Eating vegan in Prague

At the risk of boring myself by proclaiming that yet another place is ‘really good’ for vegan food, let me tell you; Prague was really good for vegan food.

I actually had zero expectations about what it would be like (not in the sense that I was preparing myself for slim pickings, in the sense that I just hadn’t thought about it at all) and I hadn’t done any research before we landed, so it could have gone either way. Happily, it went the best way, and I ate some great stuff there, so naturally I felt compelled to record it, lest anyone else happen to need recommendations in the near or distant future.

As usual, I used a mix of Happy Cow, Tripadvisor and general googling to find these places. We did it all either on the go or over a coffee, so there’s lots to choose from, but a massive shout out has to go to Veggie Visa for this blog post, which lists so many vegan friendly places in Prague that I think I’d have to go back about 20 times to get around them all.

Given that I think that post is pretty much the best vegan guide to Prague you could hope for, I won’t pretend that this is intended as that – more of a ‘what I ate in Prague’, and if you happen to be vegan or indeed a travelling human who eats food, you might be interested. I’ve separated them into mealtimes and the category they’re in reflects what we had there, but plenty serve all day. Here goes!

Coffee and snacks

Donut Shop Prague: I’m not usually one to start with a sweet treat (more of a savoury gal) but I do like me a vegan donut. Small and trendy, Donut Shop is situated in Prague 3, and we passed by it – by which I mean I google mapped our route intentionally to do so – on our way back towards the centre from the TV tower. Apparently the coffee is great here, but I can’t comment as we just grabbed a takeaway donut. They’re not all vegan, but there are several dairy free options and my chocolate and cherry number was a delight.

Moment Vegan Bistro: Let me be honest; I went here hoping to see a dog. I saw reviews that mentioned dogs and I wanted in on that. Luckily it wasn’t a wasted trip, because it’s also just a really cool place, located in Prague 2, and entirely vegan. I had a delicious and seemingly neverending fancy tea and a good-but-not-fantastic lemon cinnamon bun. The brunch menu, however, sounded excellent. I’ll be back here next time I’m in Prague to try it (and also second time lucky for the dogs amiright?!).

Brunch/Lunch

Satsang: If you’re staying in the old town and prefer not to get public transport, Satsang may feel like quite long trip, unless there’s something else you happen to want to see in the area. I am here to tell you not to give in to laziness; it is worth whatever bus, tram, or walk you have to do to reach it. The décor is wonderful (if I had bothered to make myself look presentable, I would have insisted on taking photos of myself in here), the owner is warm and friendly, and YOU CAN BUILD YOUR OWN SCRAMBLED TOFU BRUNCH. It’s veggie rather than vegan, so if you’re travelling with people who would rather have eggs that’s an option, but you essentially start with your base and add whatever additions you want – including vegan sausage, tempeh, all manner of veg and herbs and a whole lot more. There are lots of lovely sounding things on the lunch and dinner menu too.

Vegans Prague: A couple of people recommended this place to me on Instagram, so it was on our radar, but I’d also heard it was overrated. Still, the location fit so well with our plans we chanced it anyway and were delighted that we did, even after a little while queuing. We both chose one of the Czech Specialities, the Svíčková, (apparently a Czech sauce made from root vegetables and vegetable cream, with homemade dumplings and cranberry jam) which was served with smoked tempeh. Obviously I can’t comment on the authenticity of this but we really enjoyed it. It’s in the Lesser Town so ideal for tying into a trip to Prague castle, the John Lennon wall, or any other general wandering you might be doing in that area.

Paprika: This place was packed (and really quite stressful) when we went – but the houmous and falafel were some of the best I’ve ever had and certainly made up for it. I opted for the falafel and vegan schwarma wrap, but they also do hummus plates, pittas, tapas, salads, and desserts. They do serve meat, but they do meat free Mondays (in case you happen to be travelling with meat eaters). Sit in if you catch it quiet but if its not – particularly if you’re not someone who likes crowded spaces – grab it to take away and eat it somewhere more relaxing. Like bed, which is what I did.

Dinner

Belzepub: Oh my lord, this burger. I’d heard good things, and I was not disappointed; it’s what I feel compelled to call a ‘proper’ burger, in the sense that it feels really substantial and can get pretty messy. They’ve got vegan cheese so we also went for the nachos (v.good) and some fries and it did an excellent job of prepping us for a few drinks that night. It’s in Prague 3, open from 5pm on weekdays, and it’s not immediately welcoming, but persevere and you shall be rewarded.

Mr Hotdog: This was where we ate on our first night, when we’d been subsisting on airport sandwiches from Boots and coffee all day, and wanted something a bit more exciting. Most of the menu involves meat, but their soy hotdog (which is the veggie dog) is vegan – and it’s help yourself to pickles, onions, relish and sauces. Despite the limited options, it’s so good it deserves a mention, particularly for the fries, which are some of the best I’ve had anywhere. Find it in Letna, over the river from the Old Town.

Etnosvet: This may be a case of having saved the best until last, because Etnosvet was potentially my favourite meal we had in Prague. It’s a little pricier than anywhere else we ate, but not properly expensive; make this your ‘fancy’ dinner of the trip and you’ll still be eating on a very respectable budget. Feeling bougie, we went for three courses and they were all fantastic; vegan steak tartar, fried sushi, and an avocado crème brulee. I am genuinely sad that this place isn’t near me because there are so many other things on the menu I’d love to try.

And that’s where we ate vegan in Prague. If you’re interested in what we got up to aside from stuffing our faces, my travel diary is here – and if you try or have tried any of these places, let me know what you think!