Prague off the beaten path: Novy svet

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Let’s face the facts: Prague as a popular destination gets very, very busy during the summer season. We like to avoid the crowds when we travel, too, and that is why we give some Prague tips to the guests visiting our food tours. 

For instance, we recommend that you visit the main sights early in the morning or late in the evening, and for the rest of the day visit the more residential, local parts of the town. We have already written about the Charles Bridge early in the morning earlier, or about Prague views that can be enjoyed outside of the main tourist routes. 

But still, sometimes you may find yourself in a busy area and are in need of a quick escape. Where to go? What to see? We understand that you still want to see something meaningful but without all the crowds. That is why we will, from time to time, write about some Prague escapes: gems that are still in the historical centre but off the beaten track. The first of our escapes - and our secret Prague tip if you are in the Castle area - is Novy Svet.

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NOVY SVET

Novy svet (which loosely translates as “The New World”) is a fantastic, picturesque part of the Castle district that is severely neglected by virtually all the tourists but secretly loved by all the locals. Dating back to the 14th Century, it is a small area consisting of just a few streets that have retained the atmosphere of a small village. If you want quiet far from the madding crowds (actually, it’s just two streets away from the main route between the Castle and the Strahov Monastery), this is where you’ll find it.

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On top of that, the area now boasts a wonderful cafe that bears the name of the area: Novy svet. It’s a tiny room and a few chairs outside. Nestled in an area associated with tourism, you would expect inferior products and premium on everything. You would be wrong: they take coffee from Doubleshot, high-quality Prague-based roasters, and use an E61 Faema machine. They also serve good ice-cream by 2AD and a few cakes and snacks. The venue sits about 20 maximum but includes probably the most beautiful place in Prague to enjoy a cup of coffee: their small balcony with two chairs and a table overlooks a dense, forgotten garden.

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If you want to go back to the centre but wish to avoid the castle and the associated crowds altogether, we recommend you walk through the Deer Moat, a steep, lush valley underneath the castle. The beautiful walk includes the famous tunnel that allows the Brusnice stream to flow along the length of the valley. The route will eventually lead you into the Lesser Town, namely the Klarov area near the Malostranska subway stop.

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Meet a local: Lukas Svoboda of Lokal

source: archiv Ambiente

We met Lukas Svoboda, the man in charge of beers for the ubiquitous Ambiente group of restaurants, at the beer pairing he organized in the Cestr restaurant. We immediately liked him to the point where we started planning his abduction and involuntary service in our apartment. (We do that with chefs or baristas or bartenders that we like - is that wrong?) We have also, for the longest time, thought of signing up for his draughting school at Lokal u Bile kuzelky. Six hours full of nothing but beer and food? Sounds about right. 
 
We met him for the interview in Lokal u Bile kuzelky, his home pub. He was talking to the regulars and clearly in command of the place. It is absolutely clear that he loves beer and his guests, and it is even cleared that they love him back. And why wouldn’t you? Always smiling and talking with a slight Moravian accent, Lukas is the best promoter of Czech beer we could think of. He was, of course, having a glass of unpasteurized Pilsner Urquell from the big 500 litre tank.

When did you taste your first beer?
I may have tasted my first beer when I was fifteen or sixteen. I could not drink at home, so it was with my friends, in secret. I was not impressed. For me, it was the cheapest alcoholic drink. But I was social and alcohol was a thing associated with parties. I preferred Coke or Pepsi. Seemed more interesting. It all changed when I began working at U Pinkasu. I was intrigued by how the bartender pampered the beer and how the beer created a community of regulars.
And then my buddy and I opened Konvikt in Bartolomejska street. I was there for 3.5 years. I managed to take all the good things I learned at U Pinkasu and leave all the bad things there. It created a great community of regulars and friends. And that’s where the inspiration for the draughting school came from: the bartender should be a personality, have a relationship with the customers and have respect for the beer. We want to teach that.

source: archiv Ambiente

How did you end up at Lokal?
Mr Karpisek, the owner, had a vision for an honest Czech pub: Lokal. He started looking for people and he heard about me. It was funny: Tomas and his pals were coming regularly over to check me out, just smiling and nodding at me when I worked. He was introduced to me and asked me later to take care of the beer at Lokal. That was in 2009, about five months before the opening. I focused only on beer and on the draughting school. 
I was a young gun, and now I wanted to introduce the alternative pours: the “sweet", the “snyt" and so on. These beers were available only to a few regulars at two or three pubs but not to the general public. The older bartenders did not like it: they though it was just theirs. Now it’s common place. And we keep adding more: the beer aperitifs at Cestr, and now Radlers, or Shandys, at Lokal.   

What is the story behind the draughting school?
When we opened Konvikt, Mr Berka, the master brewer at Pilsner Urquell, really liked it. And he mentioned he would love to see a school where the best bartenders would share their experiences. That was 2007, and the school was opened at 2011. I had no premises at Konvikt, but I do have them at Lokal. Also, Ambiente [group of restaurants] gives me lots of freedom. At first, the school was targeting professionals but then we said no: we would open it to the public. Six hours of beer history, beer pairing and training. 

source: archiv Ambiente

Our US guests say the tank Pilsner Urquell tastes completely different than the thing they get there.

When you have a beer from the keg, it is important that you drink it as fresh as possible. We buy Pilsner Urquell for our NYC pub from the local distributor and always make sure it is not older than two months. We want the kegs to be all empty within three months of production. 
What is interesting that the wholesale price of Pilsner Urquell is nearly the same here as it is in the US. The difference is in the markup. Cheap beer is a Czech tradition: for nearly 50 years, the Communists centrally planned beer production and they just made two types of beer in huge numbers with a set price. Just domestic barley and hops, no imports for specialty beers. The production was motivated politically.  
In the 17th century, we had 3000 breweries in the Czech Republic. Tiny ones. Every town had at least one. Before WWI, the number dropped to about 600, and at the end of WWII, we only had 200: the wars really took their toll. And at the end of 1989, we only had 48 huge breweries. Now we are seeing a revival of smaller breweries: we have 46 big breweries and about 240 smaller ones. The funny thing is that we have nearly 300 breweries but only 90 master brewers. :-) 

Besides Pilsner Urquell, what beers do you like?

I love small, craft breweries. I travel around the world and try them. On principle, I like any beer that is well poured. And that’s a problem. We have good beers but the bartenders don’t know how to pour them. Antos is great, and I have liked Matuska for a long time. Well, there are many. I chose Antos for Nase maso because it goes well with the meat. Now they’ll have the 10 degree beer for the summer. It’s great. 

Do you miss any beer on the market?
Many. I still miss high-quality beers. We still have reserves. We can do better. For instance, the cyclist’s 8 at Hostivar brewery is fantastic. 

 source: archiv Ambiente

Your favorite venues?
Whenever they pour beer well. Lokals, of course. Konvikt, Malostranska beseda, Tygr because of the atmosphere, Bredovsky dvur, U Pinkasu for one beer. I don’t have one place that would be my favorite. I like to try new things.    

Your favorite Sunday or Saturday?
When the weather is bad, I like to have a lie down and read a beer-related book, or go see a movie or listen to some music. When the weather cooperates, I do my favorite pastime: downhill mountain bike riding. Otherwise I like to go to the great outdoors, especially when combined with a visit of my family in the Beskydy mountain. That’s great. Oh, and I have actually tried golf for the first time and I think I will like it!
  
Where do you go for beer in Prague?
I only visit venues that treat the beer properly. I primarily watch how the beer is poured, especially with my favorite, Pilsner Urquell. I am very strict about that. In that respect, I like all Lokals, Konvikt, Malostranska Beseda, Tygr etc. and then I like small craft breweries more and more – Strahov, Beznoska, Hostivar… But again, I like to try new things.
 
What are four beers visitors to Prague should taste?
If I were to have my four last beers in Prague, I would have Pilsner Urquell at Lokal, the dark lager at U Fleku – although the place is super touristy, their beer is great! Hostivar 15° at Hostivar – it’s damn good. And finally unfiltered Radegast at Konvikt with the regulars at their table.

source: archiv Ambiente

Prague Restaurant Preview: Home Kitchen

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Home Kitchen in Jungmannova street near the Wenceslas Sq. has always been a bit of a hidden gem for us. Well, it hardly was hidden. You could not get a seat over the lunch hour for two reasons: (1) it is very popular, and (2) the small bistro does not sit more than twelve. But it is still a gem and everything what we like in a modern bistro: good, honestly made and easy quick lunches or dinners served throughout the day, nice atmosphere in a well designed room and pleasant and friendly staff that wants you to come back again.

We were happy when we heard they were planning to open a second branch in the Holesovice district near the Prague Marina development project, the Dox museum and the Prague market. The Holesovice district, fatally flooded in 2002, has been on the rise ever since the floods but still lags behind Vinohrady or Karlin districts in terms of good eateries, we think. We visited the new Home Kitchen twice: once for breakfast with friends, the second time alone for light dinner.

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Compared to the centrally located Home Kitchen, the new one is much, much bigger and located in a generously spaced room that includes the coffee bar, the food bar (that displays all the dishes and soups available and that dominates the smaller Home Kitchen, too) and an open kitchen. The new venue also features a nice outdoor seating area that faces a residential area, not the street. 

What we like about the new Home Kitchen is its opening hours: from 7:30am (or 8am over the weekends) until 10pm every single day. Their menu really mirrors the old Home Kitchen. They serve good breakfasts in the morning: we had scrambled eggs with bacon and egg omelette, livance pancakes with cream cheese and jam and yoghurt with granola and fruits. We may have had a few comments but everything served was of good quality and well prepared. We could definitely see us coming here for a lazy weekend brunch. (We skipped the cakes but we liked them in the old venue so we assume it’s the same thing.)

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For the rest of the day, Home Kitchen usually offers usually three soups (served in a small or large bowl), their toasted breads with toppings (we had the goat cheese, zucchini and olive version), one or two salads and one sweet and one savory dish. They offer free wifi, which is vital, considering Home Kitchen’s location among many offices. They serve two types of coffee from Coffee Source - one earthy and one more fruity - and have a La Marzocco machine, but coffee is not at the centre stage here. The one criticism we have is the lack of tap water. We’re not advocates of free water and would happily pay some fee for a carafe but no such option is available. It’s either fancy bottled water or home-made soda. We think a paid tap water option would fit well in the concept.

Nevertheless, we look forward to our many more visits for a relaxed weekend brunch on the way to the Dox museum. The first Home Kitchen has always been close to our hearts, and we think the new one only deepens that relationship.     

Home Kitchen
Jankovcova 47, 170 00 Prague 7
Mon-Fri 7:30am - 10pm, Sat-Sun 8am - 10pm
Tel: (+420) 605 263 812

Best cafés in Prague (2014)

This is an older version of this post. To see the newest version of the rundown through the best cafés in Prague, please click here. Hope you're enjoy the post... and the coffee!

We are writing this post from The Barn in Berlin, Germany. Just a few years ago, if you wanted great coffee in Prague, you had to sit in your car, drive to Berlin and have 3rd wave coffee there. You felt like the king devouring a cup of Illy cappuccino in Prague and only a few had any idea what flat white, vacuum pot or Hario equipment meant.

Oh boy, how time flies! Today, we do not travel for good coffee. Instead, we return home for good coffee, and whenever we visit other cities in Europe (with some exceptions, of course), we tend to miss the quality of the coffee you can now get in Prague. To help you navigate the Prague coffee landscape, we bring you a list of our favorite cafés in Prague.

Now, a few disclaimers: this is by no means an exhaustive list. We have simply made a list of the cafés in Prague we visit to get some good coffee. We are pretty sure this list will need updating just in a few months' time. Also, we have ordered the cafes in the list as they came to our mind so the order of the list is fairly random and does not mean we rank the cafes in that specific order. 

Alright, now that all the potential lawsuits have been avoided and friendships with the baristas saved, here is the list:

Muj salek kavy

The flagship cafe of the Doubleshot coffee roasters, Muj salek kavy has long been a favorite among coffee lovers here in Prague, and rightly so: their standard is pretty high and they never go beyond it. You can get your espresso or flat white, but they also use alternative methods of coffee preparation. If you unsure which beans to choose, the baristas and waiters - a really great bunch, by the way - are always happy to recommend the best one for you, or you don’t have to choose at all: just get their tasting set of three different roasts. 

They have recently expanded and their brand new barista center will open to the public in September. Their kitchen has been enlarged, too, and you reap the benefits: they serve nice breakfasts (for the entire day over the weekends), light dishes during the day, decent cakes and delicious ice cream by 2AD (dairy and gluten free options available). We love their non smoking outside seating area. For the rush hours, reservations are a must.

Alza Cafe

Alza Cafe, the second cafe by the Dobleshot coffee roasters is a slightly odd place, comfortably nested in the pick-cup warehouse area of a large computer store. But don’t let that fool you: they still serve some of the best cups in town. It’s our favorite place for take-away coffee when we are in the Holesovice district (often on the way to the DOX Centre for Contemporary Arts) and the only good coffee in Prague on Sunday after 7pm. We are also big fans of their nice and chatty barista Ondra. 

EMA Espresso Bar

To us, EMA Espresso Bar feels so much like our second home we should probably start paying rent. Their baristas welcome everyone with a smile and a cup of great coffee. Whenever we travel and have a bad cup of coffee, we realize how much we miss EMA. They serve coffee from different carefully chosen European roasters and they always offer two for espresso-based drinks and several more for filter coffee.

Their real focus is on coffee, but if you are hungry, they have a daily soup, two salads, tasty sandwiches and small selection of Czech kolachees and buns. And we told you about their ice cream already.

They seem to attract younger, hipper crowds who tend to stay for hours despite the lack of wifi. They mix in nicely with the suited-up lawyers and consultants who come for their daily fix from the nearby offices. This creates a lively environment and a great place for people watching. 

For those who want to learn more about coffee, EMA also holds public cuppings from time to time. 

Cafe Lounge

Cafe Lounge has the same owner as EMA Espresso bar, but a totally different feel. This is a “First Republic” place great for intimate meetings and small reunions. Their little garden along the remains of the Medieval Hunger Wall is one of the nicest in town. 

Just like EMA espresso bar, they are not fixed to single rosters, so if you want, you can always choose your beans or let the barista decide for you. Unlike in EMA, their kitchen is an important part of the cafe and they are the only cafe on this list that can double as a full-fledged restaurant. 

Monolok

We get lots of work done over at Monolok. That’s what happens when you combine great coffee, generously sized tables and strong wifi signal. We really like their skillful baristas, but sometimes we have an issue with the waiting staff: they all seem like they would rather be anywhere else but in the cafe. The new waitress did actually smile on our last visit, so now at least we know smiling is not entirely prohibited there. 

But coffee still shines there. Monolok takes coffee from Coffee Source, a local roaster, and they execute every cup perfectly. They also serve nice breakfasts (sausages, omelets and scrambled eggs are our favorite) though we thing the afternoon offerings could improve. 

Kafe Karlin

Kafe Karlin is a simple espresso bar in the Karlin district opened by the coffee nerds associated in the Kavovy Klub (“Coffee Club”). A stand-up affair only, this place is really tiny. Kavovy Klub was the place to go for coffee at the Jiriho z Podebrad farmers markets for a long time, and they still close the shop on Saturdays (and Sundays) to venture out and serve great coffee to the markets goers. Our secret tip? Take their coffee to go, buy some kolachees over at Simply Good, sit in the park nearby and just enjoy the moment. 

Kafemat

After long, suffocating years of drought, Kafemat finally brought good coffee to the Prague 6 district. For now, they serve their coffee in paper cups only and have a very limited and provisional seating capacity (of about four), but that should all change once they get their occupancy soon. Both baristas are a pleasure to chat with and make delicious coffee. Their food menu has only one item: the kolachees by Simply Good. Great choice. 

TriCafe

Visiting TriCafe is like visiting an old friend: you get a homey feel, a cup of great coffee and a good cake. This is our favorite place to escape for coffee if you find yourself trapped by the crowds around the Charles Bridge area in the Old Town. Their bench outside is one of the best places to get a cup of good coffee… and some tan at the same time.

I Need Coffee

Sitting in I Need Coffee is like sitting in a cafe in Mitte, Berlin, but with less hipsters. If you love modern design and watching people in a relaxed atmosphere, you will love I Need Coffee. Tip: They also offer some snacks and beverages made by small local farmers and food producers, pastries by local foodies and little souvenirs by local designers.

Mezi zrnky

Mezi zrnky is a small, cute, neighborly bistro and cafe in the Vinohrady district. In addition to Doubleshot coffee, 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. 

Al Cafetero

Al Cafetero still holds the crown as the first cafe in Prague to offer hight quality coffee and venture into alternative methods of its preparation. Entering the cafe feels like entering the living room of Mr. Karel, the manager, owner and barista. Al Cafetero takes coffee from the major local roasters and prepares each cup with love and care.... until you ask for sugar, that is.

Café Jen

Breakfast is the name of the game here. The lovely owners and friends, Dominika and Hanka (whom we interviewed a while ago here), love breakfast... and serve it in their Cafe all day long, together with their nice cakes and sweets). They are actually quite skillful with their coffee, too (Has Bean the last time we were there), and serve a decent cup of anything you'd like. Any imperfection will be well offset simply by how nice and friendly they (and their staff) are. A great stop when you are in the area. 

LaBoheme

Located in a former design furniture shop in the Vinohrady district, La Boheme Cafe is visually striking, perhaps even too much for some. The ground floor houses the cafe while the first floor accommodate the offices and the barista centre of LaBoheme coffee roasters. That means you will get several roasts directly from the source. We have a small issue with the staff: they are good with coffee but less so with the chit chat with the customers. 

Kavarna Prazirna

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. Tip: If you’re planning on using wifi, stay in the first room.

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 here know it simply as “Coffee Source”. The interiors are minimalist and the place attracts younger crowds. Their exterior seating in their small, quiet backyard is a hidden gem: if there is a place in Prague to get “far from the madding crowds”, this is it. 

Original Coffee

Original Coffee, recently moved to the centre from the Vinohrady district, is the high-end cafe of the Mama Coffee roasters. They roast their own beans and offer about four to five different roasts to their customers. They do both espresso and filters, and also some bagels, sandwiches and small snacks. The interior is minimalist and great for work: big windows, small tables and lots of power outlets all around. A very pleasant place in the touristy part of the town.

BrewBar Naplavka

The bigger the beard, the better the coffee. If you can ascribe to this hipster rule, you will love the small Brew Bar stand opened every Saturday at the Naplavka farmers’ market on the riverside. No espresso, just filters from different beans, all carefully chosen and by served by Jirka, a lovely - and bearded - barista and specialty coffee lover. 

Pausa 412

Now this is a place for the brave and dedicated. The graphic designers of Artbureau, seated in room 412 of the fantastic Elektricke podniky building (worth a visit by itself), will make coffee for anyone who bothers to come. Just have a look at their website: if it’s green, it means they are in, if it’s red, it means they are out. This is not amateur hour, though: one of the designers is the former owner of the late CupUp, one of the most popular cafes at the time. Just knock and get a seat. You will get a cup of great coffee, and perhaps the experience of your Prague trip.

Is any of these cafes in the area where you are? Look at the map to find out!

Czech wines you should explore in Prague

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When we were scouting the locations for our new route (coming soon), we spoke to the manager of one of the best Czech restaurants in town and in the course of our nice little talk, he complained that sometimes their customers would opt for foreign wines over the Czech ones because they did not understand them. Their sommelier and the entire staff were quite saddened by that fact - they thought that Czech wines deserved the attention.

That discussion gave us the idea for this post. In an effort to get more visitors to Prague go out of their comfort zone and try some typically Czech wines, we have approached Zuzka Vesela, the manager of the “big” Vinograf wine bar at Senovazne namesti, one of our most favorite bars in the city, and asked her if she could describe some of the local wines that can be tasted in the Czech Republic and nowhere else. She was happy to help and here are some of her comments. We discussed seven grapes in total: five of them are white and two reds; five of them are purely Czech, while two come from Germany. 

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Let's start with the whites:

“Mopr” (also known as "Muškát moravský” - or “Moravian Muscat”)
Crossed from Muscat Ottonel and Prachttraube (which comes from Germany), this white grape boasts nice aroma that is not as powerful as that of a Muscato. It is often dry and aromatic and has low acidity; therefore, it is a “pleasant” wine that tends to be mineral in Bohemia due to the stony soil. It is a grape that will make mostly novices happy, but more demanding drinkers may like it, too.

Pálava
A white grape crossed from two aromatic grapes: Müller Thurgau and Gewürtztraminer. As such, it has been adapted to the Moravian soil and is rarely grown in the northern, Bohemian wine region. Heck, even the name is inspired by the Palava region in the south of Moravia. The resulting wine can be anywhere on the dry-to-sweet scale, but sweeter wines are more common, and even the drier wines tend to feel sweeter than they really are. The acidity and fruitiness are low, replaced by notes of traditional Christmas spices and rose tones. The Palava is very popular and some bottles are very good. The wine can appeal to a wide range of consumers from social drinkers to experts.

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Kerner
A crossing of Riesling and Trollinger, the motivation of this crossing was resistance, better sugars and taste. This is for those who love sweeter, uncomplicated wines: Kerner wines offer a nice floral aromas and fruitiness, almost like hard candy in a bottle. The wines are also juicy and sweet. This is a simpler grape that tends to get a simpler treatment but has been loved by some of our guests who are new to wines.

Hibernal

Hibernal is an originally German crossing of Seibel and Riesling that produces full-bodied white grapes with nice acidity and higher alcohol content. The flavors are dominated by black currant notes and fruitiness. Just like rieslings, it often produces semi-dry wines.

Solaris

The very recent result of crossing the Merzling grape and Gm 6493 (crossed by Mr Kraus in Melnik), Solaris is grown mostly in the Bohemian wine region, especially at Kutna Hora. Known for its tropical and citrus notes and good acidity. It is fairly full-bodied, tends to be drier and more fruity than a Hibernal.  

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And now for the two reds:

Neronet
This grape, crossed by Mr Kraus, a giant of Czech enology and the founder of the eponymous winery seated in Melnik, some 20 miles north of Prague, is a crossing of St Laurent, Blauer Portugieser and Alibernet (which itself is a crossing of Cabernet Sauvignon and Alicante Henri Bouschet). It combines the characteristics of these wines: the tannins and the edginess of a Cab Sauv, and the fruitiness and juiciness of a St Laurent (which is a Pinot grape). It has nice acidity and is fruity, but is a medium-bodied grape. It is successfully grown in Prague, too (by the Salabka winery).

Cabernet Moravia
Again a typically Moravian red crossing that combines the characteristics of Cabernet Franc (spicy, heavier paprika tones) and Zweigeltrebe (fruitiness and an easy-drinking character). It produces medium-bodied wines that are known for a nice blend of spicy and fruity notes. Look for bottles from the Slovacko region (Benes or Glos wineries in particular).  

Where to have them?

That's easy. The biggest selection can be probably had at the Vinograf wine bars (they have two branches - a small, intimate one near the Charles Bridge, and a bigger one in the New Town area). If you wish to taste strictly organic wines (called "bio-dynamic" here) from the Czech Republic, definitely visit Veltlin, a fantastic and popular wine bar in the Karlin district. Finally, some fine dining restaurants in Prague may have a great selection. We know that the good people at La Degustation really take great pride in serving Czech wines, for instance.