Dining in Prague. Photo: Darold

The Czech Republic has become one of the top places in Europe for dining on delicious food at a great value. Specifically, the two largest cities, Prague and Brno, both offer a tasty blend of old-world and new-school restaurant options on the cheap.

With a great mixture of classic Czech taverns, an abundance of authentic international restaurants, and a huge vegan and vegetarian restaurant scene, you’ll be spoiled for choices when it comes to eating in Prague.

To get the most quality for your Czech crowns, we’ve listed a few tips on dining in the capital of the Czech Republic. Dobrou chut (enjoy your meal)!

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6 Prague dining tips

To maximize your Czech eating experience, there are a few more things you should know about including where and when to go as well as how much to leave for the tip. Read on for our top 6 tips on dining out in Prague.

1. Always get the lunch special

The lunch menu or “poledni menu” is a list of special dishes that a restaurant has prepared for that day which it sells for a discounted price. Nearly every restaurant, except those aimed at tourists in the Old Town of Prague, will offer this kind of deal at lunchtime.

The values are usually tremendous, with choices from a basic “kantyn” — a cafeteria-style self-service restaurant, starting at around $3 per plate and a high-end restaurant offering meals for around $5-6 per plate. You can also fill up at one of Prague’s many all-you-can-eat Indian restaurants which typically charge about $6-7 to stuff yourself at lunchtime.

More budget tips: Our Cheapo guide to visiting Prague

Pick up picnic supplies like cheese at a farmers market. Photo: Paul

2. Hit the markets and have a picnic

During the warmer months of the year — between March and November — farmers markets set up in most towns and cities in the Czech Republic. In smaller towns, these markets can usually be found in the city center on certain days of the week, but in Prague, they are happening nearly every day at different locations around the city. Learn more about where to shop with this list of Prague farmers markets from the official tourism website.

At the market, you can find fresh fruit, vegetables, cheese, sausage, beer, wine, and bread at a bargain while experiencing Czech flavors directly from local farmers. Once you’ve grabbed your bounty, have a seat on a bench or in the grass to enjoy the scenery.

3. Watch out for extra charges on your bill

Padding the bill in the Czech Republic isn’t as common as it was in previous times, but it still can happen on occasion. It’s more likely to occur in an old-style Czech restaurant, perhaps after the waiter has seen you indulge in a few adult beverages and thinks they can slip a little extra charge into your bill.

Something else to be aware of is the inclusion of an automatic tip in the bill, which is not an accepted practice. Before paying, it’s always best to look at the bill, account for what you’ve paid for, and be direct but polite about clarifying the charges if you have any doubts. For drinks, you also have the ability to pay as you go, if you want to keep things clear.

Tipping your waiter is nice but not required in Prague. Photo: Bruce

4. Tips on tipping

Czech waiters are happy with a bit of change as their tip, say 10-20 Czech crowns (koruna) per person per meal. If you’ve had a more expensive meal or dined in a larger group, it’s best to tip around 10% of the total cost. If the service is rude, feel free to not leave anything — they’re likely used to not receiving tips and don’t care.

When you leave a tip, the polite thing to do is to check the total amount due, then add in the tip and give the waiter a total amount you will be paying. For example, if your bill is 90 crowns and you want to tip them 10 crowns, you will tell them “100 crowns” when you make payment. It might feel a bit strange to be telling the waiter how much you are tipping them, but it’s normal protocol in the Czech Republic.

One last bit of advice is that if you are paying by credit card and plan to leave a tip, it’s better to give the tip to the waiter in cash. Many waiters in the Czech Republic say that they don’t always receive the tips given via credit card payments. So if you can tip in cash, it’s a nice way to do make sure the waiter is getting their fair share.

Don’t let a little bad service ruin your mood! Photo: Barney

5. How to handle rude service

“Service with a snarl” can still be a problem in certain Czech restaurants. Instead of receiving a kind welcome and a touch of friendly charm with your meal, you might have to find a table for yourself and come prepared to be ignored for long stretches at a time.

Fortunately, this is becoming less common as younger people are moving into the service industry, but don’t be surprised if you get a bit of rude service at least once during your trip. Most importantly, don’t let it ruin your Prague vacation. Treat it like it’s part of the cultural experience — it will make a good story when you get back home.

6. Cash is king

While most modern restaurants in Prague accept credit cards, in more traditional-style eateries, you should assume that you’ll have to pay with cash. For this reason, it’s recommended to always have enough on hand to pay your bill. Don’t just assume that your card will be accepted — or you might be making a mad dash to an ATM!

Do you have your own tips for dining Prague? Let us know in the comments below.