By Matthew Earth
Eating out in Prague probably won’t be expensive anywhere you go.
However, if you are truly on a budget but still keen on some authentic Czech food, hunting down a restaurant or café in Wenceslas Square may not be the wisest idea.
A meal out in the central areas of the city could easily set you back upwards of 500 Kzc, but if you are willing to do some restaurant trawling, there are some hidden gems out there which will appeal to those on a shoestring budget.
Be sure to keep an eye out for this signTake Svetozor, which is tucked away in the Kino Lucerna mall, as an example. It’s approximately a five-minute walk from Muzeum metro station, meaning it has a prime and convenient location. It was here where we found beef goulash with a generous helping of bread, plus a Kozel beer, for a mere 128 Kc. That’s cheaper than many of the fast food restaurants you’ll walk past on your way there. If goulash isn’t quite your thing, there’s a wide range of authentic Czech dishes available, with a separate English menu for assistance.
Svetozor may not be the most glamorous place you’ll eat during your stay in Prague – it’s just a greasy spoon – but for the price, it’s well worth paying a visit, especially on a budget. The low prices mean that should you not actually like the food you won’t have wasted much, and the staff are friendly and helpful. Just make sure you head down before closure at 3pm, as the locals have a tendency to eat their larger meals at lunch.
I’d never felt more Czech in my life
