Prague is a city of meeting points: east and west, old and new, ornate and understated, meticulously restored and graffitied. The city is smallโyou can explore most of it in a day. Itโs charming, and during prime tourist season, crowded. Pragueโs architecture also has a sort of Disney World feel. For that reason, the cityโs cafes feel like havens in a stormโthey are windows into the everyday Pragueโthe native city frequented by residents alone.
Thatโs not to say that the touristโs Prague isnโt worth a visit. It is. Thereโs the Astronomical Clock and Tyn Church in Old Town, Wenceslas Square in New Town, and the Charles Bridge on the way to Mala Strana and Prague Castle. They are destinations that make Prague itself. Tyn Churchโs high Gothic architecture makes it look like Maleficentโs castle. Wenceslas Square is where Vaclav Havel addressed the people at the end of the Velvet Revolution to welcome the end of Communism. And Prague Castle is not just impressive but also affords some of the best views of the city.
The city doesnโt seem to really wake up until mid-morning, so if you rise a little early, itโs likely youโll only have to share these spots with a few other peopleโor possibly with no one but yourself. But be advised, Pragueโs late wakeup time also applies to most cafes. Of course, they also tend to stay open later and usually serve beer and wine in addition to coffee.
Speaking of beer, or pivo, itโs cheap, abundant, and really good in Prague. So is gulas (think goulash),ย knedliky (bread dumplings), and schnitzel. And so, of course, is coffee.
Whatever youโre looking for, this guide will help you navigate Pragueโs streets and abundant green spaces in its pursuit at the cityโs various cafes.
EMA Espresso Bar
Conveniently located near the cityโs main train station,ย EMAย can easily be your entree into Pragueโs coffee scene. Owned by roasteryย Alf&Bet along with two other businesses, including the Cafe Lounge and EMA II, EMA is a bustling cafe that retains a laidback air despite high traffic. Unusually, EMA doesnโt just serve Alf&Bet coffee, but also JB Kaffe, SlowMov, Drop, Candycane, Double Shot, andย Gardelli.
Aย La Marzocco Stradaย produces two daily espresso options on EMAโs menu. They use aย Moccamaster, V60, and AeroPress for drip coffee, and offer a food menu of mostly sandwiches, salads, and baked goods. If youโre craving something else, EMA is just a block away from Manifesto Market.
EMA is certainly known by visitors to the city, but as barista and sensory development coach Anna Markova says, EMA is still a Czech hangout and meeting spot.
Kavarna Mistoย
Tucked into the residential part of the Bubenec neighborhood right behind Prague Castle, Misto achieves the intimacy of a Victorian house while still remaining light, bright, and open. Illustrator Katerina Kynclovaโs colorful hand-drawn wallpaper and simple Scandi-mod furniture help to open up the private feel of the space.
Misto exclusively serves coffee from its own roastery,ย Double Shot, which also has four other locations, one of which is in the aforementioned Manifesto Market. They offer batch brew made on aย Marco Shuttle Brewerย or single cups of coffee made with a rotating selection of brewing methodsโClever, V60, or AeroPress. The bar sports aย Kees van der Westen Spirit Triplette. Misto features table service, not unlike many Czech cafes, and offers excellent food, baked goods, and alcohol menus.
Their coffee menu changes constantly, and always includes a featured drink. Ask long-time Double Shot barista and green buyer Ondrej Hurtik what his favorite Irish coffee is at the momentโduring a recent visit, it was a concoction of Nikka Japanese whiskey, coconut blossom nectar sugar, and Double Shotโs washed Burundi or Ethiopia espresso. They also serve coffee flights with an accompanying palette quiz!
OneSip Coffeeย
OneSipย is delightfully tiny and invites the use of the word โquaint.โ Though the cafe owners Adam Gaszczyk and Zdenek Hybl founded their own roastery,ย Candycane, in 2017, the cafe has continued to useย Round Hill Roasteryโs coffee in addition to its own. In fact, OneSip was Eddie Twitchettโs first international Round Hill wholesale account. Though small, everything about this cafe has a thoughtful and bespoke feel, from the beverages served to theirย Acmeย cups. A Kees van der Westen Mirage Idrocompresso is the focal point of OneSipโs barโbatch brew is made with aย FETCO. Baked goods come fromย Cafe Jenย and are accompanied by a selection ofย Ajalaย chocolate bars.
Though located in the heart of Old Town, this cafe is on a quiet side street. Looking through its open window, past the bouquet of fresh flowers, you can fool yourself into thinking youโre in a much smaller city than Prague, despite the popular club, a gigantic shopping center, and Old Town Hilton all within walking distance.
Double B
Just between Narodni Muzeum and Namesti Miru sitsย Double B. A perfect space to chill and do work, this cafe has window seats with tables custom made to suit. Double B is actually a Russian coffee house franchise, with locations in Russia and several countries throughout Europe and the Middle East. While Double B has a couple of locations in Prague, this one is the oldest and is also home to their roastery, which supplies coffee to their cafes and many of their wholesale accounts outside of Russia.
Part-owner and manager Evelyn Beinarovicha says each cafe is designed differently, according to the ownerโs taste, but all of them have the same bar. There is no batch brew here, because Beinarovicha, โLikes to prepare every coffee in a special way.โ V60, AeroPress,ย Bonavita, and Lungo are all offered alongside a menu of seasonal drinks made with in-house syrups and flavors. In summer, the cafe has a large outdoor terrace and is always dog-friendly.
Original Coffee
Nestled in Old Town, just south of the Sex Machines Museum between Charles and Legion Bridge isย Original Coffee. A minimalist, sans-serif, Kinfolk-y vibe reminds you of the apartments of those friends (everyone has them) who have Etsy shops and use their apartments to shoot beautiful product photographs.
The walls here are white and display polaroid photos hung on twine with binder clips as well as local artistsโ work. Original serves its own roasteryโs coffee, which has beautifully nice packaging. Filter coffee comes courtesy of a Moccamaster, AeroPress,ย Chemex, V60, or French press. Espresso is made on aย Fiorenzato Ducale. Homemade lemonades and special hot chocolates are also on the menu, as well as soups, sandwiches, pastries, beer, and wine. Even on the busiest days, Original feels tucked away from the madding crowd.
Dos Mundos Cafe
Dos Mundosย has a cafe/roastery located near Namesti Miru, as well as a cafe near Stromovka Park, Exhibition Palace, and, fittingly, Coffee Museum Prague. The lattermost cafe has some beautiful graphic design elements, including a black and white wall mural, unique floor tiles, and gold-accented built-in shelves, giving the place a clean design and modern feel. Plus, there are swing seats. Yes, you read that correctly. Some of the seats in the cafe are actually red swings suspended from the ceiling.
The cafe exclusively serves Dos Mundos coffee. Every day it features two filter coffees, both as batch brew made on a Moccamaster and also as V60 and AeroPress. They also offer cold brew made in a drip tower. Aย San Remo Operaย espresso machine fronts the bar. Like many cafes, they also serve beer and wine as well as pastries. The surrounding neighborhood has some excellent examples of Brutalist architecture and just around the corner is Mr. HotDoG, a cheap and great spot for anyone who comes down with a craving for that particularly American cuisine. Dos Mundos is the perfect haven to enjoy a refreshing drink after exploring nearby parks and museums on a hot day.
Honorable Mentions:
La Boheme Cafe: owned by an American and located near Namesti Miru, the cafe has a shabby chic eclectic vibe and exclusively serves its own coffee, each order of which comes with an information card.
Urban Cafe: walking distance to EMA Espresso Bar, Urban Cafe has a cool design and an industrial feel with a feature wall of plants and neon purple lights. They serve Fjord Coffee from Berlin.
Rachel Grozanick is a freelance journalist based in Portland, Oregon. Grozanick has contributed previously toย Bitch Magazine,ย 90.5 WESAย in Pittsburgh, andย 90.7 KBOOย in Portland. Read moreย Rachel Grozanick on Sprudge.