the Czech Republic

Traditional guláš is a hearty meat stew served with a dark red sauce that is heavily seasoned with paprika. Through history, this dish with Hungarian origins has become one of the most common meals in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. The two countries have created their unique versi... Read more

Czech knedlíky are traditional savory and sweet dumplings created with various ingredients. The main savory varieties include houskový, made with soaked bread, bramborové, made with mashed potatoes, syrove, made with cheese, and the plain yeast dump... Read more

Bublanina is a light sponge cake prepared with eggs, butter, sugar, flour, and a variety of different fruits such as cherries, strawberries, blueberries, apricots, and fragrant plums and pears. The sponge is occasionally lightly flavored with vanilla or lemon zest, pairing perfectly with the deli... Read more

Koláče or kolache (plural: kolaches) is a sweet pastry roll that is traditionally topped with plums or plum jam, cheese, or poppy seeds. Modern toppings might include fruit such as apricots, blueberries, cherries, lemon, pineapples, or raisins. Its name is derived from th... Read more

Řízek is the Czech version of the famous Austrian Wiener schnitzel, consisting of thin, tenderized pieces of meat that are coated in a combination of breadcrumbs, flour, and eggs. The meat is then gently fried in oil or butter. The Austrian version is exclusively made with veal, a... Read more

This delicious beef dish is one of the best-known creations of Czech cuisine. It is made with marinated braised beef, usually tenderloin, served in a creamy vegetable sauce made with carrots, celeriac, and parsley root. The dish is usually spiced with thyme, bay leaves, and allspice, which lend t... Read more

These sweet, fruit-filled Czech dumplings appear in numerous varieties throughout the country. They are made with either leavened or potato dough, or the combination of wheat flour and fresh quark cheese. The fillings, which are completely enclosed in the dumplings, might include various fruits, ... Read more

Perníčky is a term used to describe traditional Czech cookies spiced with cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, allspice, and ginger. They are usually cut out into different shapes and decorated with chocolate, yogurt, sliced almonds, candy, and sugar glaze, or simply dusted with powdered sugar. In th... Read more

Houska is a popular Czech bread roll, simple and small in size. It is made with plain wheat flour, milk, yeast, salt, and, occasionally, eggs. Before baking, it is usually braided and shaped into a plump circular form resembling a knot. The top is sprinkled with coarse sea salt, and either carawa... Read more

This Hungarian tube-shaped pastry popularly known as chimney cake traces its origin to the medieval era Székely Land—back then a part of the Kingdom of Hungary. The first known recipe titled Kürtős kaláts’ à la Mrs Poráni was found in... Read more

Although it appears in numerous varieties throughout the country, this traditional Czech meatloaf is usually prepared with a combination of ground beef and pork, eggs, soaked bread, and a variety of spices such as marjoram and cumin. Shaped into loaves, it is occasionally enriched with smoked bac... Read more

In Czech folklore, the best cure for a cold or a hangover is a bowl of česnečka, a traditional garlic soup. Although garlic is the key ingredient, the soup also incorporates potatoes, meat broth, onions, and traditional spices such as caraway and marjoram. This healthy dish is usually topped with... Read more

Tlačenka is the Czech version of gelatinous head cheese. It consists of different pork cuts, mainly offal that is simmered with chopped up trotters, poured into pig's intestines, and cooled until solid. Tlačenka is usually shaped into long and large cylindrical tubes and served in thick ... Read more

Olomoucké tvarůžky is a unique table cheese produced from fat-free sour curd in the Haná region in the Czech Republic. It has a savory, piquant flavor that develops during the ripening phase due to the influence of the microflora on its surface. Depending on the length of r... Read more

Uzené is a Czech term which refers to a variety of smoked meat products such as pork joints, pork ribs, or different types of ham. Whether they are industrially produced or smoked in traditional smokehouses, uzené products are often served as cold cuts and enjoyed as appetizers, alt... Read more

Špekáčky/špekačky is a short, plump golden-brown sausage which has been produced for more than 100 years in the Czech Republic. The production later spread throughout former Czechoslovakia and; therefore, the Slovak Republic and the Czech Republic jointly sought the ... Read more

Jihočeská Niva is a blue cheese made from cow's milk, produced in the South Bohemia region in the Czech Republic since 1951. It must weigh approximately 2,8 kilogrammes and has a washed rind with a semi-waxy finish and blue-green mould on the creamy to light-brown coloured exterior. On the... Read more

Opal is an apple variety that was developed in Prague in 1999. The apples are a cross between Golden Delicious and Topaz. They are medium to large in size and round. The skin is lemon yellow, while the texture of the flesh is soft and crisp. The flavors are sweet and slightly tart with h... Read more

Pražská šunka is a traditional ham made on the bone, boneless, or tinned, in the Czech Republic. The boned variety must not exceed 10 kilograms in weight and has one side covered with golden yellow skin. The meat is pink and tender when sliced and the texture is firm and co... Read more

Lovecký salám or lovecká saláma is a special dark brown salami that's well known in the Czech Republic and the Slovak Republic as a traditional delicacy with a flat, rectangular shape and a distinctive flavor. The origin of the salami can be traced ba... Read more

Čvarci or ocvirki is a traditional specialty that's popular in Southeastern Europe and the Balkans. This variety of pork rinds or cracklings is usually homemade, and it's made by thermally extracting fat from the lard. The lard is usually cut into blocks and fried in its own fat until it... Read more

This popular Czech snack is prepared with pitted and sliced apples that are slowly air-dried or dehydrated in the oven. Depending on the size and cut, their texture varies from thin and crispy to thick and chewy. Although they are most commonly enjoyed as a quick and healthy snack, křížaly... Read more

Although sauerkraut or sour fermented cabbage is most known as German national food, it has origins in China, when it was made from shredded cabbage that was fermented in rice wine. Some claim that it was brought to Europe by Genghis Khan after his plunders in China. In Europe, they use salt inst... Read more

Jihočeská Zlatá Niva is a blue cheese made in the South Bohemia region in the Czech Republic from processed cow's milk from the region. Zlatá Niva is a round cheese with a washed rind with blue or green mould on the semi-waxy, creamy or light brown exterior. On the interior, ... Read more

Pilsner is a beer style that originated in Pilsen (Plzeň), a city in western Bohemia. It was first brewed in 1842, making it one of the youngest beer styles to appear in modern brewing. The style originated when the citizens of Pilsen, who grew unhappy with the quality of the beer, decid... Read more

The original Becherovka was created by a British doctor Frobrig. He passed down the recipe to Josef Becher who perfected it and initially put it on the market as a medical remedy in 1807, under the name English Bitter. Despite the political and war turmoil in the 20th century, B... Read more

České pivo is a term that refers to a variety of beers produced throughout the whole Czech Republic that have a Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) mark. The mark is used by fourteen breweries in the country for more than 80 brands of beer, which is about 65% of the total dome... Read more

This traditional Czech drink was invented in the 19th century as a substitute for the original Caribbean rum. It is usually distilled from potatoes or sugar beets to create a base that is then enriched with rum essence. The drink was initially classified as rum and carried the name tuzemsk&ya... Read more

Cabernet Moravia is a hybrid grape from the Czech Republic that was created by crossing Zweigelt (Zweigeltrebe) and Cabernet Franc varieties. The grape was created by Lubomír Glos from Moravská Nová Ves, and although it was first crossed in the 1970s, it was official... Read more

Moravian muscat is a Czech grape variety that was created by crossing Muscat Ottonel and the rare Prachtraube grape. Although the grape is also suitable for the production of sweet and sparkling wines, it is mostly used as a blending grape and in production of dry varietal wines. Dry wines produc... Read more

Pálava is a Czech grape variety that was created as a cross between Müller Thurgau and Gewürztraminer (Tramín červený). In 1977, this hybrid was officially recognized as a grape variety. It is mainly cultivated in Moravia, on the foothills of the eponymous ... Read more

Českobudějovické pivo is a moderately bitter beer produced in the Czech Republic. The water used in the preparation process must come from the underground lake of the České Budějovice Basin, the hops come from the Žatec area, and the malting barley is grown in the Moravia r... Read more

Znojemské pivo is a beer produced in several varieties in the Znojmo area in the Czech Republic. It can be produced as a light or dark draught beer and a lager. Only three ingredients are used in the production process – barley malt, water, and hops. The water is provided by... Read more

Černá Hora is produced in the namesake municipality and in the oldest brewery in Moravia that dates from 1530. The beer comes in several varieties, which are all produced with traditional techniques and methods that have been present in the area from the 13th century. Two basic va... Read more

Mlíko is a traditional Czech beer pour that fills the glass predominantly with wet foam, giving it the appearance of milk. This unique serving style, whose name translates to "milk" in Czech, involves slightly opening the tap to allow foam to fill the glass, with just a small amount of liq... Read more

Chodské pivo has been produced in the historic Chodsko region (Plzeň) since the 12th century. It is made from locally sourced water with low mineral content, hops, malt, and yeast. Only Žatecký poloraný červeňák, Sládek, and Premia... Read more