Czech cuisine is the result of both local gastronomic traditions and those borrowed from neighboring peoples: it is hearty, replete with meat and first courses, which are prepared from natural products.
National cuisine of the Czech Republic
Soups play a special role in Czech cuisine: for example, garlic is prepared here - garlic soup and tsibulachka - onion soup with croutons and cheese. Sauces play an important role in local cooking - the Czechs make them from horseradish, tomatoes, cucumbers, sour cream, lingonberries, onions or garlic (as a rule, the basis is meat broth). As for meat, the main “guests” of the Czech table are chops and steaks, fried and stewed pork, poultry and game dishes, stews and pâtés. Separately, mention should be made of dumplings - boiled pieces made from potato or flour dough: they are not eaten as an independent dish, but served as a side dish for meat.
Popular Czech dishes:
- "Boar knee" (pork knee, which is flavored with mustard and horseradish, and then baked);
- “Capra baked for garlic” (carp baked with garlic);
- “Rozhvichi” (fried pork and onion dish);
- Panadel (soup with beef and herbs);
- Husasezelim (roasted goose with red cabbage).
Where to taste the national cuisine?
Planning to visit a popular restaurant? Book your table in advance. And if you plan to visit them on weekends and on Friday nights, keep in mind that good cafes and pubs are often crowded with people at this time.
You can have a bite in Prague at V Zatisi (guests are recommended to try lamb chops and baked goose served with sauce), in Karlovy Vary - at Chodovar (this beer restaurant serves traditional Czech dishes, pamper guests with fresh beer, offer to visit 45-minute tour of the brewery located on the territory of the restaurant), in Brno - in “Pivovarska pivnice” (lovers of the foamy drink can drink beer in this bar and eat it with grilled sausages). Tip: Since many establishments often impose additional fees (restaurant tax, service fee, couvert - a fee for a basket of bread and spices or a set of cutlery), those who do not want to overpay should choose restaurants without additional “paid service”.
Cooking courses in the Czech Republic
At the Prague Culinary Institute, those who wish are offered to take a culinary course, where they will be introduced step by step to classic Czech cuisine and taught how to cook meat dishes and sauces. In addition, in Prague you can visit the Chefparade culinary school, where those who wish will be taught how to cook old Bohemian soup with cabbage and smoked meats, pork goulash with dumplings, fruit dumplings with cottage cheese and other dishes.
In the Czech Republic, you can come to the Pancake Day (January, February, Beroun and Prague), the Gastrofest Gastronomic Festival (November, Ceske Budejovice), the Prague Food Festival (May, Prague), the Fish Festival (August, Brno).
