Best pizza in Prague: how to find a good one

Pizza is on every Prague street corner, and that is the problem. Between the frozen disc under a heat lamp and a Neapolitan pie that blisters in ninety seconds there is a lot of room for disappointment.

There is no ranked list below, and that is deliberate. We cannot verify rankings, and owners, ovens and menus change faster than a guide can. What you get is the two main styles, a two-minute test for any pizzeria and a way to find the current good ones yourself.

The two styles worth knowing

Neapolitan pizza comes from Naples. The dough is soft and stretchy, the rim (cornicione) puffs up and is often charred in spots, and the middle is thin and a little wet. It is baked very quickly in a very hot oven, traditionally wood-fired, and eaten with knife and fork or folded. An association in Naples, the AVPN, certifies pizzerias that follow the traditional rules, and some pizzerias outside Italy hold the certificate.

Roman pizza comes in two forms. Tonda romana is a round, thin and crisp pizza. Pizza al taglio is baked in large rectangular trays and sold by the slice, traditionally by weight. It is a street-food format, with a thicker, airier base.

Many Prague pizzerias fall between the two, and that is fine. What matters is that the kitchen knows what it is making.

Five checks in two minutes

The oven. A wood-fired or very hot electric oven in view is a good sign. Pizza from a standard oven can still be good, but a very hot oven makes the best crust.

The dough. Look at the rim. A puffy, uneven, slightly charred edge suggests fermentation and heat. A flat, pale, biscuit-like edge suggests a rushed base. Ask whether the dough rests; a good kitchen is proud of the answer.

The menu. A short menu of pizzas is a better sign than a long one that also offers pasta, burgers and sushi. Specialists tend to do one thing carefully.

The toppings. Fewer, better toppings beat a heap. Mozzarella, tomato, basil and olive oil carry a margherita, and the margherita is the test: if it is good, the rest will be.

The speed. A Neapolitan pizza takes minutes to bake, so a quick delivery to the table is normal. A wait of forty minutes for a thin pizza suggests a kitchen under pressure.

How to find the current good places

Start with a map search for "pizza" or "pizzeria" in the district where you are, and look at reviews from the last few months. Read for details, such as comments on the crust and the oven, rather than star counts. Check the photos of pizzas, not of the interior.

Look at the pizzeria's own page: it often explains its dough and flour, and it will list opening hours. Ask Italian residents and colleagues where they eat. And look for the places with a queue at twelve.

Czech pizzeria habits

Many Czech restaurants offer pizza alongside other dishes, and lunch menus sometimes include a small pizza. Our guide to Czech lunch menus explains the format. Menus list ingredients in Czech, with the size in centimetres or grams; our guide to reading a Czech menu helps with words such as sýr (cheese), šunka (ham), houby (mushrooms) and rajčata (tomatoes).

Extras are usually listed with a price, and sauces may cost extra. Ask for the bill with účet, prosím. Pizza is often shared in a group, with each person ordering one; ask the waiter about portion size. Delivery is common, and apps list local pizzerias, but the pizza that travels well is not always the pizza that eats best at the table.

Special diets

Vegetarian pizza is easy. Vegan pizza is possible where the kitchen offers vegan cheese or none at all; ask. Gluten-free bases are available in some places, but cross-contamination is common in a flour-filled kitchen, so tell the staff about coeliac disease. Our guides to gluten-free eating and vegan food will help you ask.

Pizza with drinks

Beer is the standard match with pizza in Prague, and a half-litre arrives easily; see our beer guide. Wine is a good alternative, especially Czech wine; see Moravian wine. Pizza is a fine late-night meal after a gig, but kitchens close early on some nights, so check hours.

What a fair price looks like

We do not quote prices here, because they differ by district and change. The fair way to judge is to compare similar pizzas across three menus near you. A pizza that costs much more than the others should be noticeably better. A pizza that costs much less should make you ask what is missing.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between Neapolitan and Roman pizza?

Neapolitan has a soft, puffy rim and is baked very quickly. Roman is thinner and crisper, and the al taglio style is sold by the slice.

How do I find a good pizzeria in Prague?

Look at the oven, the rim of the pizza, the menu length and recent reviews. Order a margherita first.

Is there gluten-free pizza?

Some places offer it, but cross-contamination is possible. Tell the staff about coeliac disease.

Can I get pizza by the slice?

Some venues sell slices, usually in the Roman style. Check the venue's menu.

Pick a district, find three pizzerias on the map and order a margherita at each over three weeks. You will end up with your own list, which is better than ours.