What is St Martin’s Day, and Why Should You Care?
Easy. St Martin’s Day falls on the 11th of November and it celebrates St Martin of Tours, one of the first „non-Martyr saints“, a soldier-turned-Bishop who lived in the 4th Century. There are many legends surrounding his life, but only a few are relevant for us specifically.
Namely, it’s St Martin goose, St Martin rolls, St Martin wines, and St Martin “arriving on a white horse”.
Traditionally, St Martin is said to be arriving on a white horse, meaning that November 11 tends to coincide with the first snowfall of the winter season. While due to a little thing called climate change, this hasn’t been the case very much lately, St Martin remains the day on which you feast on comfort food before the Nativity Fast hits on November 28: there’s a few legends involving geese and St Martin, but the fact is St Martin goose with cabbage or sauerkraut and dumplings is an absolute St Martin’s Day classic, along with sweet rolls filled with either nuts or poppies.
The one thing you should know is that St Martin’s goose feast has literally exploded as a food event in recent years, and it has become THE busiest weekend for many great restaurants. So if you haven’t made a reservation for your goose by now, you should drop everything and start making calls right now. St Martin’s weekend is pure madness, in a good way.
This particular year St Martin's Day falls on Wednesday, 11 November, so expect the big rush midweek, with plenty of places stretching the feast through the weekend of 14–15 November.
What should you eat on St Martin’s day?
Okay, here’s a little glossary.
Kaldoun is a goose giblet soup, usually creamy, usually with vegetables, sometimes noodles, sometimes giblets and meat. A great warming soup to start your St Martin’s feast. Think duck soup served with Peking duck, but Czech.
Goose leg confit is the classic main dish: moist, juicy and fatty leg with ideally crispy skin, served with red or white cabbage (or both) and a side, usually dumplings, which would include the potato-based “šulánky”, or some sort of lokše, more reminiscent of thin pancakes or crepes.
St Martin’s rolls are the classic dessert: rolls of puff or similar pastry filled with usually nut-based filling, and a hefty dose of caster sugar.
Frgále is a Moravian dessert that sometimes makes it on a St Martin’s menu. It’s basically the bigger brother of kolache, think yeast dough pizza with usually plum jam or poppy seed topping and streusel, and sugar. You usually get a small one, or a slice of a bigger one.
St Martin’s wines
There is another thing that coincides with St Marin’s Day, and it’s the release of St Martin’s wines, a recent phenomenon meant to popularise local wines and help with the cash flow of some local winemakers. You mights see a lot of ads about this. It’s basically young wines - the first wines of this vintage.
Now, we will go all out and say it: we recommend you skip St Martin’s wine altogether if you have a discerning palate about wines. Seems like we’ve tried to out-French the French and their Beaujolais Nouveau, but it makes little sense: wines in Beaujolais are picked earlier than here, and the wines are marketed a good week later. So being „first“ doesn’t always mean being better, and we gotta be honest here: we never had a St Martin’s wine that we liked, if you strip the context away. Also, St Martin’s wine is a big winery game, so you’re missing out on the small, independently-owned wineries that we like so much. In short: have „normal“ wine instead. Which ones? Here’s a good point to start.
Where do you get St Martin’s goose in Prague?
We've sorted these by date, because the best goose in town is no use to you if it sold out on Thursday. Rule number one: drop everything and book now. Rule number two: if they don't take bookings, show up early and ask for a one-hour slot.
Already flying: goose you can eat right now
Mlýnec (by Charles Bridge) · all of November, à la carte The long-runner. Creamy kaldoun with pancake and goose heart, then roast breast and confit leg with pumpkin gnocchi, cabbage, gingerbread and cider (845 CZK). Finish with brioche, curd and plums. Want the view? Ask for a window seat - not all of the seats have the view.
V Zátiší (Old Town) · 6–15 November One of Prague's fine-dining veterans, freshly renovated, still elegant. Kaldoun with ravioli, goose hearts and liver, goose with fermented red cabbage, potato gnocchi and currants (785 CZK), and apple strudel. Write "HUSA" in your booking note.
Restaurace 420 (Old Town Square) · 6–11 November Three courses for 990 CZK: kaldoun with liver dumplings, confit leg with red and white cabbage, bacon dumplings and lokše, then a plum dumpling with poppy seed and nut butter. We've really come like 420 - it's a beautiful space that is, despite the size, hidden behind a different, terribly touristy restaurant just across from the Astronomical Clock. The cooking is generally excellent, and the price is right. By far the best cooking on the square, and for a fair price.
Salabka (Troja) · from 6 November The beautiful technique-forward fine-dining restaurant at the eponymous winery was the biggest snub of the 2025 Michelin ceremony and offers a tasting menu of 3 to 5 courses (2,500–2,900 CZK): foie gras crème brûlée, kaldoun with ravioli, slow-roasted goose roulade, Czech farm cheeses. This is a destination dining place for those who appreciate great technique and intricate plating. Definitely try their wine, too.
Kastrol · 7–15 November Nine days of goose, done the way a proper Czech pub should. Smoked breast, foie gras, sous-vide leg, stuffed lokše and grilled breast (all mains 525 CZK), plus their classic plum jam dumplings. Want a whole roast goose? Give them 48 hours' notice. Book via the website, and prepare to be the sole tourists there after a 30-min Uber drive.
La Gare (V Celnici, by Masarykovo nádraží) · 7–13 November Open-fire cooking with chef Roman Rataj. Goose pâté with medlar, kaldoun with foie gras, confit leg with poppy-seed šulánky and fermented cabbage (669 CZK). The weekend menu (7–8 Nov) is 11am – 4pm only; on weekdays it's part of lunch, 11:30–14:30.
Kuchyň (Hradčanské náměstí) · now, until sold out A "Castle feast" right by the Castle gates: pick two or three courses, with optional wine pairing. Think goose pâté on milk bread, offal with black truffle, confit leg with a dumpling stuffed with red cabbage. Kuchyň is a super popular place with a beautiful view (and heaters) outside, and cosy interiors that attracts local families and visitor groups alike.
Biskup · now, until sold out, lunch and dinner The ubiquitous Ambiente group's newest and hippest place (think modern, stripped down Czech cuisine with slight Japanese touches) serves goose, too. One the menu: kaldoun with giblets, stuffed goose neck, roast breast with red cabbage and plum jam. They also do take-home geese (see below).
Warming up: 9–10 November
Café Savoy (Malá Strana) · 9–15 November Roast goose with two kinds of cabbage and dumplings, plus kaldoun with noodles, under one of the prettiest ceilings in Prague of a classy Belle Epoque-style grand café that happens to be one of our son's most favorite Prague restaurants. Portions are limited, so act fast!
U Matěje · from 10 November, until sold out MasterChef judge Jan Punčochář's pub is cooking 1,200 portions, first come, first served. Shredded goose on toast, kaldoun (115 CZK), and confit leg with white cabbage and apples (595 CZK). U Matěje is one of the most beautiful pubs around and worth the public transport/Uber ride. Digest with a walk through the beautiful Baba Housing Estate next door.
Brasserie 1932 (in the Almanac X Alcron hotel) 9-14 November This classy restaurant in the "world's first boutique hotel" serves a three (CZK 1245) or four (CZK 1490) course menu with all the usual suspects, but the menu looks absolutely stunning. The Saturday 14 November lunch looks especially appetizing, provided you still have one goose portion in you.
Diskotéka Pizza (Dejvice) · 9–15 November The wildcard. The local Neapolitan-style pizzerie has entered the St Martin's goose chat with their "Oca Bianca" is a sourdough pizza with slow-roasted goose, artichoke cream, mushrooms and mozzarella. St Martin's pizza? You had us at "St Martin" and "pizza".
The big day: 11 November and the days after
Hostinec na Výtoni (under the Vyšehrad castle) · 11–15 November · ⚠️ order by 10 November The full menu for 1,250 CZK: lard and cracklings to start, duck pâté, kaldoun, confit leg with two cabbages, potato dumplings and lokše, then a kobliha with povidla. Order ahead by email or phone or they can't promise you a plate. Wine from Kubík in Velké Bílovice. This is our favorite duck place in town, and they know their goose, too.
Červený jelen (Nové Město) · 11–15 November, or until sold out The big beer hall for big groups. A 450 g confit leg with Viennese dumplings, gnocchi and red cabbage (695 CZK), rillettes, kaldoun, and sweet buchtičky with goose lard and plum jam. Booking via the online form only. Come with a bigger group and expect to drink a lot of Pilsners in a super busy, super huge modern pub. Locals love this place.
Lokál (all Prague branches) · 11 November, plus goose feasts until 15 November The premier Pilsner pubs that form an integral part of our Prague food tours sell goose legs with cabbage and dumplings and kaldoun, with birds from the Tůmovi family farm. Most branches run the feast 12–15 November or until sold out; Dlouhááá and Nad Stromovkou do 14–15 November; U Jiráta takes no bookings. Reservations recommended almost everywhere; prepare to wait if you walk in, just like every other day.
Výčep (Korunní, Vinohrady) · 11–12 November only Two days and done at this iconic Wallachian pub with some of the best cooking in town - this is the place we'd go for our goose. Confit leg with red and white cabbage, kaldoun, grilled goose hearts, rillettes, and a Wallachian frgál for dessert. Everything done to perfection and in house. Order your tables online.
Kamin · 11–13 November Goose pâté, kaldoun with a heart skewer, then leg (650 CZK), breast (680 CZK) or half a goose to share (1,650 CZK). There's a vegetarian pirohy option too, and live music on the 11th, in this very local place in Vinohrady run by two brothers from Moravia. Booking essential.
Greenhouse at Fairmont Golden Prague · 11–15 November, 12:00–21:30 Four courses for 1,480 CZK: terrine, goose consommé with ravioli, confit leg with sekaná, and walnut rolls. Courses also available separately. Fairmont, arguably the best hotel in town, is hitting hard to attract the locals, who usually shy away from hotel restaurants. We know locals who love the Greenhouse.
Vinograf (Senovážné náměstí) · 11–14 November A wine bar, so the pairing takes care of itself. A four-course menu for 1,145 CZK: duck foie gras torchon, kaldoun with liver dumplings, confit leg with lokše and red cabbage, and buchtičky with vanilla cream. This is a wine-forward option (a winebar, duh), but chef Radek David is actually an icon of the Prague dining scene.
The Artisan · 11 November, dinner only (18:00–22:00) One night, three courses, 990 CZK: kaldoun, confit leg with two cabbages and potato dumpling, and a plum dessert with honey ice cream. Their all-you-can-eat goose brunch returns on 15 November.
Pult (Tusarova, Holešovice) · from 11 November, until sold out "Gose & Goose": goose dishes paired with sour gose beers. Pâté with cherry liqueur, terrine with grape chutney, grilled breast with red cabbage and tartiflette, or shredded leg with plum chutney and lokše at this newly opened second location of a great craft beer institution.
Automat Matuška (Jiřího z Poděbrad) · from 11 November, until sold out Kaldoun, goose pâté with plums and slivovice, leg with Karlovy Vary dumplings and chestnut gnocchi, St Martin's rolls, and a special St Martin's beer on tap from this super popular craft beer place.
Skô · from 11 November, until sold out The super cool Slovak restaurant in the Holešovice market sells confit leg and breast grilled over open fire, with lokše, red cabbage and foie gras.
Pastacaffé (Vězeňská) · 11–13 November, or until sold out Goose, the Italian-Czech way: kaldoun with homemade noodles, ravioli with goose ragù and truffle, confit leg with apples and raisins, and St Martin's rohlíčky. Sister spot Pasta Fresca (Celetná) runs specials from 11 November too.
Le Petit Beefbar at W Prague (Wenceslas Square) · goose week from 11 November, dinner only Slow-roasted goose with all the classic sides, in one of the most beautiful dining rooms in town in the beautifully remodeled Art Nouveau Hotel Europa.
Until the geese run out
Čestr (by the National Museum) · No bookings, so come early. Quarter goose with yeast or potato dumplings and cabbage, strong kaldoun, pâté and goose necks, with 10–15 whole geese turning on the spit. A very popular place under the radar for the tourists (you have to put in the work to find it) with an excellent wine list and a bustling, local energy.
Kantýna (Politických vězňů) · Counter service, butcher-shop energy and a "Jewish deli" system - get a ticket on entry, get your meat at a cutter counter and beer at the tap, and pay as you leave. They serve roast goose with dumplings and cabbage, kaldoun, pâté and something sweet.
U Kalendů (near Náplavka) · About 80 portions and the menu is still under wraps. Book now and ask questions later - this is one of the best cooking pubs in town, incredibly popular for a reason. (We love love love that place!!!
Rather cook it yourself?
• Biskup sells a whole raw goose with everything to finish it, or confit halves with lokše and kaldoun to reheat at home. Pre-order at biskup.ambi.cz/rezervace-husy.
• Naše maso has geese from Chelčice: pre-order online for pickup at Dlouhá from 5 November, or try your luck at Holešovická tržnice (limited stock).
• Lokál: selected branches let you pre-book a fresh bird from Farma Tůmovi.
Dobrou chuť, and save us a drumstick.
