, a local favorite. Great place for a meeting or a book. We're not truly fans of cafés located in basements, but the coffee is good regardless. Tip: If you’re planning on using wifi, stay in the first room.
Address: Lublanska 50, Prague 2 (nearest stop: I.P. Pavlova tram stop)
Website: kavarnaprazirna.cz
Opening hours: Mo-Fr 8.30-22, Sa 12-20
Machine: LaMarzocco
Beans: Kavárna Prazírna’s own roasts
Filters: Yes. Batch brew, Hario V60, Aeropress.
Food: Yes, some simple affairs.
Wifi: Yes. Better in the front room than in the back.
KAVÁRNA CEKÁRNA
The cuteness factor is very high in Kavárna Cekárna, a homey, small café just underneath the Vysehrad fortress. This is a true hideout from the rest of the world, and if you want to study, work, write that novel you were planning to, this is the place. The coffee is very good, and the café is a good choice for a quieter stop in the nice, slightly run down garden in the back, or in the interiors with beautiful floor tiles. Our choice for coffee when visiting the Vysehrad fortress above.
Address: Vratislavova 30/8, Prague 2 (nearest stop: Vyton tram stop)
Website: facebook.com/kavarnacekarna
Opening hours: Mo-Fr 8-22, Sa(Su) 10(13)-20
Machine: Brasil, 2-group
Beans: Kavarna prazirna, plus "something interesting from abroad"
Filters: Yes. Hario V60, French press.
Food: Yes. Mostly produce from the Rosaria bakery - good enough for a snack or a light breakfast.
Wifi: Yes.
DOUBLE B COFFEE AND TEA
The Vinohrady district is packed with great cafes, so opening a spanking new one very near at least two other good cafes takes some courage and self-confidence. Double B brings roasting to the table, offering a few of its own roasts both as espresso and filters. Now, when we say espresso, we mean double espresso: they do not pull single shots. This would be another great place to get some work done.
Address: Anglicka 15, Prague 2 (nearest stop: I.P. Pavlova tram stop)
Website: facebook.com/doublebpraha
Opening hours: Mo-Fr 7.30-21, Sa-Su 10-21
Machine: Nuova Simonelli, 3-group
Beans: Double B’s own roasts
Filters: Yes. Hario V60 and Aeropress.
Food: Some. A sandwich and some cakes.
Wifi: Yes.
STUDIO DVA
Studio Dva Café, formally attached to the Studio Dva theatre, brings high-quality coffee to the Wenceslas Sq., an area so far dominated by big coffee chains and McCafes. Let’s be honest here: this is not a place where everybody knows your name. Despite the good foundations, the atmosphere is rather cold and while the place is dominated by business meetings and solo visitors during the day, you’d be hard-pressed to see anyone on a Sunday unless the theatre puts on a show. Still, the coffee is solid and StudioDva easily takes the crown as the only specialty-coffee place in the town open on a Sunday night.
Address: Václavské nám. 56, Prague 1, inside the walk-through (nearest stop: Muzeum subway stop)
Website: studiodva.cz/kavarna/
Opening hours: Mo-Fr 8.30-23, Sa-Sun 11-23
Machine: LaMarzocco Strada, 3-group
Beans: Dos Mundos and Five Elephant as steady suppliers, plus something interesting
Filters: Hario V60, Aeropress.
Food: Yes. Breakfasts until 11am, daily specials later and pastries later.
Wifi: Yes.
YE’S KAFE / STUDIO
Ye’s kafe / studio opened without a bang by some of the baristas from BitCoin Coffee. What has remained is the slightly anarchist feel and Bonanza Coffee beans in the grinder. What is different is the location: right in the heart of the Letná district, the hood of our Prague rental apartment, Ye’s Kafe got a fairly small room with very high ceilings. While the lack of proper tables makes it less ideal for an extended work session, it is a great spot for a quick takeaway coffee before your tram leaves for the centre. This is a café young and wild in heart, and if that describes you, too, make sure you check out their parties.
Address: Letenské nám. 5, Prague 7 (nearest stop: Letenské náměstí tram stop)
Website: facebook.com/yeskafestudio
Opening hours: Mo-Fr 7.30-18.30, Sa 10-16
Machine: An old, refurbished thing in a see-through glass enclosure
Beans: Bonanza Coffee
Filters: Yes.
Food: Cakes and bananas.
Wifi: Yes.
MEZI ZRNKY
Mezi zrnky is a small, cute, neighborly bistro and cafe in the Vinohrady district. In addition to Doubleshot coffee and beans by other European roasters, they offer breakfasts, a daily soup, some salads and sandwiches and something sweet. They continue in the footsteps of CupUp cafe that used to occupy the same room and serve good coffee. What makes Mezi zrnky stand out is great serves and tremendous value for money.
Address: Sázavská 19, Prague 2 (nearest stop: Námestí Míru subway stop)
Website: facebook.com/mezizrnky
Opening hours: Mo-Fr 7.30-18.30, Sa 9.30-15.30
Machine: LaMarzocco GB/5, 3-group
Beans: Bonanza Coffee, Sweet Cup, Doubleshot
Filters: Yes.
Food: Yes. Breakfasts, sandwiches, daily soups and cakes.
Wifi: Yes.
SUPER TRAMP COFFEE
The sister cafe of I Need Coffee (see above) has managed to turn one of the ugliest passthroughs in Prague to one of the coolest. Sure, it's a bit difficult to find. And that's one of the benefits in our view. Once you get there, nobody will find you. Do you owe money? Haven't paid your taxes? Yourboss wants to have a chat? Nobody will find you here. And the coffee is good, the atmosphere lazy, and with a bakery in the back, there is no place for a Swedish-style fika in Prague like this one.
Address: Opatovická 18, Prague 1 (entry from the Spálená 15 passthrough; nearest stop: Lazarská tram stop)
Website: facebook.com/supertrampcoffee.cz
Opening hours: Mo-Fr 8-20
Machine: LaMarzocco
Beans: Casino Mocca and others
Filters: Yes.
Food: Yes. Small bakery on site.
Wifi: Nope.
LA BOHÉME COFFEE
We actually wanted to live in the space before it was turned into the cafe. It housed a Vitra furniture showroom, and while some of the furniture stayed in the eclectic interiors of the cafe, the busy design may not be for everyone. Perhaps too much flowers and “cuteness” for some. The truth is this cafe really falls out of the bare-brick-and-black-boards-and-unfinished-wood-bench paradigm. So the choice is yours, but if you like to enjoy coffee in a sofa, this is one of the few specialty coffee places in Prague that have some. La Boheme uses, of course, the roasts of the La Boheme roasters, who have their offices upstairs. They are dark for our tastes, but if you like that, make sure you give them a try.
Address: Sázavská 32, Prague 2 (nearest stop: Vinohradska trznice tram stop)
Website: facebook.com/labohemecafepraha
Opening hours: Mo-Fr(Sa) 8(10)-20
Machine: Della Corte DC Pro, 3-group
Beans: La Boheme's own roasts
Filters: Yes. Aeropress.
Food: Yes. Cakes and kolachees, sometimes a quiche or a sandwich. For more food, head over to the second location in the Vinohradsky Pavilon just a block away.
Wifi: Yes. When it works.
AL CAFETERO
Al Cafetero is the mother of all specialty coffee shops in Prague. The kingdom of Mr Karel, the owner and mascot of the place, was one of the first to serve specialty coffee in Prague. Smoking? Karel was the first one to kiss it goodbye. He is the true pioneer in many ways. Now, entering does feel like you’re entering Karel’s living room: the place is tiny but very cozy. Also, Karel has rules. Your request for sugar may be met with rolling eyes. Still, Al Cafetero can make for a fun evening: the coffee is great and the vicinity of the tables can make for an interesting conversation.
Address: Blanická 24, Prague 2 (nearest stop: Italská tram stop)
Website: alcafetero.cz
Opening hours: Mo-Th 9-22, Sa 9-18, (somewhat unreliable though)
Machine: Della Corte Super Mini
Beans: Doubleshot single-origin. AlCafetero’s own espresso blend by Yakima coffee
Filters: Hario V60, Vacuum pot, French press, Aeropress.
Food: Sandwiches, cheesecakes and the like. Breakfasts are also served.
Wifi: Yes.
TRICAFÉ
We’ve argued that the bench in front of TriCafé (they put it out there on a nice day) is one of the best places to enjoy a good cup of coffee in the tourist centre. Just walk off the Karlova street leading to the Charles Bridge and take two corners, and you will reach a very friendly place with a young atmosphere that has become very popular among young coffee lovers and American students on study abroad programs. The atmosphere, the solid coffee and the nice cakes are good enough reasons to leave the madness behind.
Address: Anenská 3, Prague 1 (nearest stop: Karlovy lazne tram stop)
Website: tricafe.weebly.com
Opening hours: Mo-Su 9-20
Machine: Faema Diplomat E-71
Beans: Mostly European micro-roasters
Filters: Not that we know of.
Food: Cakes, many of them gluten-free.
Wifi: Yes. But it’s sometimes wobbly.
NOVÝ SVET
The New World, one of the most charming places in town, is a great place to visit by itself, but the Kavarna Novy svet (the New World Cafe) just adds to the charm, and is a great stop on your way to or from the Prague Castle. Now that it has been discovered by more people, it is not as serene as it used to be, and can get full quite easily. Still it can be one of the nicest and quaintest places to enjoy coffee. Check their social media for their movie screenings!
Address: Novy svet 2, Prague 1 (nearest stop: Brusnice tram stop)
Website: kavarna.novysvet.cz
Opening hours: Mo-Su 11-19. Closed on Wednesdays.
Machine: Faema E-61
Beans: Doubleshot and whatever they buy
Filters: Yes. Hario V60.
Food: Sandwiches, salads, toasts, muesli, daily soup, and ice-creams by 2AD.
Wifi: Yes.
DOS MUNDOS
The Dos Mundos roasters have made waves when they opened some two years ago, quickly establishing themselves as another alternative to the established roasters on the market. The fairly small room in the Vinohrady district includes the roasting machine and offers up to seven different roasts as both espresso and filter coffee. The room has really just one table, but sitting at the bar is actually a great opportunity to have a chat.
Address: Korunní 31, Prague 2 (nearest stop: Sumavská tram stop)
Website: dos-mundos.cz
Opening hours: Mo-Fr 8-19, Sa-Su 12-17
Machine: Bezzera C2013.
Beans: Dos Mundos' own roasts.
Filters: Yes. Aeropress, Chemex, Vacuum pot, Hario V60.
Food: Some cakes.
Wifi: Yes.
MONOLOK
As a cafe for reunions with friends and for work meetings, this Vinohrady cafe is as popular as they come, although we may have issues with the service, which we have always found either disinterested or pretty bored. So why is it in this list? The coffee is based on solid foundations: good machine, good beans and good baristas render consistent results of good quality. And the virtues are undeniable: two great rooms with either a calm atmosphere on a lazy day or a livelier atmosphere on a busier day, and the large tables and comfy chairs and sofas in the back make it a great spot for working or a long read.
Address: Moravská 18, Prague 2 (nearest stop: Sumavska tram stop)
Website: monolok.cz
Opening hours: Mo-Fr 8-22, Sa-Su 10-19
Machine: La Marzocco GB/5
Beans: Coffee Source and Doubleshot
Filters: Yes. Vacuum pot, Hario V60.
Food: Yes. They serve breakfast and some simple foods later on during the day.
Wifi: Yes. But it’s wobbly.
Coffee House
Coffee House, located on the edge of the Vinohrady and Vrsovice districts, is really a showroom of the Coffee Source roasters, and many people in Prague know it simply as “Coffee Source”. The interiors are minimalist and the place attracts younger, hippie crowds. Their exterior seating in their small, quiet backyard is a true hidden gem.
Address: Francouzská 100/312, Prague 2 (nearest stop: Ruska tram stop)
Website: facebook.com/coffeesource
Opening hours: Mo-Th(Fr) 8-19(17)
Machine: LaMarzocco Strada, 3-group
Beans: Coffee Source’s own roasts
Filters: Yes. Drip coffee, French press.
Food: No.
Wifi: Yes. Password: kafekafekafe
KÁVA RUZOVA
Perhaps the close vicinity to EMA Espresso Bar is the reason why we’ve been to Kava Ruzova only once. Still, this is a cute little place to grab a cup of coffee to go, pick your beans from the Coffee Source roasters, and have a small chat with the barista.
Address: Růžová 7, Prague 1 (nearest stop: Jindrisská tram stop)
Website: kavaruzova.cz
Opening hours: Mo-Fr 7.30-19
Machine: LaMarzocco GS3
Beans: Coffee Source
Filters: Yes. French press.
Food: No.
Wifi: No.
PAUSÁ 412
This is as close to a coffee speakeasy as it gets. The designers of Artbureau, seated in room 412 of the Bubenska 1 building (btw one of the coolest buildings in the entirety of Prague and clearly one of our favorites in the Letna district), were so unhappy with the coffee offerings around, they started making coffee on a refurbished La Cimbali machine in their own office. Just check their website (if it’s green, they’re in - if it’s red, they’re out), get into the building and knock on the door of room 412. For a voluntary charge, you’ll get a small chat, an insight into how designers live here, and a cup of good coffee.
Address: Bubenska 1, Prague 7 (nearest stop: Vltavska subway and tram stop)
Website: artbureau.cz/412/
Opening hours: Mo-Fr 10-18. Usually. Check their website.
Machine: LaCimbali, 1-group
Beans: Whatever they like. Check their website.
Filters: We’re not sure. We've never got one.
Food: Nope.
Wifi: Not really.
CUKRÁRNA ALCHYMISTA
Alchymista’s Japanese garden in the back is one of the most beautiful places to enjoy coffee sitting outside. Vintage is the name of the game here: all the props, the wooden panels and the furniture all seem to have a vintage feel about them, and this extends to the baristas, too: at least some of the men do sport some pretty pimped-out mustaches. The coffee here will suit those favoring darker roasts. We do admit that we usually get some of their fairly good cheesecakes rather than the coffee. It’s not a “cukrarna” (pastry shop) for nothing. In the garden in the back, nobody can hear you… getting fat.
Address: Jana Zajice 7, Prague 7 (nearest stop: Sparta tram stop)
Website: alchymista.cz
Opening hours: Mo-Su 10.30-21.30
Machine: Promac Green
Beans: Their own roasts
Filters: Yes. Hario V60, Aeropress, French press, Chemex.
Food: Yes. Cheesecakes and other home-made cakes and baked stuff, simple breakfasts.
Wifi: Yes.
Periferie café
Now, is it really necessary to travel that far outside of the centre for coffee? No, not really, but Periferie café in the Braník district gives you a great opportunity to see a part of the city you would never have otherwise found and enjoy some nice coffee and food with the locals in a great corner room full of light. Check out their neighborly parties and live music concerts! They can go on for longer than the neighbors may want.
Address: Branická 49, Prague 4 (nearest stop: Pristaviste tram stop)
Website: periferiecafe.cz
Opening hours: Mo-Fr(Sa) 9(13)-22, Su 14-20
Machine: La Marzocco GB/5, 3-group
Beans: Doubleshot, plus "something interesting from abroad"
Filters: No.
Food: Yes. Soups, kolachees and sandwiches made in house, muesli, egg-based breakfasts.
Wifi: Yes.
Photos on this page: The good photos are by Martin of Everbay Co. or Couple of Prague (Kafe Karlin, MSK, Dos Mundos, Coffee Room, the title photo). The rest by Taste of Prague.
