Prague (Praha) Vinohrady

• Café Šlagr, Francouzská 72/563 (☎607 27 76 88; www.kavarnaslagr.cz), “Mind-blowing” is an appropriate word to describe Café Šlagr's baked goods. If they have it in stock, the Pářvžký rohliček (29Kč) will be one of your finest culinary experiences, while the krernrole (17Kč) will help you understand what the Italians were aiming for with cannoli. Be sure to get it with some coffee and milk—the milk comes from a little cow vessel who happily regurgitates into your espresso (36Kč). The family behind this genius operation dressed their little cafe like 1930s Paris and plays cute little swing tunes to sell the effect. A: Náměstí Míru. From the station, walk southeast along Francouská. The cafe will be on your right. Baked goods 17-40Kč. Breakfast 49-69Kč. Open M-F 8am-10pm, Sa-Su 10am-10pm. Breakfast served 8-11am. Does not take credit cards. Wheelchair access. Serves alcohol. Has outdoor seating.
• Las Adelitas, Americká 8 (☎776 80 53 17; www.lasadelitas.cz), Described by some locals as “the only real Mexican restaurant in Prague,” this hole-in-the-wall taqueria serves up oddly authentic south-of-the-border fare. Enchiladas, burritos, and tacos all come with legit Mexican queso, pickled onions, and hearty refried black beans. Both come with pork and chicken, but pork is the specialty—and boy is it special. Vegetarians will enjoy any major dish served up with sauteed mushrooms, while parched amigos can sooth themselves with a cool glass of horchata (25-69Kč) or with one of 13 tequilas (69-150Kč). Try the Sopa Azteca (49Kč) for a surprisingly filling soup packed with cheese, chicken, and onions. A: Náměstí Míru. From the station, walk down Americká. The restaurant is past the square with the dinosaur fountain on your left. Entrees 99-179Kč. Margaritas 89-99Kč. Open M-F 11am-11pm, Sa-Su 2-11pm. Kitchen open until 10pm. No wheelchair access. Has internet. Serves alcohol.
• Cafe Zanzibar, Americká 15 (☎222 52 03 15; www.kavarnazanzibar.cz), This relaxing French cafe has a strange power to improve your mood. Set breakfast menus with combinations of cheese, eggs, pastries, coffee, and baguettes come at great prices (79-149Kč)—and yes, some of them come with beer instead of coffee. Lunch includes 20 salad options (59-149Kč) and a mess of French and international favorites, like croques monsieur (ham and cheese super-sandwiches; 65-95Kč) and Mexican tube sandwiches (burritos; 129-139Kč). Stick around and try a few “beer cocktails”—beers sloshed with things like lemon syrup, Coke, and Sprite (46-59Kč). If you drink enough, you'll get to check out the strangely nautical bathrooms, where a net above the urinals threatens to trap the slow pisser! A: Náměstí Míru. From the station, walk down Americká. The cafe is on your right at the square with the dinosaur fountain. Only the porch is wheelchair-accessible. Coffee 36-42Kč. Breakfast 79-149Kč. Open M-F 8am-11pm, Sa-Su 10am-11pm. Kitchen open 8am-10pm. Does not take credit cards. Has internet. Serves alcohol. Has outdoor seating.
• Meduza, Belgická 17 (☎222 51 51 07; www.meduza.cz), Meduza boasts a darker, more Eastern European feel and charges more authentically Eastern European prices (read: it's cheap). Sweet and savory pancakes (68-106Kč) stuffed with prosciutto, spinach, cheese, ham, and tuna constitute most of the menu, but fruit and chocolate options promise to be a great dessert. Individuals who like consuming different parts of a pig will enjoy the meat plate, consisting of spicy sausage, ham, and prosciutto. Even if you're not hungry, there's at least one exposed female human breast on the wall of this cafe—reason enough for anyone to attend. A: Náměstí Míru. From the station, head down Belgická. The cafe will be on your right. Only patio is wheelchair-accessible. Entrees 68-120Kč. Open M-F 10am-1am, Sa-Su noon-midnight. Does not take credit cards. Wheelchair access. Serves alcohol. Has outdoor seating.
• Pizzeria Grosseto, Francouzská 2 (☎224 25 27 78; www.grosseto.cz), Don't dismiss Pizzeria Grosseto beause it's a chain restaurant. Most of the 29 pizzas (135-195Kč) shoot it straight, though occasional deviants slip through, like the Carpaccio, which has roast sirloin slices (195Kč). Meat in general does a fine business on Grosseto's menu, with dishes like pork with bacon and cheese sauce (220Kč). The enormous window overlooking the square and the murals of Florence on the wall give this place a posh edge over most Czech pizza joints. A: Náměstí Míru. Grosseto is directly across the street from the Metro exit. Entrees 175-377Kč. Open daily 11:30am-11pm. Takes credit cards. No wheelchair access. Serves alcohol.
• Ambiente, Mánesova 59 (☎222 727 85 18; www.ambi.cz), For a restaurant that dubs itself “the living restaurant,” Ambiente spends a lot of time reminding you it serves dead cows. When you enter, there's a glass fridge showing your potential cuts of meat, and in the menu—SURPRISE!—there's a diagram of cow types and cow parts you'll be enjoying. But Ambiente rightfully takes pride in its extensive, if somewhat pricey, beef menu. Steaks (348-645Kč) from all corners of the world comprise two entire pages, while a third displays the rest of the menu, most of which changes seasonally. This short-life menu emboldens Ambiente to take risks along vaguely Southwestern lines, and entrees can range from buffalo wings (178Kč) to jambalaya creole with prawns (268Kč). The permanent menu, conversely, plays more safely with items like spaghetti Ambiente with chicken and cheese (245Kč). Vegetarians might find solace in an array of vegetable side dishes (58-78Kč).
• U Palečka, Nitranská 1625/22 (☎224 25 06 26; www.vinarnaupalecka.cz), U Palečka's simple, rustic interior does not do justice to its gastromically rich menu. One can enjoy its food best from the intimate outdoor porch-boxes in front of the restaurant. On a dry summer day, take in a strange starter like smoked tongue (60Kč) or even a well-priced dish of caviar (110Kč). Beef dishes will cost you the most, maybe because of the thick whipped cream they're garnished with (260Kč), but chicken dishes, including mind-blowers like the chicken pocket stuffed with ham and cheese (155Kč), or the turkey stuffed with blue cheese and broccoli (150Kč) are more than reasonable. A: Jiřího z Poděbrad. From the station, head south on Nitranská, the restaurant will be on your right Entrees 90-260Kč. Open daily 11am-midnight. Takes credit cards. No wheelchair access. Serves alcohol. Has outdoor seating.
• U Bulínů, Budečská 803/2 (☎224 25 46 76; www.ubulinu.cz), Before you order from this amazing traditional Czech restaurant, read its legend printed in English on the first two pages of the menu. When you're done laughing at the most comprehensive piece of incomprehensible private history you've ever encountered, order anything you want from the large and exciting menu. In keeping with the “devilish” theme of the restaurant (according to legend, the original owners grew horns, a condition called bulinia), chicken dishes (139-179Kč) are served with Lucifer skewers and hellish hot sauce. Even vegetarians can get their kicks by ordering any of the several pastas (89-159Kč) without chicken, or geting some “traditional Mexican” fare like tortilla with red kidney beans, corn tomatoes, and sour cream. A: Náměstí Míru. From the station, walk southeast down Francouzská. The restaurant will be on the corner 3 blocks down. Entrees 119-200Kč. Open daily 11am-11pm. Takes credit cards. No wheelchair access. Serves alcohol.
• Radost FX, Bělehradská 234/120 (☎603 19 37 11; www.radostfx.cz), This little vegetarian cafe thrives inside the Radost FX “complex,” comprising a dance club, bookstore, music store, and lounge. The cafe's funky decor—statues climbing through walls—make the menu items seem less outrageous, though The Hot Licker, a combination of dips and stuffed peppers (330Kč), still seems a bit out there. The enormous menu features four different types of veggie burger patties (180Kč); even if you hate vegetarians for being whiney, you gotta admit that's impressive. Other notable achievments include the “Mexican” nachos (from 185Kč) and the admirably realized Sloppy Joe (195Kč), made from a mixture of grains, tofu, and sheer balls. C: IP Pavlova. From the station, walk east on Jugoslávská. Take a left on Bělehradská. The cafe will be on your right. Entrees 165-195Kč. Open M-Th 11am-midnight, F-Sa 11am-1am, Su 10:30am-midnight. Does not take credit cards. Wheelchair access.
• Banditos, Melounová 2 (☎224 94 10 96; www.banditosrestaurant.cz), If you're willing to sacrifice Mexican authenticity for heartier portions, take Banditos over Las Adelitas. While Banditos is surprisingly Mexican for the Czech Republic, it smells more Baja Fresh than Tijuana kitchen. But Banditos has some pinch hitters of its own. A huge variety of Mexican breakfasts washes the floor with options elsewhere around town. Not feeling a Mexican Hat Dance? Banditos also serves burgers, including the Coronary Bypass (255Kč), which has mayo, fried egg, double cheese, and double bacon. C: IP Pavlova. From the station, head left down Ječná. Fork left quickly at Kateřinská, then take the 1st right on Melounová. The restaurant will be on your right. Entrees 120-280Kč. Open daily 9am-12:30am. Takes credit cards. No wheelchair access. Has internet. Serves alcohol.
• Vinárna U Palečka, Nitranská 22 A: Jiřího z Poděbrad. From the metro, take Nitranská heading south; the restaurant will be on your left. A typical Czech bistro that serves a mixture of local families and tourists at some of the most reasonable prices you can hope to find in the area. Wine racks and exposed masonry give you the feeling of being in a wine cellar. Entrees include the “Old Prague Meat Mixture” (sirloin, bacon, mushrooms, and edam cheese; 180Kč), as well as some chicken and pork dishes with more appealing names. Appetizers 60-120Kč. Soups 30Kč. Entrees 140-260Kč. Open daily 11am-midnight
• Aromi, Mánesova 78 (☎222 713 222; www.aromi.cz), A: Jiřího z Poděbrad. From the metro, head north on Slavikova and then turn right on Mánesova; the restaurant is at the end of the block on your left. Of all the highly regarded and expensive restaurants in Vinohrady, Aromi is the most highly regarded and one of the most expensive. Expect decadent Italian specials like sautéed octopus over chickpea mousse (345Kč) and braised veal neck (415Kč). Appetizers 195-365Kč. Entrees 325-695Kč. No dress code posted, but you’ll probably feel out of place in anything less than business casual. Open M-Sa noon-11pm, Su noon-10pm. Reservations recommended
• Restaurace U Neklana, Neklanova 18 Albertov Tram Station, trams 7, 18, and 24. From the tram station, walk down Svobodova going west, then cross under the overpass, making a left onto Vnislavova, and veer right on Neklnova. This out-of-the-way place makes no pretense of authenticity. Patrons eat hearty, inexpensive Czech food while listening to Czech Top 40 radio or watching television. Potato soup in a bread bowl 68Kč. Salads 45-119Kč. Entrees 125-169Kč. Open daily 11am-midnight
• Restaurant Mozaika, Nitranská 13 (☎224 253 011; www.restaurantmosaika.cz), A: Jiřího z Poděbrad. From the metro, take Nitranská heading south; the restaurant will be on your right. Spotless white table cloths and decor make you feel like you’re eating at a rich acquaintance’s house where you feel uncomfortable touching anything. One of their specialties is the “Tournedos Charolais” (foie gras souffle, shallot in port wine, and light veal au jus; 378Kč). Appetizers 89-114Kč. Salads 128-154Kč. Pasta 129-169Kč. Entrees 274-378Kč. Reservations recommended
• Čajovna Pod Stromem Čajovým, Mánesova 55 A: Jiřího z Poděbrad. From the metro station take Mánesova west; the teahouse is on your right. There’s no better place to catch up on your Kafka or check your e-mail than in the no-shoes area of this vaguely Near Eastern-themed teahouse. Peruse a (non-English) menu of more than 100 varieties of tea from all over the world. Consider the delicious pita with edam cheese (50Kč) or one of their couscous dishes (74-88Kč). Open daily 10am-11pm
• Kavárna Medúza, Belgická 17 A: náměstí Míru. Walk down Rumunská and turn left at Belgická. A laid back coffeehouse where Vinohrady’s 20-somethings chill in permanently reclined chairs. The menu contains a wide variety of tasty dishes like feta-and-potato-filled dumplings with fried onion (3 pcs 59Kč, 6 pcs 118Kč). Tea 33-46Kč. Coffee 33-50Kč. Salads 74-108Kč. Open M-F 10am-1am, Sa-Su noon-midnight