With restaurants in Prague open for outdoor dining, and their opening for indoor dining so far uncertain, the hottest question is town right now is where to eat outside. So below are some of our favorites.
Before we get to the list, just two notes:
The odds of your favorite restaurant having outdoor seating are pretty high: restaurants knew they would be allowed to open for outdoor seating first, so they made sure to have at least a few tables open outside. If you’re not sure, pick up the phone and call them.
Wear one extra layer. Not sure about you, but we are finding this year’s „spring“ quite cold.
Anyway, here’s our favorite Prague restaurants with outdoor seating.
Well covered outdoor seating
Karlín’s Eska’s outdoor seating is rock solid… because it is rock solid. No parasols here, just a solid roof. This is a place where young urban professional come to have coffee and cake, breakfast or a proper meal (with some vegetable-forward options) and to buy provisions for the home that is either made in house or resold from trusted small farmers. On the other hand, U Matěje is in a beautiful residential area that is worth a separate trip. The tables, each with their own parasol, are located in a nice garden in front of the restaurant that serves upgraded Czech cuisine and fresh Pilsner Urquell. Čestr’s outdoor seating may not be the most beautiful, given the proximity of one of the most frequent roads in the city, but the communal tables under parasols provide a cosy, familiar, pub-like feel. The Czech steakhouse’s menu is really tweaked for the outside: most of the dishes are made on the huge grill outside. But there’s nothing wrong with that: grilled proteins and fresh beer? You had us at grilled. (The vegetable options are surprisingly delicious though.)
A few steps down, Yalta Craft Bistro on Wenceslas Square offers tables at a well-covered terrace of the Jalta hotel (blankets are available, too). It’s one of the biggest clichés and no-one actually knows what it really means, but if there’s a restaurant that does serve „modern Czech cuisine“, Yalta Craft Bistro is definitely it, along with just a few more. If you fancy something French, you might want to look at the good ol’ La Gare in the V Kolkovně street. The outdoor tables are mostly covered, the seating area has two heaters, and the classic dishes like escargots or the twice-fried fries are definitely enticing. And finally, Dian restaurant in the Brumlovka business area is finally open, too. Check the youngest sister of Gao Den and Taro out for a modern interpretation of Vietnamese cuisine in the form of sharing plates. (They do have a more traditional lunch menu for the office folk, too.)
How about restaurants that we love but are less covered, or not covered at all?
Outdoor seating with less or no roofing
El Camino Tapas Restaurant is our number one choice for a dinner date. The outdoor seating area in the back is partly covered, and the new menu looks great. Especially the crayfish. The entire experience is like taking a voyage through Spain, but you’re in the first-class couch. Sansho has always had tables outside and this year is no exception. The outdoor seating area neighbours that of Las Adelitas next door, and takes advantage of the traffic-light, calm surroundings of the Petrské náměstí square. The Eatery has decided to take over the wide pavement in front of it, and it was a good idea. Go there for some of the best lunch specials in town, great Czech flavours in modern formats like their dill sauce or Kulajda soup, along with a great selection of wines.
Kro Kitchen, one of our absolute faves, also has a few tables outside, which now spill over to the outdoor seating area of the neighbouring Kro Coffee, but sadly no roof or parasol over it. But with food that good, we might take the risk of getting a bit wet. (And their new bistro and bar in Karlín is opening on Tuesday… with outside tables for up to 40!) Výčep, another fantastic place for hearty yet cheffy Czech cuisine, has a few tables outside and - crucially - one or two tables inside by the window that opens fully into the street. Reserve that spot if you want to be safe and dry and have some great bites along with that. Their sister in Karlín, Nejen bistro, has ample outdoor seating area too, but not covered at all. Still, the light-footed cooking (and great desserts) are worth it.
Café Savoy has just a few seats outside but they are near the wall and may provide some cover? Still, you can’t beat Café Savoy for old-time charm with modern-day sensibilities like specialty coffee and low-intervention Champagne. And the cooking is great too actually. Another great place for breakfast and brunch? Karlín’s Etapa. Despite the rather large seating area, the place is super popular and you may have to wait a bit for the coffee, great things from the bakery or the lighter meals, but that’s easy to do on the bench outside. For more specialty coffee shops that serve meals and have beautiful outdoor seating areas, check out Můj šálek kávy in Karlín and Osada across the river in Holešovice.
Bottega Gastronomica under the TV Tower also has outdoor tables and the livin’ is easy sipping their prosecco and having a few salads or lighter Italian fare. A few blocks down, Ossegg serves great Czech pub dishes with modern techniques on the tables outside, which we think are at least partly covered. For more of the same but with a village feeling and great vibes of Czech pub hospitality, head all the way over to Kastrol.
Fancy something quick? Not a problem. Letná’s Mr Hot Dog has always had a few tables outside. Head there for great hot dogs, probably the best sliders in town, fries, cocktails and fun weekend specials. Their BBQ sister in Holoešovice, Big Smokers, also has a few tables outside. Dish Fine Burger Bistro has tables outside at Římská. This is an old favourite and can be quite packed, but the fitness fries (fries in maple syrup with bacon) and the line of their gourmet burgers are worth it. We’ve already mentioned Las Adelitas - most of their locations do have outdoor tables, so get over there for some Mexican grub and beautiful margaritas. The Real Meat Society in Náplavní has a few tables outside, so jump over there for their iconic Scotch egg, vanilla custard donut, or their meatloaf sandwiches.
Bufet in Karlín serves a fantastic fried chicken sandwich and a few other smart street food items, which can be had in the large beer garden on the parking lot shared with the craft beer central that is Dva kohouti. The nights there can be epic and can be so packed even some Covid deniers may shy away. Which brings us to beer. The Dva kohouti / Lokál Hamburk block is the epicentre of beer consumption in the entire Karlín district and should have their own gravitational field for beer lovers. But many other locations of Lokál have their own charm and outside tables - especially U Bílé kuželky in the shadows of the Charles Bridge, and the Nad Stromovkou location with people enjoying beer on the fence of the Stromovka park come to mind.