1. Můj šálek kávy
Můj šálek kávy, is a beautiful little rustic cafe in the Karlín district of Prague. Karlín is an up-and-coming district filled with several new restaurants, bars and cafes, but Můj šálek kávy deserves special recognition. Despite the fact that the cafe can only accommodate a limited number of clients at a time due to its small size, this coffee shop is a popular and preferred spot amongst locals for good reason. Most notable for its great weekend brunches, the location is an excellent spot for catching up with friends – the interior is cozy and charming with visible brick walls, a fire burning stove and a multitude of books lining the walls.
Collectively, the atmosphere leaves customers feeling like they are in a home setting of a close acquaintance rather than a popular business establishment. That is, except for the fact that you’ve probably never had a close acquaintance who was as skilled and knowledgeable as the baristas at Můj šálek kávy are. The excellent quality and prices are hard to beat with five breakfast meals on offer for under 200czk each and quality coffee drinks that are also reasonably priced. Espressos are 45czk and cappuccinos are 60czk. Můj šálek kávy also offers filtered coffees with beans from Brazil, Rwanda, and Colombia for 70czk a piece, or you can have a flight tasting of all three for 150czk. In addition to this, the cafe offers excellent teas, dinner plates, and lunch dishes around 150czk each.
Something important to note about this particular cafe is that while you can make a reservation during the week, they don’t accept reservations on weekends. This is to better facilitate customers, as it is a renowned destination amongst Praguers. When you arrive, on weekends especially, you will most likely have to wait for a table, and at times the queue to get in can be dauntingly long. It is, however, one of those places that is well worth the wait. And, from my experience, you don’t usually have to wait long. Plus, something else I really like about this place is that the waiters will usually take your order and may even serve you drinks while you wait for a seat. All in all, Můj šálek kávy is a must-visit cafe.
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2. Prostor 39
Mixed in between the many cafes in Zizkov sits a set of loading dock doors that hides a dogfriendly networking and art space that offers a set of 3 connected rooms, and an upstairs art gallery. While many cafes in Zizkov are on the small side, being 1 or 2 small rooms, this one feels like multiple cafes in one. Upon entering through the loading dock doors, the first room features a black and white mural showcasing the options for the use of the café (coworking space, café, photo studio, etc). Seating in the first room is provided by couches, and a large table places in the large window so you feel as if you are sitting right on the street. As you continue to the second room, you will find a kid friendly area: couches and tables with many toys, stuffed animals, and children’s books. The third and final room, the largest of them all hosts the café bar and as well as being scattered with plush chairs and couches, complete with a projector for watching films. In this room you will also find a staircase leading up to the art gallery, some pieces of which you can see displayed on the walls of downstairs rooms.
In terms of food and drink, the options are quite limited – there is not even a menu to peruse. Instead, you can order from a selection of bottled drinks from the fridge or a hot drink. The coffee is made from Black Seeds Collective using an espresso machine (their Flat White is 67kc), while their English Tea Shop Tea is 28k, and their water is free! The food options are potato chips, and in lieu of a cake display, a sandwich display. The featured sandwich of the day was Vegan Friendly (hummus, sun dried tomatoes, tofu, and cucumbers) – 3 sandwich pieces for only 45kc.
What is great about this large space is that you can rent the upstairs for your own events, or you can attend any of their events found on their facebook page; clothing swaps, pop-up markets, yoga workshops, etc.
Great for: meet-ups with friends, game nights, cheap snacks, dog owners, families with small children, art enthusiastsWebsite: https://prostor39.cz/
Monday – 10:00am – 10:00pmSaturday and Sunday CLOSED
3. Kavárna Pražírna
The Vinohrady area of IPPavlova is quite congested with the connections of the underground metro and the multiple tram lines. So, finding a quiet place in the middle of this hustle is great for anyone looking to catch their breath in the hectic location.
Located on the same street as the tram lines, Kavarna Prazirna is visible by a small train logo on the outside of the entrance. Entering by going downstairs, your first stop is the coffee bar, where you are greeted by not only the scent of fresh coffee and sweets, but also by the friendly workers waiting to take your order. The name translates to “café roasters” and true to its name, it has its own roasting machine, and roasts selected beans from around the world. Currently they are roasting beans from Ethiopia, Colombia, Brazil, and Rwanda.
The menu boasts a great lineup of drinks: hot coffee classics from Espresso (43kc) to Flat White (65kc), iced drinks from Iced Batch Brew (55kc) to Iced Latte (75kc), as well as a selection of lemonades, juices, beer, and wine. If you are looking for something to nibble on with your drink of choice, choose from a variety of options: sausage, cheese, nuts, toast or any of the sweets on offer (from Coconut balls for 20kc to homemade cakes for 65kc).
But, don’t go JUST for the coffee and snacks, go for the ambiance as well. The kavarna is made up of brick walls surrounding and separating the 3 rooms of seating options. Each room has small tables and chairs, and one of the rooms even has armchairs situated next to the bookshelf full of books to read at your pleasure while enjoying a drink or snack.
On your way out, you can even purchase your own fresh bag to take home to make yourself, enjoying their coffee even longer.
Great for: quiet conversations, getting away from the crowds, coffee snobs Website: https://www.kavarnaprazirna.cz/
Mon – Fri: 8:30 - 22:00Sat/Sun: closed
4. Nightingale 9
Nightingale 9 is an ode to caffeine and quirky science fiction, with its interior chock full of all things steampunk - from old cellos, antique suitcases, vintage radios, navigation tools, scales, alarm clocks, and bookshelves made of old piping. With seating for just around twenty people, Nightingale 9’s leather lined seating and giant model zeppelin ascending from the ceiling make it feel much cozier. One of our favorite interior elements has to the thick perpendicular copper metal pipes playfully rising from the wall into the ceiling as if they were a church organ. There is absolutely no shortage of antiesthetic novelties to keep a customer’s attention.
We tried the Caprese Croissant from the breakfast menu. Just as advertised, it was a warm, flakey and buttery croissant stuffed with mozzarella (sourced from Prague’s own MozzarellaArt). The portion was a bit small, but no points were deducted since it came with a small side salad and coffee. In fact, all the breakfast specials include free coffee and range from 55kc to 110kc. Lavazza is the coffee on tap, and it is 45kc for an espresso.
Don’t worry if a calorie-rich croissant stuffed with cheese isn’t your thing. The menu has lots of gluten free and health conscious dishes as well. For instance, the Begata Sweet Goat sandwich features toasted baguettes with butter and honey, mixed lettuce and candied pear cognac, balsamic reduction, honey and nuts, watercress and goat cheese (139kc).
Not uncommon in Czech Cafes, Nightingale 9 features a daily dessert display with sweets made in-house: cheesecake, tiramisu, pistachio chocolate cups, and chocolate cream pops were the options of the day. Desserts normally range from 60-85kc. We’re usually a sucker for a cheesecake, but our server recommended the freshly made tiramisu. The portion was large and light, fully and packed with the espresso flavor you’d expect in a tiramisu.
Overall, Nightingale 9 is worth a visit for breakfast or lunch. In fact, with a drink menu consisting of hard alcohol and closing at 10pm– it would be even worth soaking in the steampunk haunt once the sun goes down.
Great for: Impressing your date the morning after, trying to eat healthy and not break the bank, a meet-up where you want other people to think you’re cool. Website: www.nightingale9.cz Monday - Friday 9:00 to 10:00 p.m. Saturday and Sunday 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. WIFI: Pretty damn good with 170Mbps down and 51.5Mbps up.
5. Waf-Waf
With the popularity of photographing and posting photos of your food, Waf-Waf is a café that is full of color and delicious displays of sweet and savory versions of their namesake food: waffles. And, with its 2 locations in the city – there will be no shortage of photo options with or without filters!
Waf-Waf opened its first retro themed cafe in Prague 7 in 2017, and their 2nd location, in Vinohrady, opened in July 2018. Since then, their social media has exploded with advertising their colorful and delicious menu based around Waffles.
Upon arrival, you’ll know you’re in the right place due to the pastel pinks, blues, and greens that coat the walls, tables, and display cases. Even the “build your own waffle” order form matches the cotton candy décor. No doubt that there will be SOMEONE photographing their food to load onto social media, you may even see the professional photographer behind the photos on their Instagram account.
The drink menu starts at 39kc (espresso or tea) and increases in price up to 89kc for an Iced Coffee (Wafrape). Not only do they serve their own blend of coffee and tea, but also features a shake menu (chocolate, strawberry, banana) for 109kc. Topping a shake with a waffle will increase the price to 189kc. The food menu is based around Waffles, and starts with a basic cut waffle with chocolate dipping sauce for 59kc. You can add fruit, order a waffle sandwich, or if you don’t like their set menu options, you can even create your own with 50 different ingredients! But, if you are at Waf-Waf and aren’t a waffle fan, you can also order one of their crepe options.
If you don’t want to make a trip to either locations, you can also order online using the Wolt delivery service.
6. Black Sheep Café
Black Sheep Café and wine bar is located in Vinohrady and has been around since 2018. It boasts as being family run, offering various coffees as well as wines from around the world.
Seated outside the entrance is a selection of lounge chairs with small tables, so you can enjoy your drinks outside when the weather is pleasant. Once you venture inside, you will find an offering of a variety of seating options: bar seating at the wall, small tables scattered around the café, and even a couples table in the window. Black Sheep Café offers table service, but with a small menu, it won’t take long before you know what you want to order. The coffee menu features your classic coffee orders: from an Americano to a Café Latte, and all the options in-between. The online menu hasn’t yet been updated, for example the price of an Americano is listed online for 49kc but the actual price of the Americano is 60kc. The coffee is made with an Espresso Machine, using Krizka Poděbrady coffee beans.
Note that the breakfast menu has gluten free options (Zucchini Pancakes 68kc) as well as the classic set Eggs, Toast, and Sausages (149kc) but be prepared if you arrive early: the food is not available until 11:00am. However, If you are still looking to pair some food with your morning coffee, there are cakes (75kc) on display available upon opening. The all-day menu offers options for both vegan and non-vegan appetites as well as a variety of prices for all wallet sizes: from Chicken Burger (189kc) to Caprese Salad (90kc) with options of quiche and sandwiches as well. Aside from being a café, it stays open into the evening offering wine and beer and also an assortment of cheese and meat platters to nibble on (138kc each). Black Sheep Café hosts wine tastings throughout the year, so you can enjoy their international wines in one sitting. Even with their vast amount of seating, if you want to secure a spot – you can make reservations online.
Monday – Saturday: 9am – 10:00pmSunday - Closed
7. Žižkavárna
Set on a corner in Zizkov, the small vintage styled café of Zizkavarna offers a relaxing atmosphere to relax the day away. The windows are lined with bench seating, so you can curl up with a book from their bookshelves or just sit and people watch. If the weather is nice, you can also sit outside – if you’re lucky one of their 3 tables will be open!
During the week, you can enjoy breakfast starting at 7:30am, and on the weekends starting at 8:30am lasting until 2:00pm, so even if you like a lie-in, you can still make it in time for the breakfast menu. All the options on the breakfast and brunch menu are under 100kc – with the exception of the Breakfast Burrito. Packed with eggs, beans, cheese, tomatoes, and ham, it is still only 109kc. The remaining menu options start with Muesli (45kc) and work upwards in pricing: sandwiches (65kc), filled bagels (89kc), and an assortment of omelets (79-99kc).
Since it’s small – it can fill up quickly, and they don’t take reservations, so be prepared for a possible wait or order s sebou (take away). The tables are all 2 seaters, with the exception of 2 of the tables, which seat 4people. So, if you are a party of 1 or 2, this is a convenient place to settle in for a while. But – if you are a large group, note that you might have to try to squeeze in to fit into a smaller table.
The coffee is from the oldest fair roaster in Central Europe – Mama Coffee. The Americano is only 58kc and while the orders are taken at the counter, the bring it to your table for you, so you can get comfortable while you wait for your order.
Overall, Zizkavarna is a great spot to visit and comfortable enough to stay for a while whether doing work on your laptop, or just relaxing in their windows.
Monday - Friday 7:30 to 9:00 p.m. Saturday and Sunday 8:30 a.m. to 9 p.m
WIFI: 7.24Mbps down and 3.92Mbps up.