Here are a few dos and don’ts before your big trip!
Do try a few Czech words with servers:
Hello = Ahoj (pronouced like a sailor’s ahoy!)
Good = Dobře
Thank you = Děkuji
Don’t expect Czech desserts to be overly sweet. They use far less sugar than American recipes. (Yes, that means you can have two pieces of cake.)
Do try eating the Czech way with your fork in your left hand and knife in your right hand.
Don’t turn up your nose at anything you’re offered at a Czech home, but only take what you can eat.
Do expect your bread to be freshly baked that morning.
Don’t expect refills on your drinks.
Do ask for vegetarian options if you’re in a tourist area.
Don’t expect a lot of vegetables with your meals. Most items on a Czech menu are heavy on meat and starch.
Do pick up some reading material about Prague, to read while you sit an espresso at a sidewalk cafe. I recommend my novel Night Song, set there during World War II.
Don’t get offended if you’re asked to share a table with people you don’t know. It’s not uncommon.
Do expect lunch meats, salami, cheese, rolls, plain yoghurt, boiled eggs and cucumbers for breakfast. No pancakes and waffles there.
Don’t let your 2-year-old eat the gold filigree in the cathedral, even if it looks like pizza.
Don’t let the name Smazeny syr stop you from eating it. Fried cheese with tarter sauce is a treat—a family favorite and a perfectly acceptable dinner, too!
Do try Czech spa wafers and Czech gingerbread—both are popular in their country and delicious!
Do let me know what you love eating in The Czech Republic!