Top 10 Prague beer gardens for enjoying good beer and summer sun!
While Czechia prides itself on the quality of its beer, the experience of drinking the golden liquid is just as important as the product itself. Prague has no shortage of good pubs to visit, but as the summer sun shines, it’s more tempting to make the most of the weather and enjoy a glass or two outside.
With that in mind, we asked RPI’s resident pub enthusiast, Danny Bate, to share his favourite beer gardens across the central parts of Prague. His personal recommendations are ten distinctive establishments, some well known, others less so, but which all serve good beer, cheer and atmosphere.
1. U Fleků
First on my list is a Prague institution. U Fleků is an iconic Prague pub, serving its own beer since 1499, while parts of the building itself date from the 14th century. Situated on Křemencova Street in the New Town, the entrance to the pub is easily spotted, thanks to the ornate clock above it. If you don’t want to sit inside, in one of its eight grand, wood-panelled halls, U Fleků also offers an inner courtyard, which is a lively spot shaded by trees. Even though the pub can potentially accommodate over a thousand guests at one time, I’ve found the service to be impressively quick. Their beer, brewed on site, is very moreish, especially their dark lager.
2. Dva Kohouti
The second entry contrasts with the first, as Dva Kohouti (‘Two Roosters’) is very modern in style. Located just off Karlín Square, Dva Kohouti has a trendy and friendly feel, serving the wide mix of people who live and work in Karlín. Lawyers and businessmen mix with artists and students on Friday evenings, united in enjoyment of beer and outdoor hockey screenings. The pub has a spacious beer garden, and a similarly wide selection of beers on tap every day.
3. Stanice 6
Heading away from the city centre to the northwest, Stanice 6 in the pleasant neighbourhood of Bubeneč is a bar with an unusual view from its beer garden: the tracks of the Dresden‒Prague railway line! The bar is housed in the old Bubeneč station building, now renovated and given a brand new lease of life. The interior is vibrant and fun, and you can enjoy their drinks on what was once a platform, while watching the trains go by. It’s quite a quiet and tucked-away spot, but Stanice 6 can be easily and enjoyably accessed by strolling through Stromovka to the park’s western exit.
4. Café Emauzy
Returning to the New Town, at the southwest corner of Charles Square, you can find the entrance to Emmaus Monastery. This is a site with a lot of history, both medieval and modern. Its 1960s concrete steeples bear witness to the dark days of World War II and the 1945 bombing of Prague. You might not think of heading to a monastery for a drink, but Café Emauzy on the terrace outside the church building offers nice drinks and a superb view looking west over the Vltava towards Smíchov. The beer is good too (from Vinohrady Brewery, as I recall), and is best served with a nice sunset.
5. Břevnov Monastery
Monasteries really do have a strong association with beer, and Břevnov is no exception. They make their own beer there, with a large selection that includes light lager, dark lager, IPA, non-alcoholic beer, wheat beer and even imperial lager (at 9% ABV, that sounds a little risky to me). The brewery has two dates of foundation: 2011, when it was relaunched, and 993, when both the monastery and its brewery were first founded. Food and drink are served inside or outside the monastery’s restaurant, Klášterní šenk. The basilica and grounds are usually open to visit too, making Břevnov well worth a trip out from the city centre.
6. Mrtvá Ryba
Don’t be put off by a pub being called ‘Dead Fish’ in Czech – this is a friendly, unassuming little place, one street away from the Emmaus Monastery. It looks just like an ordinary house, and it’s also right next to the botanical garden of the Natural Sciences Faculty of Charles University. Mrtvá Ryba really puts the ‘garden’ into ‘beer garden’! It’s popular with students, and offers a selection of beers from Kamenice Brewery.
7. Na Slamníku
As you approach it, Na Slamníku looks almost unreal, like a village inn magically teleported to a built-up street in Bubeneč. The truth is though that Na Slamníku, which dates back at least to the 17th century, is original to the area, while Bubeneč has grown up around it! The interior is grand and elegant, but in summer time, it’s only natural to want to enjoy the pub’s secluded beer garden. There you can enjoy the menu of hearty, typically Czech dishes, as well as their well-kept Pilsner and Únětice beer. It’s a lovely piece of Bohemian country life, located between Letná and Stromovka.
8. Kavárna Liberál
I hope you’ll allow me this choice, as it’s not really a beer garden, but rather a beer square! Kavárna Liberál in Holešovice is an oasis of calm, which transitions gracefully over the course of the day from Vienna-like coffee house to Prague-like pub. It’s an airy, spacious hub for musicians and artists, and guests are welcome to stay for hours if they wish. The team at Liberál also serve their food and drink (including Únětice beer) outside, under the trees on Řezáčovo Square, so I think it qualifies for my list of beer gardens.
9. Klub Betlémská
How about a beer in the shadow of a Czech national monument? The Bethlehem Chapel (Betlémská kaple) is a medieval religious building with great symbolic value for the Czech identity, since it was founded in 1391 as a place where all the preaching would be in the Czech language. It was in this space that the reformer Jan Hus spoke to thousands of listeners and stirred up the movement that would become the Hussites. You can reflect on all of that weighty history while having a beer at Klub Betlémská. This bar sits directly opposite the Bethlehem Chapel, on the other side of a small alleyway, and the two buildings are in fact connected by a wooden bridge. Despite its central location, it’s a chilled place that’s popular with young Czechs and has a wide selection of drinks that can be consumed while sitting outside.
10. Letná Beer Garden
There really is no alternative to end this list with. High up on Letná Hill, overlooking both the Vltava and the Old Town of Prague, you can find the Letná Beer Garden (on some sites called ‘Letná Lookout’). While not adventurous in terms of the beers on offer, this Letná spot has a cheery and casual feel, with long tables reminiscent of Oktoberfest. It’s a cash-only bar and there’s a deposit charged for their beer glasses. If you remember to bring cash, you can take your beer and find a nice spot from which to drink in the sights of old Prague. It’s a stunning background, and the view of your beer in the foreground isn’t bad either.
So, that’s my list of beer-garden recommendations for this summer. I hope it helps you to make the most of the sunny season in Prague. Na zdraví!
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