The 11 Best Cafés & Coffee in Prague

A grand first-floor café on Národní open since 1902, where Einstein and Kafka once sat — and unlike many legend-cafés, it's still good and still fair-priced. Proper breakfasts from 8am, a billiard hall, and efficient old-school service. It's big and busy, so it hums rather than charms; come for the institution, not intimacy.

One of Prague's most respected specialty coffee bars, run by serious baristas who source and roast with care. The flat white and filter coffee are consistently excellent, and the small food menu is thoughtfully curated. It gets very busy at peak hours and seating is limited, so go mid-morning on a weekday if you can.

A beloved neighbourhood café in bohemian Žižkov with mismatched furniture, a warm community feel, and reliably good espresso drinks. The homemade cakes change daily and are genuinely worth ordering. It can get crowded on weekend mornings and the space is small, but it captures authentic Prague café culture beautifully.

A pioneering specialty coffee shop that helped launch Prague's third-wave coffee scene and remains one of the best. The baristas are knowledgeable and happy to guide you through the rotating single-origin filter options. Karlín is a great neighbourhood to explore around it, though the café itself is compact and fills up fast.

A handsome, high-ceilinged café in a beautiful Vinohrady apartment building that feels like a proper European café should. The coffee is well-made, the cake selection is excellent, and the atmosphere is calm enough to read or work without feeling rushed. It can be hard to get a table on weekend afternoons when the neighbourhood descends en masse.

A community-run café inside a cultural centre in Žižkov that operates on a pay-what-you-can model for some items, making it one of the most inclusive spaces in Prague. The coffee is honest and the atmosphere is genuinely alternative and welcoming. Hours can be irregular so check ahead, and the space is deliberately rough around the edges.

Prague's legendary riverside café, open since 1881 opposite the National Theatre — dissidents plotted here, Havel was a regular, and the window view of Prague Castle at dusk is unbeatable. A friend sends you for coffee, dessert, and the view with evening piano. Honest caveat: the food is average and service can be brisk; treat it as a café, not a restaurant.

A neighbourhood café and wine bar in Smíchov that has built a loyal local following for its relaxed vibe, good natural wine list, and quality coffee. The food menu is simple but well-executed, leaning on seasonal Czech and European ingredients. It's off the tourist radar entirely, which is exactly the point.

A stylish, plant-filled café in residential Vinohrady that doubles as a community space and occasional event venue. The coffee programme is solid specialty-grade, and the all-day food menu with avocado toast and grain bowls is genuinely good. It draws a young professional crowd and can be noisy on weekends.

A grand Art Nouveau café inside the Hotel Imperial, famous for its extraordinary ceramic tile mosaics covering every surface. Order the breakfast set or a slice of cake alongside a proper espresso. Service can feel slightly stiff and prices reflect the hotel setting, but the interior alone is worth the visit.

A gorgeous 1893 café below Petřín with a carved neo-Renaissance ceiling, run by the Ambiente group — Prague's most famous fancy breakfast. The pastries from the in-house bakery and the eggs are genuinely excellent. Honest caveat: it's now an Instagram pilgrimage site; without a reservation, weekend waits can eat your morning.