One interesting thing about restaurants in Prague is that they’re open late by comparison to restaurants in other northern European places we’ve visited. It’s common for people to eat dinner at 8:30 or 9:00, which is great for us after a day of sightseeing, when we want to relax and shower before heading out to eat.
1. Kampa Park
Kampa Park is special. My parents ate there during their last trip to the city, and my mom told me it was wonderful. It really is.
First, the location is crazy. It’s right down on the Vltava River, and apparently, with enough notice, they’ll give you a boat ride before dinner. We sat down in the heated, glassed-in patio along the water. Josephine thought it was amazing that they gave each of us a blanket to wrap around our shoulders or legs for extra warmth.
Second, the food is tremendous. We ordered the creamiest burrata with vegetable caponata and amazing salmon sashimi with ponzu, garlic, ginger, and sesame. Then, Josephine ordered a simple risotto, while Jamil got the miso-marinated salmon with wasabi-green pea puree, and I got grilled octopus. Every dish was cooked to perfection.
Third, the service was so kind! We were the last people at the restaurant by quite a while. But no one hurried us. They wanted us to enjoy the experience, and we really did.
2. V Zatisi
Jamil and I fell in love with this restaurant in 2010, so much so that we decided to have our wedding dinner here. Despite COVID and all of the chaos of the past 15 years, Zatisi has somehow stayed successful, popular, and relevant. It’s still just as attractive and lovely as it was the first time we sat down for a meal there.
We tried an array of dishes, but what stood out the most were: (1) Beef Tartare with black garlic and truffles; (2) Veal Wellington with jamón serrano and potatoes; and (3) Pike Perch with carrots and cabbage. If we’d gotten there earlier, we might have ordered a tasting menu, but honestly, that’s not really Josephine’s style. She can’t eat that much to begin with, and she doesn’t want to be steamrolled into eating something she isn’t ready to try. Come on, this child has such a varied palate. It doesn’t make any sense to torture her!
In every way, it was special to share with Josephine the place where we had that wonderful meal. Our wedding left an indelible impression on the people who attended. It was so intimate and special. I’m glad that Zatisi has stood the test of time, so we could relive the experience with the person who’s the product of the union we celebrated all those years ago.
3. Lobkowicz Palace Café
We were hungry after walking around the Castle, but I didn’t know where to get anything decent to eat in Tourist Central. Then, I looked up and saw the Lobkowicz Palace sign, which also offered food at a café. I confidently told Jamil we should make a stop.
As I expected, the Lobkowicz Café was a perfect place for us to get a quick lunch. We got fresh cabbage soup (the Soup of the Day), warm lentil salad, and a grilled ham & cheese sandwich. There was nothing fancy about the food, but it was fresh and clean. And there was a terrace with a beautiful view of the city. It was too cold to sit out there, but perfect for a picture!
And if you’re in Prague with adults and/or older children, make the Lobkowicz Palace Museum the top stop on your list. The exhibits are phenomenal, but you are missing out if you see them without listening to the fantastic audioguide. I didn’t really think Josephine was up to it; there was so much WWI and WWII history involved that I figured it would be confusing. However, the next time we go, we’ll do it. I think she’ll be just as floored as we were on our last visits there.
