Typical Czech cuisine is based on meat (pork, beef, duck), bread or potato dumplings (knedlíky), and soups.
Among the most important traditional Czech dishes are pork knuckle, Czech goulash, Prague ham, and trdelník.
Knedlíky are typical Bohemian dumplings, a cornerstone of traditional cuisine. Among the most common are Houskové knedlíky, made with flour, milk, eggs, and cubes of stale bread. They are boiled or steamed into a cylindrical shape and then sliced.
Prague ham, originally from Bohemia, is a variety of smoked cooked ham. Its distinctive feature is the beechwood smoking that occurs at the end of cooking, giving it its unmistakable aroma.
Trdelník is the iconic street food dessert of Prague, but it is also typical of Hungarian and Slovak cuisine. It is a spiral of sweet leavened dough rolled around a wooden or metal roller and baked over embers. It can be enjoyed in its classic form or filled with chocolate, among many other variations.
The Czech Republic is considered the birthplace of beer and has long held the world record for the highest per capita consumption. The Czech Republic’s most famous commercial beer is Pilsner Urquell, the world’s first pale, golden lager. (Pilsner Urquell: The Original Beer Experience Prague)
Becherovka is the iconic Czech herbal liqueur, produced since 1807 in the spa town of Karlovy Vary. Its alcohol content is 38.5% vol. and it has a bittersweet taste with a complex aromatic profile dominated by notes of cinnamon and cloves.
Havel Market is the only open-air market located in the historic center of Prague, between Old Town Square and Wenceslas Square. Among the stalls you can find fresh fruit and vegetables, Bohemian honey, ceramics and numerous traditional Czech souvenirs.
