The Best 6 Cafés of Prague

The Best 6 Cafés of Prague

Prague’s coffee culture

Known mostly for its high quality, standard setting beers, the Czech Republic tends to be overlooked in other aspects. Take its booming coffee culture for example. Chances are, when you think of the capital city of Prague everything but that comes to mind – one of the biggest castles in the world, beer, bohemian crystal, goulash… coffee doesn’t cut the top 5.

Many travellers seem to forget that Prague used to be a part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire for centuries. That information kind of changes the narrative, doesn’t it? The café culture of Vienna has influenced the whole of Europe, but especially the big cities within the borders of the old Empire. Today the Czech Republic is an independent country, but the Viennese café culture is still strongly felt in its capital. If you ever find yourself walking upon the old cobbled streets of Prague, don’t miss the chance to explore the best cafés the city has to offer.

Café Louvre

Café Louvre, image sourced from Wikimedia Commons

Before I talk about Café Louvre, I should first come clean – my opinion of the place is in no way objective. For years, this café has been my regular stop after visiting a performance at the national theatre, not to mention a beloved venue for dates, philosophic discussions with friends, brunches, breakfasts…

If you find it hard to trust me because of this bias, let me put your mind to rest – several thousand people that left 5 star reviews on Google, praising everything about the place, feel the same.

Café Louvre boasts more than a century worth of history. It opened in 1902, serving as a meeting place for the philosophical discussions of Franz Bretan and his circle, the most renowned member of which was Franz Kafka. Due to internal disputes, Kafka left, but it was not long before another star celebrity became a regular – since 1912, Albert Einstein himself was one of the regulars on Tuesday evenings, discussing matters big and small with George Pick and Vladimir Heinrich.

Since then the café has always been a meeting place for scientists, authors, intellectuals and most of all – coffee lovers.
The vintage, simple and somewhat extravagant interior creates a classy, yet unpretentious atmosphere, where almost everyone can feel in his or her element.

The warm brown and velvet colours both relax the eye and make you feel like a protagonist of a classical novel. The charming staff who guide you through the maze of tables and booths make the experience personal. Their menu, however, is what makes it amazing. Whether you enjoy an eye-opening cup of espresso, a macchiato, or my personal favourite – the Grand Cappuccino Louvre – you will be left dazzled and exhilarated by the experience.

Last, but definitely not least, Café Louvre is all about the little things. One of my favourite quirks of the place are the stack of notes and pens left on every table. As someone with a flavour for words, I have scribbled more than one poem while sipping my cappuccino and waiting for the rest of my order.

Address: Národní 22, 110 00 Nové Město, Czechia

Tricafe

Tricafe, image sourced from their website

Tricafe is in almost every way the exact opposite of Café Louvre. Small, unpretentious and rather new, it wins the hearts of coffee lovers in a completely different way.

It is high on our list for so many reasons, not the least of which is the place’s charming origin story. It all begins in 2013, with 3 people: Hana, Honza and Olga. All avid travellers, they were disappointed with how Prague’s coffee scene compared to those in other capitals and decided to take matters into their own hands.

As fate would have it, they found the symbolic house number 3 on Anenská Street, open for rent. Free property has always been a rare commodity in Prague’s centre, which is why they wasted no time in taking the opportunity to turn house No. 3 into one of the best cafes in the city.

They started small, without mugs, let alone chairs and tables. Their first coffee machine was second hand and their first customers – friends and family.
Six years later, the café still stands on the same location, with the same family friendly, coffee loving atmosphere. The main difference – the appreciation and support of Prague’s coffee lovers has financed the owner’s passion for diversity, high quality and maximum satisfaction.

Chocolate dessert at Tricafe, image sourced from their website

Tricafe has won TripAdvisor’s certificate of excellence every single year since 2015. The simple yet tasteful interior makes the place feel more like visiting a friend’s home, rather than going out for a coffee. While they have a consistent, regular selection of coffees, the owners like to experiment and introduce new roasts to the scene. Regulars have been enjoying both selections and methods of preparation form all over Europe, dubbing this small café a palace of diversity.

Address: Anenská 3, 110 00 Staré Město, Czechia

Muj Salek Kavy

Můj šálek kávy, image sourced from their website

Caffeine unites us, but that does not mean that we all like our coffee the same. We already examined a traditional, big café, as well as a small, friendly enterprise, both located in the center. Now it is time to look into the rather modern and exciting world of craft coffee.

Muj Salek Kavy, located next to Křižíkova metro stop, is one of the local Prague coffee lovers’ favourites and for a good reason. Both the staff and the owners take coffee seriously. If you are not into complicated combinations and alternative methods of preparation, have no fear: their friendly staff is more than happy to answer your questions and guide you to unexplored caffeinated realms of pleasure. Under the advice and guidance of the baristas, you can try exciting new things, like blends of several roasts and various exotic selections.

While I have nothing but the highest praise for their coffee selection and expertise, before finishing this review, I feel obliged to also mention the great selection of breakfast and brunch options. The pancakes are an embodiment of the word “fluffy” and their omelettes are nothing short of epic. Special acknowledgements to their Spring English Breakfast, which has taken some of the best features of the original, but made it lighter and healthier.

Address: Křižíkova 386/105, 186 00 Praha 8-Karlín, Czechia

Cafe Savoy

Café Savoy, image sourced from their website

So far, I have steered clear of the overly classy and somewhat pretentious places, but I would not be properly embracing diversity if I do not include at least one. At some point every one of us needs to feel classy – be it to impress a date, a client or just soak in noble atmosphere.

What can I say about Café Savoy? It is, without a doubt, one of the most gorgeous looking cafés in Prague. Much like Louvre, it boasts a long history that starts in 1893 and is responsible for the elaborate Renaissance style. The stucco ceiling creates a royal atmosphere that brings to mind the beauty of Vienna’s architecture from the late 19th century.

The set-up is perfect for enjoying a nice cup of Vienna coffee, which is my usual choice at Café Savoy. Their coffee is, without a doubt, of stellar quality, yet I wouldn’t put it in front of what is offered in many other cafés in Prague. The main reasons behind the inclusion of this café on the list lies with the incredible ambiance and the professional and friendly staff.

Well, to be honest the menu also has something to do with it. The selection is, to a large degree inspired by French cuisine, while still offering classical Czech dishes, carefully prepared under the supervision of the Head Chef František Skopec. Everything is prepared with care and delicate touch, which makes their offerings pleasing to both the palate and the eye.

Address: Vítězná 124/5, 150 00 Malá Strana, Czechia

La Bohème Café

La Bohème Café, image sourced from their Facebook

La Bohème was one of the most pleasant and unexpected surprises that Prague has served me with. Despite being a rather big and well-known café, it somehow managed to stay under my radar for years. It was only recently that I found out about the place and it has already become one of my regular weekly visits.

Internationally, the café is managed by a team of coffee experts and farmers from various parts of the world. Their tireless efforts go into offering diversified, high quality selection of unique coffees all around the globe. Their selection boasts beans from Indonesia, Mexico, Columbia, Kenya, Burundi and Costa Rica.

Their Prague branch is tastefully decorated, with a plethora of open space that gives privacy, while maintaining a sense of community and inclusion. La Bohème offers not only great service and coffee selection, but also a section of the café that serves as a store, where a coffee lover can find the most interesting products. I have to admit, the fact that you can have a cup of coffee and go home with a bag of the same roast you just tasted is nothing short of genius.

Address: Sázavská 2031/32, 120 00 Vinohrady, Czechia

Café Orient

Café Orient, image sourced from Avant Garde Prague

I have chosen to finish strong with that peculiar Prague gem – café Orient. As far as I know this is the only Cubist café in the world. Cubism, apart from Picasso’s famous style, is also a Czech architectural movement that started around 1912. As the name suggests, it is distinguished through the adoption of sharp geometric patterns built upon a lot of angles and sharp points.

I first visited this café in 2014, when I had just come to Prague. Tired from the two-hour walk around the beautiful centre, I stumbled on Café Orient and had what at the time felt like the best cup of espresso I have had in my life. And you know what – I still stand by that statement. It was the perfect combination of a charming balcony in the centre of Prague and the warm spring sun, setting above the red rooftops and illuminating my cup of ebony black espresso.

As you might have guessed already, I would strongly suggest trying their espresso. However, I would also add that their Turkish coffee is also a-must-have. It was surprisingly good and, even more surprisingly, decently priced.

Address: Ovocný trh 19, 110 00 Staré Město, Czechia