12 Beautiful Historic Cafes in Prague (2026) recommended by a local

The most beautiful 12 historic cafes in Prague for 2026, including opening times, locations, prices for all budgets and sample menus. I’ve also included interesting stories from the cafe’s pasts, because the history is often so fascinating.

I’ve included my favourite historic cafes in Prague that I regularly go to and I hope you enjoy visiting them too!

The lowdown on Historic cafes in Prague (by a local…)

Whilst you can have a great coffee in many cafes in Prague, there are cafes that have also a great history and have been around since the early 20th century. This is of course with a big gap during the communist times, but you can read all about it in my blog about history of coffee in the Czech Republic.

These historic cafes are perfect for a special breakfast out in Prague, a romantic date or birthday treat, as the decor is very elegant and they (mostly) have prices to match. Some are now mainly visited by the tourists, such as the Municipal House, Black Madonna and Savoy, but some still have the 1930s easy going feel, like Lucerna, Louvre or Adria and you’ll mainly find locals here.

These are also not that kind of cafe places (apart from possibly Lucerna Cafe) where you can open your laptop and work for hours. If you do the chances are that you’ll be shoed away by a busy waiter who is expecting the next group of tourists to arrive.

Booking is not necessary in most of these historic cafes, but from an experience I’d advise that you pre-book Cafe Imperial and Cafe Savoy. These can get fully booked up on busy days during the main season and whilst you can just turn up on the off chance they have some spaces, you are likely to be either turned town or you’ll have quite a long wait.

1. Fantova Kavarna

I’ll start my favourite list of historic cafes with an exception. Whist the Fantova Kavarna and the Foye Cafe are set in very historic surroundings of the original Prague Main Train Station, there were actually no coffee houses there when the building was built. I mean, there would have been a train station restaurant and cafe, but not where it is now and not looking as glamorous!

The Fantova Kavarna is in the space where the original ticket offices were and you can still see the ticket window, where you’d buy your tickets. There are tables outside the ticket windows, but it’s also worth going in as you can sit right next to the original railway safe for the day’s takings and important documents from the ticket office.

The settings are very beautiful as the Prague’s Main Railway Station is one of the most significant Art Nouveau monuments in the Czech Republic. The train station was built between 1901 and 1909 and the main departure hall dome shows motifs and statues symbolising Czech towns which you could reach by railway from the Main Train Station in Prague. The interiors were decorated by sculptors Stanislav Sucharda and Ladislav Šaloun, and the entire historic building was designed by architect Josef Fanta.

2. Foye Cafe

The Foye Cafe is just a few steps from Fanta’s Café, in one of the three newly restored grand halls. You can find the cafe in the first hall, which was originally a waiting room for first and second-class passengers.

This hall had the most work done as it was completely devastated during the communist times. The nationalised railways needed more space for the staff offices and also accommodation flats. In the 1950s, this hall was divided with a second ceiling and the insensitive reconstruction destroyed all the decorations, sculptures, and ornate cornices. The recent restoration has recreated as much detail as they could using old photos, building plans and original drawings.

Food & Drink: This cafe serves mainly light snacks, such as open sandwiches, cakes, pastries and lots of different types of coffee. The Foye Cafe also offers cocktails, beer and vine. Sandwiches: 100 – 200 CZK, Coffee: 60 – 100 CZK, Pastries: 50 – 120 CZK

Great for: Quick coffee whilst you are waiting for your train, very laid back atmosphere, the decor will make you think you should wear a suit or ball gown to enter, but don’t worry you don’t…

• Address: Main Train Station – Hlavni Nadrazi, Wilsonova 300/8, 120 00 Praha 2
• Opening Times: Monday to Sunday: 7:00 AM – 10:00 PM
• Prices: Very reasonable

3. Cafe Louvre

I like Cafe Louvre because it has more laid back atmosphere, traditional food choices and reasonable prices. The cafe has a beautiful decor with elegant 1930s atmosphere and it’s perfect for a traditional Czech breakfast, afternoon coffee & cake or evening meal.

Opened in 1902, Café Louvre was named after the famous Parisian gallery and was frequently visited by important people of the early 20th century, such as Franz Kafka, Albert Einstein, Franz Werfel, Max Brod or Czech actor Eduard Vojan.

It was here in February 1925 that thirty-eight writers gathered for the founding general meeting of the Czechoslovak PEN Club. Its first chairman was Karel Čapek, and the honorary guest of the first PEN Club dinner was the President of the Republic, T. G. Masaryk.

The classic Czech breakfast menu has very reasonable prices and I always order a few different dishes to make up my breakfast (such as scrambled eggs), although you can also order set menus from 100 CZK. The popular pancakes with raspberry sauce and sour cream are 130 CZ and you can even have a breakfast beef goulash with onion if you like for 150CZK!

Breakfast is served between 8-11 am every day.

Great for: Traditional Czech breakfast with budget friendly prices

• Address: Národní 22, Prague 1
• Opening Times: 8 am – 10 pm,
• Prices: Very reasonable

4. Rudolf Cafe at Rudolfinum

I’ve only just recently visited this cafe, because for a long time it was closed and not open to public. The Rudolf Cafe is a bit of a hidden gem, because you first need to use the side entrance of the beautiful Rudolfinum and walk through the Rudolfinum Art Gallery, which is one of few free art galleries in Prague. The Rudolf Cafe is in large open planned room, but since it’s still undiscovered by many, it’s the perfect place to enjoy your afternoon coffee in peace.

My local tip: Great place for a quiet coffee, go there before everyone else finds it…

• Location: Alšovo nábřeží 12, 110 00 Praha 1 (nearest underground stop is Staroměstská on the A (green) line or Staromestska tram stop with tram lines 2, 17, and 18)
• Opening Times: 10 am – 5 pm (closed on Monday’s)
• Prices: Very reasonable

5. Café Slavia

Cafe Slavia is the oldest cafe in Prague, which has been in (almost) continuous use, apart from about 8 years restauration after 1989.

The cafe opened in 1884 and become super popular when the National Theatre (one of the most important theatres in Prague) was opened across the road. Artists from the theatre included actor Jindřich Mošna and theatre director Jaroslav Kvapil as well as writers Jaroslav Seifert, Vítězslav Nezval, Karel Teige, the Čapek brothers, Václav Špála, and Jan Zrzavý, and later Václav Havel and Václav Černý were also frequent visitors.

I also found out that my favourite comedians and writers Simek and Grossman used to write a lot of their work here whilst studying at the Charles University (and probably spending more time in this cafe than at the lectures).

If you are wondering where you have seen the evocative painting of a sad man with a green spirit, it was here. It is called “The Absinthe Drinker” and was painted by Viktor Oliva. There is even an Absinthe taster menu and you can try up to seven different types!

I’m not overly keen on the open plan feel of Slavia, but if you sit by the window you get a great view of the Vltava River and the Prague Castle in the distance.

Food & Drink: Espresso: 85 CZK, Americano 105: Cappuccino: 105 CZK, Hot Chocolate: 120 CZK, Traditional Czech Cake: 145 CZK, Pancakes from 200 CZK, Breakfast Menu (including coffee, juice, and pastries): from 375 CZK, Soups 150 CZK, Mains from 400 CZK,

Best for: Having a feeling that you are drinking coffee in the oldest still working cafe house in Prague, also perfect for pre-theatre dinner. Try the hot chocolate with rum butter, it’s so delicious. And of course, the pancakes with morello cherries and dark chocolate sauce are legendary!

• Address: Smetanovo nábřeží 1012/2, 110 00 Prague 1
• Opening Times: 8:00 AM – 12:00 AM (every day)
• Prices: Higher than average, but still O.K

6. Cafe Adria

Since the late 1920s, the second floor of Palace Adria housed the famous Prague concert cafe Reunion. The current Adria Café was opened in the spring of 2007 and you can see most of the original deco when you visit.

Here you can enjoy excellent coffee and homemade desserts, salads, pasta and risotto, as well as soups. The Adria Cafe is much more than a coffee house, they have a great fusion menu with budget-friendly lunchtime offers during the week, great desserts, coffee, cocktails and a local wine list.

Over the years, I’ve been for breakfast, lunch and afternoon coffees and it was always a great experience. If it’s nice weather definitely sit outside on the balcony – it’s surprisingly quiet there, despite Jungmanovo Square being just underneath. I always thought that the Cafe Adria is a bit of a hidden gem, as it’s tucked away only a few streets from the centre, but unless you know about it, you probably wouldn’t even find the entrance!

Food & Drink: Breakfast from 95 CZK, lunch menu from 170 CZK, tea, coffee from 70 CZK, Adria coffee speciality (espresso coffee, Baileys, vanilla ice cream, coconut & whipped cream) 110 CZK, Beer (Hubertus, Pilsner Urqvell, Velkopopvicky Kozel – Dark beer ) from 65 CZK for 500 ml (just under pint), main menu – soups from 90 CZK, salads from 150 CZK, main courses from 260 CZK, desserts from 100 CZK.

My favourite thing: Sitting outside on the balcony with a great view of Jungmanovo Namesti

• Address: Jungmannovo náměstí (Square), Prague 1 (nearest underground is Mustek – line B)
• Opening Times: Monday – Friday – 8 am – 11 pm, Saturday – Sunday – 9 am – 11 pm
• Prices: Very reasonable

7. Lucerna Cafe

If you want to experience what the 1930s Prague cafe would have felt like, you should definitely visit Lucerna Café. This is not a posh place with high prices, just regular historic cafe, which is largely undiscovered by tourists. It doesn’t try to pretend to be something else, because it’s perfect as it is!

You walk through a double door with a thick curtain to prevent any draft coming in, you need to order and pay for your drink at the bar and you can sit, read paper or book or talk to your friends. There could be students discussing politics, their studies and literature on one table and older ladies sipping coffee with eggnog on the other and everyone is happy. You don’t need to worry about feeling under dressed like in Savoy and just enjoy being here without feeling too self-conscious.

There is a large piano, that’s sometimes used and if you sit here for long enough you will start noticing waves of people coming in and then suddenly leaving. That’s because the cafe is part of the Lucerna cinema (one of my favourite independent cinemas in Prague) and people stop for a drink before they go to watch the latest film.

The cafe opened in early 20th century together with the whole Lucerna Passage and if I didn’t give you enough reasons already to visit, Václav Havel, former Czech president and playwright, spend here quite a lot of time. To be fair it belonged to his family, but Lucerna Cafe just feels like his sort of place anyway.

Food & Drink: Espresso, lungo, americano: 55 CZK, Cappuccino: 65 CZK, Viennese coffee: 75 CZK, Café Lucerna (with walnut liqueur): 85 CZK, Algerian coffee (with eggnog): 85 CZK, Fresh ginger tea: 85 CZK, Hot chocolate: 75 CZK, Mulled wine: 85 CZK, Pilsner 12° (draft) 0.5l: 60 CZK, Slivovice Jelínek 0.04l: 70 CZK, Gin & Tonic (and other cocktails): 120 CZK, Daily dessert selection: 85 CZK per piece, Open-faced sandwich: 45 CZK per piece, Pork crackling spread: 55 CZK, Pickled hermelin cheese: 100 CZK

My favourite thing: Hot apple cider in the winter whilst waiting for the film to start in the art Lucerna Cinema

• Address: Vodičkova 704/36, Prague 1 (off Wenceslas Square)
• Opening Times: Monday to Friday: 8:00 AM – 10:00 PM, Saturday and Sunday: 9:00 AM – 10:00 PM
• Prices: Absolutely normal, this is where locals regularly meet or have a coffee before the cinema starts

8. Grand Café Orient

You can find this historic cafe on the first floor of House of the Black Madonna and it’s the only cafe in the whole world designed in a Cubism style.

The house was built in 1912 by architect Josef Gočár, who designed the whole cafe including all the furnishings, such as chandeliers, lanterns built-in furniture and a bar counter made of dark-stained oak wood. Unfortunately the cafe become less popular at the beginning of the 1920s, apparently because of the cubist style going out of fashion and the floor was converted to offices. It wasn’t until 2005 when the cafe was returned to how it was originally designed and opened again to general public.

If you like architecture, this place is definitely worth visiting and it’s great light space with large windows and really well designed interior.

All the cakes are delicious here, but my favourite desert is the square (Cubist) ‘vetrnik’ a light pastry cake with vanilla custard filling, which is normally made round, but here they make it to fit the style of the building.

Food & Drink: Espresso: 90 CZK, Cappuccino: 120 CZK, Hot Chocolate: 140 CZK, Traditional Czech Cake: 160 CZK, Větrník (cream puff): 150 CZK, Breakfast Menu (including coffee, juice, and pastries): 400 CZK, Lunch Menu (three courses): 700 CZK

• Address: Ovocný trh 569/19, 110 00 Prague 1, Old Town
• Opening Times: Monday to Sunday: 9:00 AM – 10:00 PM
• Prices: Slightly higher than average

9. Art Deco Cafe Imperial

This cafe is part of a hotel, that was built in 1914 and has absolutely stunning Art Deco interior. I’ve particularly enjoyed the breakfast here, but afternoon coffee and cakes are great too.

This is definitely one of my favourite places for breakfast since it’s hard to beat on quality, atmosphere and price. I’ve enjoyed here breakfast many times and it’s always been such a great experience.

The main breakfast buffet is 375 CKZ and includes several large tables full of breakfast goodies to choose from (hot savoury dishes, pastries, granola, fruit, yoghurt and lots more). You can also choose from individual breakfast items, such as hard-boiled eggs with horseradish and butter (150 CZK), French Breakfast (185 CZK) or various filled omelettes (from 160 CZK).

Breakfast is served every day including weekends from 7 am – 10.30. Because this place is super popular, it’s always a good idea to arrive early, especially at the weekend or book in advance.

I recently found out, that some time ago, the café became famous for its doughnut battles! It was inspired by a Czech novel called ‘Saturnin’ by Jirotka, which was originally published in 1943. There is one passage where a one character – Doctor Vlach, categorized people into three groups based on how they would react if a bowl full of sugared doughnuts suddenly appeared in front of them in a café.

Apparently, the first group of people would just stare at the bowl and do nothing, second group of people might think about what it would be like to throw doughnuts at somebody else and the third group, you’ve guessed it, would start to throw the doughnuts.

So based on the idea from the book, the cafe decided to celebrate the publishing of the novel with an offer of bowl of doughnuts for 1,943 crowns (the same amount as the publishing year). This was by no means a cheap entertainment as for the same amount of money you could pay your rent for about 5 months. But, based on what I found such doughnut battles occurred about twice a week! Today, the doughnut battles are a thing of the past, but this story just makes me to appreciate this cafe even more!

Food & Drink: Espresso: 95 CZK, Cappuccino: 125 CZK, Hot Chocolate: 145 CZK, Traditional Czech Cakes: 165 CZK, Breakfast Menu Buffet (including coffee, juice, and pastries): from 375 CZK, Lunch Menu (three courses): 850 CZK

My favourite thing: Definitely the best value breakfast for the quality and the beautiful decor

• Address: Na Poříčí 1072/15, 110 00 Prague 1
• Opening Times: Monday to Sunday: 7:00 AM – 11:00 PM
• Prices: Slightly higher than average, but the quality is worth it

10. Cafe Savoy

This cafe is perfect for a special occasion, because of its lovely interior and (for me) because of the prices too. It’s best to book in advance, especially during the busy tourist season and weekends as the cafe can get full quite quickly. You can just turn up, but be prepared to wait.

The menu is relatively pricey, but the food is delicious – again I had great breakfast is here and the setting is perfect for a romantic meal out, light lunch or traditional Czech dinner. The company that owns Cafe Savoy also runs one of the best artisan bakeries in Prague, so the bread and pastries are truly wonderful.

This café has grandiose Neo-Renaissance interior and the building goes back to the late 19th century. The original café opened in 1893.

Food & Drink: Espresso: 80 CZK, Cappuccino: 110 CZK, Hot Chocolate: 130 CZK, Traditional Czech Cake: 150 CZK, Breakfast Menu (including coffee, juice, and pastries): from 420 CZK, Lunch Menu (three courses): from 750 CZK

The French set breakfast (500CZK) is very special and includes croissants filled with scrambled eggs, truffles and sausages, but you can also have the Continental set breakfast (200 CZK) or full English Breakfast (425CZK). You can also have eggs done in about ten different ways (starting from 180CZK), special Savoy frankfurters or even oysters!

Breakfast is served during weekdays from 8 am to 11.30 am and from 9am – 4 pm at the weekends.

• Address: Vítězná 5, 150 00 Prague 5, Malá Strana
• Opening Times: Monday to Friday: 8:00 AM – 10:30 PM, Saturday and Sunday: 9:00 AM – 10:30 PM
• Prices: Higher than average + includes automatically 10% tip

11. Cafe at Municipal House

If you want to enjoy your coffee in a beautiful Art Nouveau building, then visit to the Municipal House in Prague is a must. The building opened in 1911 and you can take a guided tours of the rooms upstairs, including the balcony where the first Czech republic was announced in 1918.

The cafe has elegant decor with original chandeliers, large windows and a fountain with a marble relief of a nymph.

Food & Drink: Espresso: 95 CZK, Cappuccino: 125 CZK, Hot Chocolate: 145 CZK, Traditional Czech Cake : 165 CZK, Breakfast Menu (including coffee, juice, and pastries): 395 CZK, Lunch Menu (three courses): 695 CZK

• Address: Náměstí Republiky 5, Prague
• Opening Times: Daily from 9:00 AM to 11:00 PM
• Prices: Higher than average, mainly aimed at tourists

12. Mysak Cafe

If you want elegant surroundings, great quality of food and not completely over the top prices, then Mysak is a great place to go.

‘Mysak’ means something like a ‘male mouse’ but the name comes from the original founder – František Myšák, who started his confectionery business in 1904.

He moved the cafe to the current building in 1911 and in 1922 he had the house re-modeled in then popular rondocubist style by Josef Čapek and Josef Gočár.

For decades, Prague families and distinguished personalities visited František Myšák’s confectionery on Vodičkova Street. His sweets were enjoyed by Oldřich Nový and Ema Destinnová, and even President Masaryk had a Myšák cake at his birthday celebration.

Frantisek Mysak was also famous for his orange biscuits (they were delicately flavoured butter biscuits), special vanilla ice cream with caramel topping and for inventing cinema sweets with wrapping from a natural material that didn’t rustle during the film shows. I mean, how cool is that?

The confectionery operated under the Myšák family’s management until 1949, when it was leased to the national enterprise Odkolek, and a year later, it was nationalized.

My favourite thing: Try to find a seat upstairs close to the windows, there is a great view of Vodickova Street from there and the top floor is super glamorous.

Food & Drink: Espresso: 85 CZK, Cappuccino: 115 CZK, Hot Chocolate: 135 CZK, Traditional Czech Cakes 155 CZK, Breakfast Menu (including coffee, juice, and pastries): 375 CZK, Lunch Menu (two courses): 525 CZK

• Address: Vodičkova 710/31, 110 00 Prague 1
• Opening Times: Monday to Friday: 8:00 AM – 7:00 PM, Saturday and Sunday: 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM
• Prices: Maybe slightly higher, but quality is great

This blog post was originally written on 14 November 2024 and last updated on 14 November 2024

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