Prague Eats & Treats

At the foot of the hill near Strahov Monastery, near a tram line stop, is Restaurace a Penzion U Svejku. We stopped here several times in our month in Prague. Go for lunch, grab a table outside, and people watch. Sometimes we would be seated with strangers, which made for a different but not unpleasant experience. We would channel our inner "Rick Steves" and simply take in our surroundings and talk with locals, if possible.

My husband claimed that the food reminded him of that his Boheman grandmother used to make when he was a kid.

I think the food at the Strahov Monastery is about as good as one can find in Prague, and their beer is outstanding. Husinec restaurace near Wenceslas Square is quite authentic. They specialize in duck.

Honestly, if you like Czech food, good restaurants are on nearly every corner. If you don't, you're in trouble. I happen to love Czech food.

@Carol and @jphbucks -

Thank you so much for your detailed replies. I've made notes on both, and appreciate that you took the time to help!

All the best!

Ok the one unique thing we came across is 'trdelniks". It's an ice cream treat that we saw all over. I'm not sure it's traditional or a recent development but certainly popular.

BRAMBORAČKA - potato soup was traditional. Like most places, I think you have to get away from the heavily touristed center to find non-international food.

+1 for Strahov Monastery!
Traditional food and good beer experience too!

I travel to Prague frequently for work (with a theater company), and these are a few of my favorite eateries where I have also taken other visitors. They aren't "traditional Czech" food offerings, but are places both locals and ex-pats go:

Cafe Savoy, across the Vltava RIver from the National Theatre building -- in an historic building (peep the beautiful ceiling! enjoy the view into the baking kitchen and the wine room as you head towards the restrooms!). Good for brunch, or a nightcap/dessert later in evening.
Luka Lu, just a couple blocks away from Cafe Savoy -- fun, funky decor; Mediterranean food (think grilled fish and meats; and some delicious bread and cheese that's served before the meal); reasonable prices; quaffable house wines by the carafe.
Creme de la Creme or Angelato for ice cream and sorbets in seasonal flavors. Long lines sometimes, and for good reason. (And there's an ice cream museum in the lower level of the Creme de la Creme location on Narodni!)
Artic Bakehouse as well as Bakeshop for bread, pastries, and take-away coffee. Bakeshop also has quiche, soup, sandwiches, salads for eat-in or to-go.
In the Vinohrady area, I like lunch or dinner at U Bulinu (air-conditioned! and good daily specials), or Las Adelitas (authentic Mexican food, and mango margaritas).

Also, check out the Prague Haps FB page as well as www.expats.cz for other food suggestions. The foodie scene has really grown over the last 14 years that I've been visiting, and most of that is locally-grown businesses.