FEATURE STORY • NIGHTLIFE • ART+CULTURE • FOOD+DRINK • TRAVEL • STYLE

 

Na Zdravi!
An Afternoon in Prague’s Beer Gardens
by Sacha Brunel

Summer in Prague means sun, suds, sights and good times so who wants to sit in a stuffy restaurant or dark bar when beer gardens abound? The ambience is better, the beer cheaper, and yet the slightly obscure locations of Prague’s beer gardens means they’re not easy to find. In out-of-the-way corners of the city and parks the more enterprising individual can get a flavor of the real Prague. With as many different vibes as there are different tastes, beer gardens have something to offer just about everyone. Unlike pubs, each beer garden tends to only serve one brand of beer with other drink choices being pretty limited. The food available is also predictable, with a few recurring meals. There is klobasa—fried Czech sausage with chleb (bread, usually dark) and hor(c(ice (mustard) on a cardboard tray—and párek v rohliku (a hot dog with mustard). Some places offer little else; a few, however, have full restaurant menus and a selection of drinks.

Centrally Located
Kogo, Slovanský Du*m, Na Pr(íkope(, Prague 1 Starting off in the center of Prague, you will find Kogo’s upscale beer garden. Located in the courtyard of the large, modern Slovanský Du*m shopping centre, close to both the Mu*stek and Náme(stí Republiky metro stations, this beer garden is easy to find and accessible. The floor is cobbled, the tables umbrella-covered and the air ripe with the smell of Italian food. This prime location is frequented by an up-market clientele consisting of tourists and scene-setting locals eating a casual business meal or having an after-work drink and snack. As it is technically the outdoor portion of the Kogo Italian restaurant, the menu is immense compared to the other locations. Don’t expect a bargain, however, the Old Town location means that prices are at Old Town levels - you'll need to spend at least 150 crowns to get a meal. The food may be worth it though - uniformed waiters seem to spend all day delivering plates full of appetizing looking pasta dishes. The beer is Budvar and Klausthauser, which are good choices, but it’s quite a bit more expensive than you might find elsewhere. Budvar (0.5l) – 55 CZK, Klausthauser (0.5l) – 55 CZK