Visiting a restaurant in the Czech Republic is not the same as visiting one in the US. If you’re not aware of the cultural differences, a visit to a Czech restaurant might leave you confused and possibly upset. This guide is meant to help you understand our point of view - and by ‘our,’ I mean the Czech point of view.
I am not going to talk about Prague, where you can find restaurants from different cultures and tons of tourist traps offering ‘traditional’ Czech food such as “trdelník“ or “medovník.” Neither of them actually originates in the Czech Republic and our grandmas most certainly don’t make them as a Sunday treat. They do taste delicious though.
This guide is about real Czech restaurants outside the tourist center of our capital.
1. Sit wherever you want
When you enter a restaurant in the Czech Republic, you are very unlikely to see a host/hostess. We don’t want anyone to tell us where to sit; we pick our own spot. If the restaurant is full, we’re not going to wait. We simply leave and next time call ahead to reserve a table. There is no such thing as sitting by the door with a buzzer, waiting for our turn.
2. Waiters are not as rude as they might seem to an American diner
Don’t expect a waiter to introduce himself and engage in small talk. We are straightforward folk. Also, do not be insulted if the waiter doesn’t come unless you make eye contact, close the menu, or finish your food. It doesn’t mean that they don’t care but rather that they are giving you space to pick your meal or enjoy your food in peace.
I remember that the first time I visited an American restaurant I was so irritated with the waitress coming and asking if she could do anything else for us all the time. The only thing I really wanted was 15 uninterrupted minutes with my boyfriend!
3. Drink what the locals drink
The first thing a waiter will ask you is, “what would you like to drink?” I highly recommend trying something local, like our much beloved Coke-like soft drink, Kofola, which dates back to the sixties, and every decent restaurant or pub should have on draught or at the very least bottled.
Another point on this topic to consider: bottomless drinks are not the norm in the Czech Republic, unless you are in a fast food restaurant. If I ever find a restaurant with bottomless Kofola, I will move in.
One of the things Czechs are famous for is beer. We are extremely proud of it and some people even pack beer cans for their vacation abroad. We even call hops "our gold." I definitely recommend ordering Czech beer, but remember, Czech Republic has ZERO alcohol tolerance for drivers. In the US, one drink is OK, in the Czech Republic, it is not.
4. You need to ask for Ice
Not every restaurant offers complimentary water, so you will be most likely offered either still, sparking or semi-sparkling water. Spoiler alert, there will be no ice in your drink unless you SPECIFICALLY ask for it and even then you will be disappointed by the quantity.
Every time I go eat out in the US, I pointedly ask for NO ICE in my water and sometimes they even make my unusual wish come true.
5. The meat options are extensive
Looking at the menu won’t be as big of a shock as if you visited the country in the wild 90’s, when you would typically see a menu the size of a telephone book, with mysterious dish names such as the “Secret of the Castle Lady” or “Apostolic Tower,” which often even took locals by surprise.
However, we are a meat-loving nation, so your choices of meat are varied. Pork and beef, which are the most popular, are usually served with potatoes, dumplings, sauerkraut or various sauces.
You won’t be wowed by our pasta or salad selection. We like rich, filling dishes, particularly for lunch, which is the main meal of our day. This kind of food gives us the excuse to drink beer with it – for better digestion of course!
6. Lunch without soup is like peanut butter without jelly
If you come around noon, you can pick a dish from the “lunch menu” – four to seven meals often including a soup, because for Czechs there is no lunch without soup. Even living on the other side of the ocean, I still have to hide from my mom that I don’t always cook soups for lunch because I simply don’t have the time.
7. Just ask for “svíčková”
One of our best dishes is “svíčková” or beef sirloin with cream sauce and dumplings. The dumplings, which look like slices of bread, serve as a sponge to help you eat the sauce. Note: they are not meant to be held in one’s hand and eaten as bread in Italian restaurants. Svíčková is an excellent dish and quite frequently the main course at weddings. If there aren't any Czech restaurants near you, try making this amazing sauce yourself.
8. Getting the check
Czech waiters will not rush to your table with the check as soon as you clean your plate. In fact, they won’t bring it unless you ask for it. If they did it would feel quite rude – like they were trying pushing you out the door. When you are ready to pay, make eye contact or call the waiter.
As a newcomer unaware of American customs it was a jaw dropping experience for me to see our waitress (the one who would constantly check on us like if we were a couple of toddlers) bring us the check as soon as my boyfriend put down his fork. I was so offended that I almost sprinted out of there.
9. Tipping
Czechs regard tipping as akin to feedback. If you don't leave any tip, you are showing great dissatisfaction with the food and/or service.On the other hand, we generally don’t calculate the tip as a percentage of the bill but rather round the amount. For instance, if your check is 130CZK, go for 150CZK or 170CZK.
My most recent experience in a Czech restaurant is special. My husband and I ordered two different meals in a restaurant whose seating was in an amazing, historical courtyard. The food was so delicious that after we finished, we ordered second portions of each other’s meals; each of us literally ate two entrées. The waitress seemed rather surprised. It does not always have to be the visitor who experiences a shock, does it?
False friends and confusing words on the menu:
“Limonáda“ is not lemonade. It is a non-alcoholic, sweet drink such as Kofola, Sprite etc. If you want lemonade, ask for “citronáda."
Grepový džus sounds like grape juice but “grep” means “grapefruit” in Czech.
If you see the words “supplements” or “attachments” on the menu, it is just a Google translation of “side dishes” (in Czech all these can be translated as "přílohy“).
Many visitors are surprised to see American potatoes ("americké brambory") in the side dish section. They are just herb roasted potatoes, not American-sourced potatoes.