Czech cuisine pastries. Czech cuisine
Perhaps no country in the world preserves its culinary traditions as reverently as the Czech Republic, although they were formed under the influence of German, Hungarian and Austrian cuisine.
Czech food is characterized by solidity and calorie content. Thick soups, a variety of meat snacks, baked poultry and pork ribs - no one will definitely go hungry in this hospitable country. TOP 10 national Czech dishes will help you decide what to eat in the Czech Republic during your trip.
Svíčková na smetaně (beef fillet with cream)
The real pride of traditional Czech cuisine. Fragrant meat in the most delicate vegetable sauce melts in your mouth. But for this you need to be able to not only prepare it correctly, but also skillfully select it, because the taste largely depends on the quality of the beef tenderloin.
You can try Svichkova in everyone, but everywhere this national food is prepared according to its own recipe: with mushrooms, lingonberries, celery or turnips. Even homemade recipes are completely different in different families and are carefully passed down from generation to generation. The main thing is to be sure to serve svichkova with dumplings.
Knedliki (dumplings)
Hearty and high-calorie traditional food in the Czech Republic is circles of potato and flour dough, which, in combination with various sauces and gravies, perfectly complement the taste of many national dishes. Knedlíki can also be made from meat, cottage cheese, semolina or sweet dough with fruit or chocolate filling.
If you're in the Czech Republic, you simply won't be able to avoid trying the dumplings. Any housewife prepares them almost every day, in restaurants they serve them with almost every order, and in supermarkets you can buy frozen semi-finished products, which are boiled at home in boiling water, like dumplings.
Tlačenka (tlachenka)
Cold appetizers in the country are just as satisfying and high-calorie as other foods. Tlachenka, or spicy brawn, is one of the popular Czech dishes that is worth trying. It is a pressed product made from different types of meat and offal (pork, lard, tongue, etc.) in a natural casing that tastes like jellied meat. In eateries, it is usually served with the Czechs’ favorite drink, and eaten along with onions and black bread.
Bramboračka (bramboračka)
Everyone knows that in the Czech Republic they eat a lot of soups, and they don’t like liquid, low-fat first courses. But thick, rich, with a rich taste - that’s it. Bramboračka is a traditional Czech potato soup with porcini mushrooms. It is prepared according to a simple rustic recipe, it turns out aromatic and very satisfying.
In many restaurants in the Czech Republic, bramborachka is served not in ordinary dishes, but in round bread with the middle cut out. You can try this food with an unusual presentation for an average of 49 Kč.Pečená vepřová žebírka v medu (vepro's zhebirka)
Juicy, flavorful pork ribs baked in a mustard-honey marinade are an incredibly delicious traditional Czech food. And although in the Middle Ages it was considered the food of the poor, today it is rare in the country to do without this appetizing snack.
It’s good to try these ribs in combination with some original sauce: cranberry, lingonberry – and, of course, with beer, without which it’s hard to imagine a feast in the Czech Republic. Portions of zhebirka in restaurants are very large, so you can order one for two.
Pečené vepřové koleno (Boar's knee)
The most famous national dish of the Czech Republic is a large piece of pork shank, baked with aromatic spices in an equally aromatic dark beer. Before cooking, the meat soaked in spices and intoxicating drink is marinated in a cool place for almost a whole day and only then sent to the oven.
You should definitely try it with fresh bread, mustard and horseradish – delicious! Just don’t be surprised when your order arrives weighing approximately 1-2 kg. This amount of meat is incredibly difficult to eat alone, so just ask to take the leftover food with you or order a portion for two or three at once. In Prague restaurants, pečené vepřové koleno costs an average of 200 Kč.
Boar's knee was prepared in Prague back in the 11th century, when hunting was a favorite pastime of aristocrats, and after a successful hunt they did not miss the opportunity to feast. The main dish on the table was baked wild boar leg, soaked in marinade.Vepřo-knedlo-zelo (vepro-knedlo-zelo)
Another pork dish that the Czechs love so much. These are pieces of baked pork shoulder or loin with a side dish of stewed cabbage. And, of course, you need to try this food with dumplings. The meat is marinated in spices, fried in a frying pan, and then baked in the oven, pouring over the resulting juice. Pork prepared in this way turns out unusually juicy, tender, melting in your mouth. And stewed cabbage is the most common side dish in the Czech Republic, which is served with many dishes.
Bramboráky (bramboraks)
This is the name of the Czech dish behind which hides the familiar pancakes. They are prepared with the addition of pieces of bacon, marjoram and garlic. All ingredients together create a mind-blowing aroma and taste.
You can try this food not only when visiting restaurants or cafes throughout the Czech Republic. Bramboracs are sold at various city fairs, where they are fried and eaten right on the street, washed down with cold beer.
In the north-east of the Czech Republic, bramborak is baked over an open fire without adding oil, but they are called sejkory. There are other varieties: strouhanec (strouganets) - a flatbread made from potatoes grated on a coarse grater, vošouch (voshoukh) - bramborak with mushrooms, cmunda (tsmunda) - with cracklings.Pečená kachna (baked kachna)
Roast duck with different filling options is worth eating in Prague. Most often it is also served with cabbage, sauerkraut or stewed, and with dumplings. To get a fragrant golden crust, the duck is usually brushed with honey.
Pechena kachna is included in almost all restaurants on the jídelniček (jidelniček) - a menu sheet with traditional Czech food. And pečená kachna or pečená husa (baked goose) are always present on the Czech Christmas table.
Makový koláček (poppy koláček)
The sweet round one resembles a cheesecake in appearance, only in the Czech Republic it is baked with jam under a poppy seed layer, and not with cottage cheese. Sprinkle coconut or almond slices on top. Usually poppy seeds are small, up to 12 cm in diameter, but in some bakeries you can try real giants - up to 30 cm.
The cost of a poppy kolachek is 10-25 Kč. It is believed that in Prague the best of them are baked in Pekárna Kabát (price – 18 Kč).
Czech food is so diverse that it is unlikely that you will be able to try everything in one trip. You should definitely add to your gastronomic list:
- utopenec (Utopenets) - pickled sausages in sweet and sour sauce, popular;
— fried hermelín cheese with lingonberry jam;
- pardubický perník (Pardubicky pernik) - honey gingerbread decorated with ornaments;
- horká láska (horka weasel) - cold ice cream with hot syrup;
— рolévky (voles) – Czech soups;
— pečený kapr na česneku (baked carp with garlic) – carp baked in garlic sauce.
Hearty, tasty food in the Czech Republic will not leave anyone indifferent. Each dish reveals the national character of the people and the history of the country. Be prepared for a lot of food, as well as beer, so just enjoy this unique gastronomic journey.
In the Czech Republic they say that the most accurate clock is the stomach. And those who stayed there confirm that you used to walk around Prague, and he, dear, every now and then says: “It’s time to refresh yourself!” And it is impossible to refuse. Because the Czechs feed deliciously.
Smart people lose weight before traveling to this country - they have to eat a lot and thoroughly. However, what does it mean - you have to?! You walk into a restaurant, sniff the aromas wafting from the kitchen, and immediately agree with your stomach: it’s time! You can start with salads (we offer traditional Vlash, the name of which, as they say, comes from the Vlash Mint). Whether this is true or not is not the point. The important thing is that this salad is a true treasure. Nourishing, dense, tender. It cooks in one, two or three minutes and is eaten just as quickly. We can continue with fish - however, there is not much of it in Czech cuisine. The main thing is carp, soft and fatty, like a caricature of a bourgeois, but if you want something else, they will serve cod or salmon (both are great for whetting your appetite!). The next thing to choose is a meat dish. Fortunately, there is complete order with them in Czech cuisine. The only problem is making a choice. And this, you know, is not so simple - svichkova, pork ribs in honey, goulash, duck with cabbage, boar's knee... Oh, knowledgeable meat eaters, having heard these words, feel like they are at the gates of culinary heaven. Because svichkova is nothing more than a soft beef tenderloin, surrounded by gravy, stuffed with lard, with sour cream and dumplings. Spicy fiery goulash can be eaten along with the dishes - it is often served in a bread pot. Ribs are good in all parts of the world, but Czech ones have a special charm: they are juicy, fatty and absolutely golden. The sweet queen - duck, accompanied by spicy cabbage, torments eaters with anticipation, but completely justifies it: it is magnificent! As for the boar's knee, the first thing it requires is good company, because it is impossible to defeat it alone.
You can and should wash down all this beauty with beer - Czech beer is considered one of the best in the world (although the Czechs will certainly correct you: “It’s the best, sir, the best!”). They drink it a lot and willingly. Saying: “Thirst is good only because beer exists” - and reproaching overly boring teetotalers: “Think about yourself if you don’t see beer in front of you!”
Those who could not control themselves and were too carried away by the foamy drink will be saved by hot soup. There are many of them in Czech cuisine - all kinds and different. But garlic soup is considered the best resurrecting and revitalizing soup. Light, burning and easily returning a firm view of the surrounding reality.
Well, now let's get to the desserts (if, of course, there is room left in your stomach for them). There are also a lot of them in Czech cuisine: the most delicate puff strudels, a sweet version of dumplings, fruit rolls, palacinki (sweet pancakes with delicious fillings), trdlo - a delicious tube of puff pastry, “Hot Love” - vanilla ice cream with warmed raspberry syrup, and, well, Finally, the dumplings. We offer curd ones with plums inside - they are easy to prepare and will be remembered for a long time. And this, you see, is the best recommendation.
Baked boar's knee
For 4 persons: pork knuckle - 1.5-2 kg, dark beer - 1 l, onion - 1 pc., carrots - 1 pc., bay leaf - 2 pcs., cloves - 3 pcs., garlic - 0, 5 heads, allspice peas - 0.5 tsp, cumin - 1 tsp, parsley root - 1 pc., honey - 1 tbsp. l., mustard - 1 tbsp. l., salt, ground black pepper
Wash the knuckle, peel it with a knife, and dry it with a paper towel. Wash, dry and peel vegetables. Place the shanks in a small deep saucepan. Add coarsely chopped carrots, onion divided into 4 parts, garlic, bay leaf, cloves, peppercorns and pour in beer so that it covers the shank halfway. Pour in a little water, salt well, put on the stove and cook under the lid over low heat for 1 hour. Add parsley root, cumin, turn the shank over and cook for another 60 minutes. Mix honey and mustard. Place the boiled shank in a baking dish, brush with honey-mustard sauce on all sides, salt and pepper, pour a little broth into the dish. Bake for 50-60 minutes in an oven preheated to 180°C, brushing with sauce every 10 minutes. Serve with stewed cabbage and a glass of cold beer.
Vlash salad
For 4 persons: beef - 100 g, ham - 100 g, pickled cucumbers - 200 g, peeled apples - 100 g, potatoes - 4 pcs., eggs - 4 pcs., green peas - 1 jar, parsley - 2 sprigs, mayonnaise , salt
Boil beef, potatoes. Hard boil the eggs. Wash the cucumbers. Peel potatoes and eggs. Cut all ingredients into strips 3x3 mm thick and approximately 2.5-3 cm long. Wash and chop the parsley. Mix everything, add green peas and mayonnaise, add salt, form into portions and serve.
Czech goulash
For 6 persons: beef - 500 g, onion - 1 piece, vegetable oil - 50 g, tomato paste - 70 g, beef broth - 1 liter, Borodino bread - 1/2 loaf, garlic - 1 head, light beer - 60 ml, marjoram, cumin, paprika, salt, ground black pepper
Finely chop the onion and fry in a saucepan in vegetable oil until golden brown. Chop the meat, add it to the onion and fry for several minutes. Pour in 30 ml of beer, stir, add tomato paste and fry for 5 minutes. Add salt, pepper, finely chopped garlic to the meat, mix thoroughly, pour in the broth and put on low heat. Soak the bread in water, squeeze, rub through a colander, pour into boiling goulash and mix again. Add cumin and marjoram, cook uncovered for 1-1.5 hours, stirring occasionally. 10-15 minutes before the end, add another 30 ml of beer. Serve with dumplings.
Salmon tartare with avocado
For 3 persons: salmon fillet - 170 g, avocado - 1/4 pcs., shallots - 2 pcs., lemons - 1/2 pcs., red olives - 2 tbsp. l., olive oil, sea salt, freshly ground black pepper, tarragon - 3 sprigs
Place the salmon in the freezer for 15 minutes. Grind the tarragon in a mortar and add 1 tbsp. l. oils Cut the fish into small cubes, mix with chopped shallots and lemon zest, sprinkle with 0.5 tsp. olive oil, salt and pepper to taste. Place sliced avocado into a tartare mold, sprinkle with lemon juice, place chopped olives in a second layer, and salmon in a third. Remove the ring, garnish the tartare with avocado slices and serve with tarragon butter.
Duck with sauerkraut
For 5 persons: duck - 2 kg, cabbage, pickled with beets - 1 kg, onions - 3 pcs., raisins - 150 g, prunes - 150 g, carrots - 1 pc., garlic - 3 cloves, thyme - 2- 3 sprigs, bay leaf - 2 pcs., salt, pepper
Cut off the fat and skin from the back of the carcass, put the carcass in a saucepan, add 1 liter of cold water and put on fire. After boiling, reduce heat and simmer for about 1 hour. Strain the resulting broth and let it cool. Finely chop the separated skin with fat, put it in a duck pot, put it on medium heat and render the fat. Remove the cracklings, increase the heat to maximum and place duck pieces rubbed with salt and pepper into the hot fat. Cook for 2 minutes, then turn the meat over, reduce the heat to medium and cook for about 5 minutes more. Cut the carrots into circles, crush the garlic cloves with the flat side of a knife, cut the onion into rings. Drain all the fat from the ducklings, leaving only about 100 ml, and transfer the meat to a plate. Add vegetables to the duck roast and fry over medium heat for 3-5 minutes. Add chopped cabbage and dried fruits. Place pieces of duck, a few sprigs of thyme and bay leaves on top. Pour in the broth so that it covers only the cabbage, let it boil, cover with a lid and place in the oven preheated to 180°C. Bake for about 2 hours until done.
Potato dumplings
For 4 persons: raw potatoes - 800 g, milk - 100 ml, boiled potatoes - 400 g, flour - 100 g, eggs - 3 pcs., arugula - 250 g, cherry tomatoes - 250 g, green onions - 1 bunch, vinegar - 3 tbsp. l., olive oil - 6 tbsp. l., melted butter - 2 tbsp. l., bacon - 100 g, salt, freshly ground black pepper
Wash raw potatoes, peel, grate into a cup of water, rinse, squeeze well. Boil milk, pour grated potatoes over it, let cool. Peel the boiled potatoes and mash them into a puree. Add to raw potatoes along with flour and egg yolks, salt and pepper, stir until smooth. Form the dough into 12 dumplings. Cook them in enough boiling salted water for about 20 minutes. Remove and let cool. Wash, peel, and tear the arugula into small pieces. Wash the tomatoes, remove stems and cut in half. Wash the green onions and chop thinly. Mix vinegar with olive oil until smooth, add salt and pepper. Cut the bacon into small pieces and fry until crispy. Cut the dumplings into thick slices and fry in melted butter on each side until golden brown. Mix arugula with green onions and cherry tomatoes, season with vinegar and oil sauce, place on a plate. Place fried dumplings on top, sprinkle with bacon cubes and serve.
Garlic soup
For 4 persons: chicken broth - 1.5 l, potatoes - 5 pcs., garlic - 8-9 cloves, rendered lard - 1 tsp, marjoram - 1 tsp, bay leaf - 2-3 pcs. , white bread - 1 slice, butter - 1 tbsp. l., parsley - 0.5 bunches, grated hard cheese, salt, ground black pepper
Wash the potatoes well, peel and cut into small cubes. Heat melted lard in a frying pan, add potatoes, lightly fry, add bay leaf and chopped garlic. Stir and continue cooking for another 3-4 minutes. Place the potatoes in a saucepan, add chicken broth, salt and pepper and add marjoram. Cook until the potatoes are ready. Cut the bread into cubes, fry in butter until golden brown. Pour the soup into a plate, add toasted pieces of bread, seasoned with finely chopped parsley and sprinkled with cheese if desired.
Gombovtsy
For 4 persons: plums - 12 pcs., cottage cheese - 600 g, semolina - 100 g, eggs - 2 pcs., salt - 1 tsp, butter - 150 g, stale white bread - 100 g, cinnamon, sugar
Mix cottage cheese, eggs, salt, 1 tbsp in a blender. l. sugar and semolina until smooth. Place in a bowl, cover and refrigerate for 30-40 minutes. Wash the plums, cut them, remove the seeds and pour 1/3 tsp into each fruit. Sahara. Dry the bread, grate and fry in melted butter until golden brown. Remove the mixture from the refrigerator, divide into 12 pieces, and form them into flat cakes. Place a plum in the center of each, wrap it in dough, form into balls, place in boiling salted water (Gombovets should be completely covered with water) and cook for 3-4 minutes at moderate boil. Remove the finished Gombovtsy with a slotted spoon, place on a plate, pour over melted butter and fried breadcrumbs, sprinkle with sugar, cinnamon and serve immediately.
It is impossible to fully understand the beauty of the Czech Republic without tasting traditional dishes - the national pride of the country. But when you enter any, even the most modest restaurant, you are overwhelmed by the huge selection of first and second courses, not to mention the variety of beer snacks, which would be enough for a separate menu.
By the way, if you decide to taste all the most delicious and famous dishes of Czech national cuisine, you will have to put up with a couple of extra centimeters on your hips and waist - the food here is very high in calories and filling; Czechs are very fond of meat (poultry, game, pork and beef), prepared in a variety of ways. And the portions in restaurants are so large that you can easily order one dish for two...all that remains is to decide what exactly to order?
We present the TOP 10 most famous and delicious dishes of traditional Czech cuisine, which are definitely worth trying.
Read in this article
Roasted pork knee
The traditional delicious dish (Pečené vepřové koleno) is comparable to spaghetti in Italy or pilaf in Uzbekistan and is a real gastronomic brand. Fragrant, juicy, rosy, pork knee on the bone weighs almost a kilogram when finished and is usually ordered for 2-4 people. It is prepared in every restaurant and pub, but it is served in different ways: with horseradish, tomatoes, garlic and seasonings, not to mention numerous sauces and gravies.
A baked leg with mustard and horseradish with beer will cost 200 CZK. If you order only a knee, its cost will be 150-160 CZK.
Dumplings
Dumplings are the holy of holies of Czech national cuisine. Although, the most interesting thing is that initially this dish belonged to Austrian and German cuisines, but today it has become the national dish of the Czech Republic, its culinary symbol. Essentially, it is a long piece of dough (kneaded with flour or with the addition of potatoes) boiled in a large amount of water or steamed, which is then cut crosswise like a loaf and served as a side dish, for example, with the same baked knee. It is interesting that the dumplings themselves are insignificant and do not have a bright taste, but in combination with meat and sauces they perfectly absorb all the flavors of the main dish.
Well, if you pour the dumplings with sweet berry syrup and decorate them with fruit, you will get a delicious dessert. Dumplings are inexpensive - from 5 to 20 crowns.
Remember! Portions in the Czech Republic are generous, so do not rush to order everything at once; it is better to take second courses at the rate of one for 2-3 people.
Drowned people, klobasy, tlachenki
Beer snacks such as crackers, chips or nuts simply pale in comparison to the real Czech snack – delicious meat sausages! They are usually served grilled with a variety of sauces.
The most popular sausages that you should definitely try in the Czech Republic are:
Drowned meats, which look like utopenci on the menu, are quite vigorous pork chops soaked in a vinegar marinade; due to their bright taste, they are consumed only with beer.
Fried sausages, also known as klobasa, are a product with a less harsh taste; These delicious sausages are good on their own, but when combined with a foamy drink they become simply divine.
Tlachenka (and in Czech - tlacenka) is a meat dish reminiscent of strong jellied meat or brawn, made from pork legs, tongue or offal and eaten with vinegar. When serving, season with pepper, onion and vinegar.
Advice! In pubs and restaurants in the Czech Republic, food is always prepared in the morning and served only freshly prepared. Therefore, if you want to try the most famous dishes, it is better to go for a meal in the morning or closer to lunch, because... By evening, not a trace remains of the local delicacies of the first demand.
Please note: very often sausages are sold right on the streets of Prague. This is an old tradition, so the Czech capital is not at all surprised by the numerous chewing tourists looking at the sights with a sausage in one hand. Among the street assortment, it is worth trying Bavarian, Old Prague, Prague and Wenceslas sausages, the cost of which ranges from 50 to 80 CZK. The price includes dumplings or bread and sauces: mayonnaise, mustard, ketchup.
Vepro-knedlo-zelo
If you decide to taste local delicacies in good faith, you won’t get away with just one pork knee. Be sure to order such a hearty dish at the restaurant as Vepřo-knedlo-zelo, which is fried pork with stewed cabbage, served with dumplings.
Typically, portions of shoulder or loin are used for cooking, marinated in spices and first fried in a frying pan, and then baked in the oven. During the baking process, the pork is poured with broth and the resulting juice, so that the resulting meat is very tender and juicy, literally melting. Czechs generally love and skillfully cook pork, which is also much cheaper than lamb or beef. Well, stewed cabbage as a side dish is a classic of the genre, just like in Germany.
You can order this legendary dish from the Strahov Monastery for just 140 crowns.
Czech soups
It’s a real crime to be in the Czech Republic and not try the local soups – polevki. The first courses here are very satisfying, rich, and delicious. They can rightfully be considered the property of the country. Liquid transparent soups are not about the Czechs, no. Thick first courses are respected here, and to create the appropriate consistency, vegetable purees, semolina or flour mash are usually added. An unusual ingredient used in soups that adds an interesting flavor is roasted yeast.
Note! Often soups are served in a bread roll - be sure to try it, it’s very beautiful, but most importantly - delicious!
The most popular first courses in the Czech Republic are:
Česnečka – aromatic and incredibly tasty soup with garlic and smoked meats,
Pivní polévka – an original soup with beer, served with cheese croutons,
Bramboračka – famous potato and mushroom soup; by the way, this is what is traditionally served in bread,
Kulajda – thick stew with mushrooms and potatoes, flavored with sour cream, served with a boiled egg.
A serving of Czech soup costs from 40 CZK and above.
Goulash
It would seem, what makes a traditional Hungarian dish on the list of the most popular dishes of Czech cuisine? In fact, the Czechs have long borrowed it for themselves and really love and respect it. In catering establishments you can find a variety of variations of goulash - it is prepared from traditional beef and pork, but also from veal, rabbit, lamb and cold cuts. There are Szegedinsky, rural, hunting, Slovak, Hungarian and other types of goulash. We recommend trying one of its variations in authentic Czech establishments - this is not a tourist dish, so it is easiest to find it in restaurants aimed at local residents.
The cost of 200 grams of, for example, Pilsner beef goulash with dumplings is 100-120 CZK.
Fried carp
Despite the fact that the Czechs are ardent fans of pork in any form, fish is also respected here. It is especially recommended to try the fried carp (on the menu - pečený kapr) - this particular dish is an obligatory element of the Christmas festive table. You should also not refuse baked trout - Pečený pstruh.
1 fish costs 110-150 CZK.
Olomouc cheesecakes
Cheese is loved in the Czech Republic, especially as a beer snack. Be sure to try the soft Hermelin cheese, reminiscent of Camembert with its white mold, as well as varieties such as Pivni Syr and Zlata Niva.
But the most important cheese dish to be tasted first is the breaded and fried Olomuki cheeses. Olomuka cheese itself is made only in the Czech Republic and has a specific unpleasant odor, which, however, completely disappears when fried. Olamuk cheese cheeses harmonize especially well with beer and regular rye bread with onions.
A serving of fried cheese (150 g) with Tatar sauce will cost 120-150 CZK.
Trdlo
You can taste trdelnik, or trdlo, also known as “fool,” mainly only on the street. This sweet pastry is made from rich yeast dough, which is rolled onto a metal rolling pin and fried on the grill or in the oven. The finished trdlo is removed from the rolling pin and sprinkled with sugar, poppy seeds, chopped nuts or aromatic coconut flakes.
It is interesting that similar pastries, albeit under different names, are baked and sold on the streets of Hungary and Slovakia.
One Trdlo costs 45-50 CZK, and if you add Nutella to its taste, then 60 CZK.
Strudel
Despite the fact that the Czech Republic has many national desserts (vanochki, kolache, etc.), the leader in taste and demand is the good old German-Austrian strudel, which you can recognize in the menu by the word “závin”.
They prepare it here at the highest level, wrapping a variety of fillings in thinly rolled unleavened dough: fruits, berries, cottage cheese, etc.
Going to the Czech Republic, we scoured the Internet in search of various information, including about different Czech dishes that we should try in Prague.
Most often they recommend trying pork knee, dumplings, thick soups, shanks, goulash, ribs, pastries and beer. But, of course, we should not forget that although Czech food is very tasty, it is very difficult for the Russian stomach. People with sick stomachs especially need to be careful so as not to ruin their vacation.
I would also like to draw your attention when you place an order in a restaurant - look not only at the price, but also at the weight, because in the Czech Republic the portions of some dishes can be large and only two people can finish them.
Here is a list of Czech dishes that we compiled before our trip to the Czech Republic.
Soups(Polevky)
Czech soups are most often pureed soups. They add butter, egg yolks, and smoked meats. In some types of soups, yeast fried in oil is added, which gives a piquant unusual taste.
Sauerkraut soup – Zelňačka
Garlic soup – Česnečka (garlic)
Tripe soup - Drštková
Potato soup with mushrooms in a bread bowl – Bramboračka (bramboračka)
Soup made with sour milk – K oprovka (koprovka)
Soup with liver meatballs – Нovězí polévka s játrovými knedlíčky (Novezi vole with jatra dumplings)
Beer soup with cheese croutons – Pivní polévka (pivni polévka)
Onion soup with croutons and pieces of cheese – Cibulačka (tsibulachka)
Main dishes
The main course often consists of meat. Restaurants offer schnitzel, pork, goulash, and beef in sauce. But be sure to try the popular baked pork knuckle “Vepršov’s knee”.
The most popular side dish is dumplings, a boiled dough product with gravy. Therefore, it is not necessary to order bread if you decide to try dumplings, although most likely they will bring bread anyway.
Also popular in the Czech Republic are potatoes (potato salad, mashed potatoes, French fries), rice, stewed vegetables, and sauerkraut. We really liked the Czech salads - “Shopsky”, “Vlassky”, “Brno”.
Hot dishes(Přílohy)
Pork knuckle baked in the oven with horseradish and mustard – Pečené vepřové koleno (vepřové koleno liver). The weight of the dish is usually about 2.5 kg, so it is advisable to order this dish for several people.
Baked pork with dumplings and stewed cabbage – Vepřo-knedlo-zelo (veprsho-dumpling-zelo).
Baked pork ribs in honey – Pečená vepřová žebírka v medu (baked vepřová žebírka v medu)
A dish of cold cuts (pork, duck, smoked neck, sausages) with cabbage, dumplings and flatbreads – Staročeská Bašta (staročeska bashta)
Meatloaf topped with mushroom sauce – Vepřová panenka s houbovou omáčkou (veprřová panenka with houbovou omáčkou)
Pork goulash with bread or potato dumplings – Vepřový guláš (Vepřový guláš).
Shish kebab of several types of meat with vegetables – Královský meč (Královský sword).
Baked pork liver – Pečená vepřová játra (vepřová játra liver)
Beef cooked in traditional Czech style in sour cream sauce. Served with a slice of lemon, soft cream, berry jam (usually lingonberry) and dumplings – Svíčková na smetaně (svičkova with sour cream).
Beef goulash with dumplings and gravy – Pivovarský guláš (brewery goulash).
Beef steak in butter and spices – Rumpsteak s bylinkovým máslem (rumpsteak with bylinkovým butter).
Stewed leg of lamb – Dušená jehněčí kýta (smothered egněčí whale).
Young lamb meat with side dish – Jehněčí s jáhlovou kaší (jehněčí s jáhlovou kaší)
Duck baked according to a traditional recipe with apples and oranges – Pečená kachna s pomerančem a jablky (baked kachna with oranges and apples).
Baked trout – Pečený pstruh (baked pstruh).
Fried carp – Tradiční smažený kapr (tradiční smažený kapr)
Popular Czech side dishes
Potato dough balls fried in a deep fryer – Krokety (croquettes)
Bread dumplings – H ouskové knedlíky (gouskové dumplings)
Potato dumplings – B ramborové knedlíky (Bramborové knedliky)
Deep-fried potato and parmesan mixture - Rosti
Boiled potatoes – V ařené brambory (varzhene brambory)
Fried potatoes – O pékané brambory
Mashed potatoes – B ramborová kaše (Bramborová porridge)
French fries – B ramborové hranolky (Bramborové granolky)
Crispy toasts and croutons – Topinky, tousty (topinki, toast)
Dessert(moučníky)
Apple strudel – J ablečný závin (apple zavin)
Blueberry dumplings – B orůvkové knedlíky
Butter bun from
vanilla dough in the form of a tube – Trdlo (trdlo)Hot thin waffles with filling – Oplatky (payments)
Ice cream with fruit, sweet sauce, waffles and chocolate – Zmrzlinový pohár s čerstvým ovocem (Zmrzlinový pohár with stale sheep)
Ice cream with hot raspberry syrup – Horka laska
Sweet pancakes with ice cream, topped with raspberry syrup – Zmrzlinové palačinky s horkými malinami a šlehačkou
Tiramisu with fruit – Domácí tiramisy zdobený čerstvým ovocem (Domácí tiramisy made with stale sheep).
From this list, we did not try everything, but we tried not to gain weight.
But in fact, there are a huge number of national dishes in the Czech Republic; it would take a long time to list their names. No one will go hungry!
- very filling and tasty. It is based on a large amount of meat with the addition of various sauces; dumplings are very popular here, as well as sweet desserts made from dough. Czech culinary traditions come from a mixture of traditional local dishes and those borrowed from their neighbors. Slovakia, Austria, and Hungary had a great influence on the local cuisine.
National dishes and drinks of the Czech Republic
How are the cuisines of the Czech Republic and Slovakia similar?
Slovakian food is considered simpler and more unpretentious than Czech food, but they have a lot in common. Main dishes are traditional for both countries, especially soups. Slovaks, like Czechs, love thick, rich soups with garlic, spices, and smoked meats. And both of them generally consider mushroom and garlic soup to be their national dish. The same applies to meat: in Slovakia, on the menu you will definitely find boar's knee, schnitzels that came from Austria, and Hungarian goulash. Unlike the Czech Republic, fish is more often found on the table here, especially river and lake trout, which Slovaks know how to cook deliciously.
The dumplings, beloved by the Czechs, are also popular among the Slovaks; they are loved here in salty and sweet versions, with or without fillings.
Traditional food from Czech regions
National dishes in individual cities of the Czech Republic can often be used not only as food, but also as souvenirs:
- Carlsbad waffles– thin and tender, with many sweet fillings, popular since the 18th century. Previously, they were made in every home, but now they are more often bought ready-made. Factories produce special gift and souvenir packaging of waffles that you can easily take with you.
- Pardubice gingerbread refer to traditional honey baked goods decorated with icing. Most often they are baked in the shape of a heart, then painted with plot pictures or inscriptions. Previously, they were brought as gifts to family from the fair in, but today they are taken to other countries as.
- - These are delicate cookies made from thin gingerbread dough, rolled into a bag resembling the shape of an ear. The delicacy, loved by both adults and children, is produced in Štamberk, which is reflected in its name.
Gastronomic tourism in the Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is rightfully proud of its cuisine and is happy to introduce tourists to it. For lovers of beer, wine, meat, and sweets, various routes have been developed where you can dive deeper into the local food.
The most popular tours are considered to be beer halls. This is not only tasting different types of beer, but also visiting large factories and private breweries, getting acquainted with the traditions of growing hops and participating in the production of a delicious drink.
In southern Moravia you can go on a wine tour of vineyards and wineries. Here you will find tastings, the history of grape cultivation in the Czech Republic, an introduction to the characteristics of local varieties and the opportunity to purchase wine directly from the producers.
