Eating Prague Food Tour – Feasting Like A Local

By Donnie Sexton

My first exploration of Prague was with a group of photographers, and we couldn’t have cared two hoots about eating.

It was all about being in the right place at the right time to get those killer shots.

My second visit took a different twist, as I was trying to find those overlooked gems that the locals know and love.

I came across the Eating Prague Food Tour where the online description read “we’ll walk along the cobblestone streets and explore the intricacies of our people and culture while enjoying the depth of our wonderful cuisine.”

This adventure sounded stimulating, not to mention that it solved the problem of where to go for lunch.

The Gingerbread Man

The tour started at Perníčkův sen (The gingerbread man’s dream) a quaint shop, filled to the brim with skillfully decorated gingerbread.

Here we met our guide, Neill Ware, a Scottish fellow whose wife was Hungarian, which led them to settle in Prague.

An English teacher by profession, Neill would prove to be wickedly funny, keeping our random group of ten foodies well entertained during the four-hour experience.

Our first tasting gratified my sweet tooth – delicate shortbread, a cookie imprinted with plum jam, poppyseed filled biscotti and of course, gingerbread.

Neill pointed out that the main ingredient in traditional gingerbread was a mix of honey and black pepper, along with cinnamon, cloves, and ginger.

Sandwiches and Sausages

Our next stop would be Palác Dlouhá, a modern arcade in the heart of the city with shops and eateries on the ground floor and apartments on the upper levels. One of the classic Czech foods is chlebičky (open-faced sandwiches).

Neill ducked into Bistro Sisters, renowned for their sandwiches, and emerged with a beautiful platter of assorted chlebičky. No sooner had we started sampling, then he appeared with another tray of colorful fare, this time ham topped with an egg on rye bread.

Next door to Bistro Sisters was Nase Maso, a butcher shop where Neill brought out a platter of smoked sausages, ham, bread, and pickles. We munched on small tables in the arcade, and afterward, were invited in to meet the “butchers” of Nase Maso.

Three sandwiches later, along with a helping of sausage and meats, I was feeling comfortably full. This was only our third stop.

The Bonus of a Great Guide

It was back to the cobblestone streets with Neill telling all sorts of intriguing tidbits about the city.

We made a window stop at a display of liquors, where Neill launched into a tale on the potent nature of Absinthe.

“The Czech version doesn’t contain wormwood which makes you hallucinate, so to bring back the fun they upped the alcohol content to 70 percent.

You have to sip it, as downing it will prevent you from speaking for about two days. My friend Marc and I decided to try a few different types, and I found myself at the river singing Irish rebel songs to swans and bemused Czechs at 2 in the afternoon.”

You had to love Neill – just laying it all out there in his Scottish brogue.

Soup in a Bell Tower

We headed to Jindřišská (St. Henry’s) Tower built in the 15^th Century and home to the highest freestanding bell tower in the city.

Restaurant Zvonice, on the renovated 2^nd floor, was our stop.

We feasted on a traditional South-Bohemian soup made with sauerkraut, roasted chanterelles, mashed potatoes, and sour cream. I could have asked for seconds, as this soup was killer good. Where I found room for it, heaven only knows!

A Restaurant with no Menu

From the bell tower, we worked our way to the very trendy, upscale Špejle.

As their website states, “No menu, simply good food served on wooden skewers and great drinks.

Let your eyes and mood do the choosing. Our selection is divided into three categories: warm, cold, and sweet.”

While all of us were moaning under our breath that we couldn’t possibly eat more, out came a small dish of tender duck on skewers and a mug of local beer to wash the duck down.

Café Louvre

Speaking of duck, I waddled out of Špeile wishing I had worn sweatpants with a drawstring that I could loosen. I was stuffed. Our final stop was the historic Café Louvre, operating since 1902.

We were served braised beef topped with a cranberry compote, two pieces of svickova (Czech dumplings) all of which was swimming in a delicious sauce. While I thought I couldn’t put another bite down, fortitude prevailed due to pure deliciousness, and I cleaned that plate.

Ending on a Sweet Note

By now, our group had become fast friends over the food tour, sharing bits and pieces of our lives and what had brought us to Prague.

Neill had proved to be a walking encyclopedia of the city, as he wove into the afternoon a history of the communist days in Prague, and detailed how life unfolds today in this capital city of the Czech Republic.

We ended our tour with a toast of local wine that paired nicely with a slice of traditional apple strudel, a specialty of Café Louvre.

More Than a Food Tour

The Eating Prague Food Tour went way beyond filling the stomach.

It was a history lesson, a healthy walk, a discovery of foods unique to Hungary, and a most enjoyable time with like-minded folks from around the world.

If we passed any souvenir shops or a tourist with an obnoxious selfie stick doing their thing, I never noticed. I was too busy soaking up the local vibe and relishing Neill’s hilarious take on life.

If you go, be sure and bring an empty stomach, a hearty appetite, and expand-o-matic pants! If you’re lucky, Neill Ware will be your host.

To reserve a tour, go to this website. The Eating Prague Food Tour