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PRAGUE A CITY CLOTHED IN GOLD By Evan Rail
PRAGUE For people who haven’t traveled to Prague recently, the Czech capital might seem like a known quantity: a city with a thousand years of architecture, cheap beer and often boring restaurants where the most unusual ingredients are the doughy dumplings. But Prague is developing so quickly that many locals still haven’t heard of all the next big things: flashy new art galleries, dynamically developing old neighborhoods, great bars — beyond and including beer — and new restaurants with flavorful offerings from classic steaks and chops to Asian spice. In fact, so many new developments have appeared in Prague that you could spend an entire weekend visiting only those places that have opened in the past couple of years. See Prague Castle, Charles Bridge and all the other classic attractions. But finish out your stay with some of the vibrant newcomers.
FRIDAY Clean Up
5 p.m.
Buildings — and residents — in Old Town have cleaned up nicely of late. In the once-decrepit Palac Dlouha, an Art Deco landmark, the new ground-floor shopping arcade includes Sisters, an airy bistro with gourmet open-faced sandwiches (25 to 49 koruna, or $1.25 to $2.50, at 19.50 korunas to the dollar) that make perfect late-afternoon snacks. A block away, two-year-old Eterno Moderno offers vintage and new fashions, mostly for women, some made out of recycled fabric; across the street, Kuraz stocks clothing and accessories from a variety of young Czech designers, like knee-high stockings printed with insects, revolvers and other unusual patterns. Even gentlemen are getting in on the act: Across Wenceslas Square, the Room has been selling men’s wear from artsy Northern European brands like Denmark’s Libertine-Libertine and Royal Republiq for the past two years. And just around the corner, Thomas’s Barber Shop offers a Scotch, cigar, handwrap, haircut and straight-razor shave package that costs 1,600 koruna.
Opulent Oligarchy
7 p.m.
Like many European cities Prague has gone crazy for fancy hamburgers, and there’s nothing quite like the “oligarch burger” at the eight-month-old George Prime Steak: a juicy patty of imported aged American wagyu with foie gras, black truffle aioli, Brillat-Savarin cheese and — of course! — ribbons of 24-karat gold, creating a juicy, smoky explosion of savory flavors that is safely served only in the bar (990 koruna). The burger gets the most attention, but the real draws at this sleek chophouse are the rib-eyes, filets mignons and strip steaks,
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including a 34-ounce porterhouse for two (1,950 koruna), all sourced from the United States. There is also a line of rare American whiskeys that arguably stops at a 22-year-old rye from Hirsch Selection (550 koruna), since the rarest name on the list, 23-year-old Van Winkle bourbon, is usually sold out. Clearly, some oligarchs have good taste. Dinner for two without wine, 2,500 to 4,000 koruna.
Cure Thyself
10:30 p.m.
A few of the movers and (literal) shakers in London’s cocktail scene are Czech bar owners and bartenders, several of whom have recently returned to mix up concoctions in Prague. The best newcomer is Bonvivant’s, a small speakeasy in Old Town that opened this past winter, serving drinks prepared with their own house-made flavorings, including rose-hip-andhibiscus bitters (cocktails, around 150 koruna). After a highball, wander the cobblestone streets until you stumble across the twoyear-old Anonymous Bar, which takes its design inspiration from “V for Vendetta” and offers similarly theatrical drinl, like the St. Marry’s Virus cocktail (175 koruna), served from a giant syringe.
April 2014 LEFT/BOTTOM RIGHT: Prague’s skyline glistens in the night; Home to Art Nouveau artist Mucha, colorful art and stained glass accent the city
SATURDAY High Grade
10 a.m.
Don’t settle for hotel coffee. For years, high-grade arabica was hard to find in Prague, though that changed with the arrival of a few quality cafes and artisanal roasting houses. In touristfriendly Old Town, however, a big gap remained. The newest arrival, Original Coffee, opened earlier this year, close to the church of Jan Hus at Betlemske Namesti. Afterword, burn off that caffeine energy with a morning constitutional. Although the neighborhood is home to many tourist attractions, Saturday mornings often have fewer crowds, and tiny, little-used streets like nearby Zlata and Stribrna offer plenty of beautiful photo opportunities.
Pair Thee Well
Noon
Yes, Prague is a beer town, but quality wine is more and more common, especially at meals. The vanguard of the city’s wine culture is Vinograf, a year-old wine bar and restaurant at Senovazne Namesti, which serves well-selected Czech wines, mostly from the sunny regions of South Moravia, alongside imports from Austria, France, Italy, Hungary and elsewhere. The menu features Mediterranean and Continental recipes — think of roast pork tenderloin with paprika sauce — that pair well with the 650 or so available bottles. Lunch for two without wine, about 1,000 koruna.
Georges Prime Steak American, Steakhouse
Vinograf Wine, Tapas “Nice wines in a quiet setting.” -TripAdvisor user SaffaNick
U Vodoucha European, Pub, Czech
Original Coffee Cafe, Coffee “They clearly take their coffee making seriously.” -TripAdvisor user AliceB_NZ
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PRAGUE Hotel Residence Agnes Location: Stare Mesto (Old Town) Price Range: $146 - $244
Pod Vezi Location: Mala Strana (Little Quarter) Price Range: $113 - $181
Unitas Hotel Location: Stare Mesto (Old Town) Price Range: $121 - $334
Side Streets
2 p.m.
The grungy Zizkov district has developed its colorful cultural life even more in recent years, with a handful of new art galleries north of Skroupovo Namesti. Start out at the twoyear-old Drdova Gallery, whose current exhibition includes work from Jiri Thyn, Federico Diaz and Hynek Alt. Two blocks from there you’ll find Hunt Kastner Artworks, which moved to Zizkov one year ago, down the block from the City Surfer Office, a gallery and exhibition space run by a collective that also has its own record label. On nearby side streets visit the unusual Bliss Farm Gallery, which turns antique photos into horror-inspired works of art, and 35m2, a tiny exhibition space behind Café Pavlac, where you can finally stop for refreshments.
Vintage Designs
4 p.m.
Fashion in Zizkov and Vinohrady usually means street wear and retro style. During the week, you can sift through Bohemian Retro’s impressive collection of men’s and women’s vintage clothing, mostly from the former Czechoslovakia; the shop is generally closed on weekends, so call to check. A decent alternative on a Saturday afternoon: Prague Thrift Store, a less-curated collection of leather trench coats, blazers and even secondhand books. For ladies’ street wear from Czech designers, try Pour Pour, which stocks decorated acrylic bracelets (390 koruna) and leather backpacks (2,500 koruna), as well as tutu-inspired skirts and dresses.
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ABOVE LEFT/RIGHT: Cafes and cuisine on every corner; Biking is a convenient form of transportation in the grungy Zizkov District
April 2014
“Prague’s reputation for great beer is well deserved.” Tap Race
Enjoy a pint of Bohemian beer on tap in a local neighborhood pub
Liberal Arts
5 p.m.
Many interesting new developments in the city’s northern districts of Holesovice and Bubenec fly under the radar. Start out at the excellent two-year-old Kavarna Liberal, an old-school coffeehouse with high ceilings, refreshing spirits and free Wi-Fi, where you can ask the friendly locals for tips. Down the street, check to see if the four-month-old Galerie Zari, an unusual exhibition space, is open on weekends, as the schedule has recently changed; the neighboring Galerie Petr Novotny should be open on Saturdays later this spring.
Curry Favor
7 p.m.
Many of the old favorites in Old Town have changed names, owners and cooks repeatedly. Once called Molly Malone’s, the pub on U Obecniho Dvora street is now known as the James Joyce: although the pints of O’Hara’s stout make a nice change from Prague’s ubiquitous pilsners, the ace card here is the pub’s new list of spicy curries. The menu comes from the in-house Sexy Curry Company, which offers jalfrezi, Cape Malay and Thai green curries prepared by Sofia Smith, the chef responsible for several of Prague’s best-loved restaurants. Dinner for two without wine, about 1,000 koruna.
9 p.m.
Prague’s reputation for great beer is well deserved. The front-runner, Zly Casy, in the south-central Prague district of Nusle, has led the craft beer tap race for years (it now has 48), but last year the pub got yet another expansion, and a new grill menu. Other neighborhood pubs include the excellent U Vodoucha in Zizkov, serving Bohemian cuisine and beers mostly from regional brewers. And in the very center of Prague, the stylish, year-old T-Anker bar atop the Kotva department store offers Czech, German and Belgian craft brews on a rooftop terrace.
SUNDAY
Contemporary Comfort
10 a.m.
Even the formerly run-down 28 Rijna street has blossomed, welcoming several new shops, including a branch of Harmont & Blaine, an Italian producer of upscale casual wear. The stunner, however, is a new outpost of Julius Meinl, the delicatessen in Vienna that opened its three-story food emporium and restaurant here last winter. Even if you don’t feel like buying a whole Mediterranean octopus or one of the 450 kinds of cheese, the renovated Secessionist building is a must-see. Afterward, recover two doors down with a bowl of contemporary comfort food: hearty tonkotsu ramen (240 koruna), filled with pork, seaweed and soft-boiled eggs, at the two-month-old Kitchen Ramen Bar. You can have dumplings some other time. Pragues oldest bridge the Charles Bridge, built in 1402
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