Czech coffee culture: from a grandmother's glass to the specialty bar

A Czech grandmother's coffee is often a spoon of ground coffee and boiling water in a glass, left to settle. A Prague specialty bar will serve a filter brewed from a single farm. Both are Czech coffee. The trick is knowing which door you walked through.

Words you need

Káva is coffee and kavárna is a cafe. Espresso (often shortened to presso) is a short black coffee. Bílá káva is white coffee, meaning coffee with milk. Cappuccino and latte are as elsewhere. Turecká káva is Turkish-style coffee, and vídeňská káva is Viennese coffee, topped with whipped cream. Add s mlékem or bez mléka for with or without milk, and se šlehačkou for with whipped cream.

If you ask for káva, the answer may be a question about what kind. Say what you want.

Turecká káva

Grounds go in a cup or glass, hot water is poured over them, and they are left to settle. Do not stir it, and do not drink the last centimetre, because that is mud. It is cheap, strong and still how many people drink coffee at home or in a pub. If you want to understand what Czechs mean by "a proper coffee", this is the one that explains the habit.

Give it a few minutes. The first mistake is to sip too early, when the grounds are still floating, and the second is to scoop the sludge at the bottom with the spoon. Neither is a disaster, but both are why tourists look puzzled.

Old cafes and new ones

Traditional cafes (kavárny) have waiters, a cake cabinet, newspapers and a slow pace. You sit down, wait to be seen and pay at the end. The big historic ones are covered in historic Prague cafes.

Modern specialty cafes order at the counter. The menu lists espresso-based drinks, filter coffee and sometimes alternative milks. Staff speak English and explain the beans if you ask. The scene has grown in recent decades, and you will find these cafes in every central neighbourhood. Neither type is better. They are doing different jobs: one sells you a room and a rest, the other sells you a cup.

Cake and the cukrárna

Coffee is a social pause, and cake makes it complete. A cukrárna is a pastry shop where you can sit, and cafes often sell cake by the slice. See Czech sweets and pastries.

Water and milk

In many cafes a glass of water comes with espresso. If it does not, ask: můžu dostat vodu? Tap water is drinkable in Prague. Sometimes you are charged for the glass or the jug, so check the menu. If you want milk with your espresso, ask for it on the side (mléko zvlášť).

Paying and tipping

In traditional cafes, pay at the table by telling the waiter the total you want to pay, tip included. In counter-service cafes you pay when you order, and a tip is optional, often by rounding up. Cards are widely accepted, but ask first at small places. See paying in Prague.

Habits to know

People stay at a table for as long as they like. Nobody rushes you, and nobody expects you to order again after an hour. Takeaway cups exist, but most Czechs sit down. A coffee and a slice of cake is a normal afternoon break, and a cafe is a normal place to meet someone, work for an hour or read a newspaper.

If you want to linger, order a second coffee after a while. It signals that you are staying, and the waiter will leave you alone.

What locals do

Locals match the cafe to the occasion. A quick espresso standing at a counter in the morning, a long coffee with a friend at a table in the afternoon, a slice of cake on the weekend. Few people take their coffee to go, and fewer still drink it at their desk without a break. If you want to blend in, order what you want, sit down, and don't look at the clock.

Prices

Prices vary by cafe and neighbourhood, and central ones cost more (as of 2026; check the menu). Compare the price of an espresso as a quick measure.

Common mistakes

Standing at the door of a traditional cafe waiting to order at a counter is the first. Sit down and wait. Ordering "a coffee" and expecting a latte is the second: you will get a small, strong cup. The third is leaving without paying. In a table-service place the waiter will not chase you, and neither will the bill arrive unasked. Catch their eye and say zaplatím, prosím.

Frequently asked questions

What is turecká káva?

Turkish-style coffee: grounds in the cup with hot water poured over them. Let it settle and leave the last centimetre.

How do I order coffee with milk?

Ask for bílá káva, or name the drink: cappuccino, latte or espresso with milk (s mlékem).

Is tap water safe to drink in Prague cafes?

Prague tap water is drinkable. Some cafes charge for a glass or jug, so check the menu.

Do I tip in a cafe?

In table service, tell the waiter the total you want to pay, tip included. In counter service a tip is optional, often by rounding up.

Can I stay as long as I like?

Generally yes. Nobody rushes you.

Do this today

Walk into a traditional cafe and order a bílá káva with a slice of cake. Next day, try a specialty cafe and order a filter coffee. Compare the two and keep the one you prefer.