The best of cute & cozy cafés for cold winter evenings

There are many places in Prague to enjoy a good cup of coffee whether you’re looking for a place to study, read or meet up with friends. Today, the coffee culture in Prague is alive and kicking and there are many cool alternative cafés popping up all over the city. Explore several of the large number of cafés – each with its authentic vibe, and with a wide range of coffees on offer. Czech cafés usually have more than an espresso, cappuccino, latte or macchiato – for those with a sweet tooth there is the Viennese coffee, which is served with whipped cream on top, and Algerian or Irish coffee with a dash of liquer are also common on the menus.

Lucerna Café (Kavárna Lucerna)

Once you’re in the Lucerna passage, walk up the stairs covered with the red carpet on the left and you will find yourself in the beautiful and elegant Lucerna Café. Due to its location this is a perfect spot to stop to have a hot drink and relax just a few steps away from the hustle and bustle of the city center. Sit next to the large windows to take in the charm of the Art Nouveau passage, which boasts the intriguing sculpture of St Wenceslas on his upside down dead horse by the controversial Czech artist, David Černý. They offer an array of drinks including tea, coffee, wine, beer, cocktails, and snacks. The Art Nouveau cinema, which is located right by the café is one of a kind and we strongly recommend checking it out. For more information, see http://www.restaurace-monarchie.cz/en/cafe-lucerna.

The Globe Café and Bookstore

This lovely café, restaurant and a bookstore with a large number of books in English is a popular hangout spot among expats and study abroad students, who come here to cram for exams. The Globe was established in 1993 as the first English bookstore in Prague and has been a cultural meeting point since then. Besides a wide range of coffees the menu features burgers, salads, cakes, and delicious brunch on the weekends (their American-style pancakes are exquisite). The restaurant itself is stunning with its round staircase, high windows, and red walls. It also doubles as an exhibition space featuring original contemporary art. The bookstore is located in the front of café and besides books you can also purchase here newspapers and magazines in English, French, German, Spanish, or Russian. The Globe also hosts a number of events (both on weekdays and weekends) such as live concerts, Sunday movie nights, Reading groups meetings, or Karaoke nights. For more, visit: http://www.globebookstore.cz/.

MamaCoffee Café

MamaCoffee started as a small coffeehouse on Londýnská Street in Vinohrady, Prague 2, and has grown to a chain with six locations with the most spacious coffeehouse in Vodičkova Street, which also serves great homemade snacks as well. Their specialty is selling Arabica fair trade coffee (from Ethiopia, Columbia, Honduras, etc.) teas, coffee makers, homemade muffins, cookies and chocolate. With its great coffee, tasty soup, quiches and pastries and its cozy interior, Mamacoffee will instantly win your heart over. You can also purchase freshly ground coffee to take home with you. For more information about the locations, see: http://www.mamacoffee.cz/.

Kávovarna

Another place worth a visit is this cute and crowded coffee shop, located in the Lucerna passage. Great for people watching and with their two rooms (smoking and non-smoking) this coffee shop, along with Lucerna Café, retains the veneer of the past. Their specialty is a wide variety of syrup-flavored sodas, milkshakes, and of course a wide range of coffees. Always lively and crowded, it is a place made to relax and hang out with friends on a cold winter evening. For more, see: https://www.facebook.com/kavovarna.

By Vero Arutyunyan

veronika.arutyunyan@gmail.com