Reading a Czech menu: the words, the weights and the numbers that matter

A Czech menu looks like a wall of consonants until you learn that it follows a pattern. Learn the pattern and a short list of words, and you can order almost anything.

The order of sections

Most menus run in the same order. Polévky are soups. Předkrmy or studená jídla are starters or cold dishes. Hlavní jídla are main courses. Minutky are dishes cooked to order, usually grilled or fried meat. Bezmasá jídla are meat-free dishes. Přílohy are side dishes, saláty are salads, dezerty or moučníky are desserts, and nápoje are drinks, often split into pivo (beer), víno (wine) and nealko (non-alcoholic).

A denní menu or polední menu is the weekday lunch deal. See Czech lunch menus explained.

Meat and fish

Vepřové is pork, hovězí beef, kuřecí chicken, kachna duck and telecí veal. Ryba is fish, with kapr (carp), pstruh (trout) and losos (salmon). Řízek is schnitzel and guláš is goulash. Svíčková is marinated beef in a creamy vegetable sauce; see svíčková explained.

Cooking words

Smažený is fried in breadcrumbs or batter. Pečený is roasted or baked, vařený boiled, grilovaný grilled and uzený smoked. Na smetaně means in cream sauce, na másle in butter and domácí homemade. Knowing these tells you more about a dish than the name does: kuřecí řízek is fried chicken, pečené kuře is roast chicken, kuřecí na smetaně is chicken in cream.

Sides

Knedlíky are dumplings (see Czech dumplings explained), brambory potatoes, hranolky chips, rýže rice, zelí cabbage or sauerkraut, obloha a garnish of salad and bramborová kaše mashed potatoes. The side makes or breaks the meal. If the menu does not say what comes with the main, ask.

The small print

Gramáž. The number beside each dish, such as 150 g, is the weight of the main ingredient. Compare portions this way. A price quoted per 100 g means the total depends on the weight, so ask.

Allergens. Under EU rules, the fourteen major allergens must be declared, and Czech menus mark them with numbers 1 to 14. A number list on the menu or a card from the waiter explains it.

The standard numbering runs: 1 cereals containing gluten, 2 crustaceans, 3 eggs, 4 fish, 5 peanuts, 6 soya, 7 milk, 8 nuts, 9 celery, 10 mustard, 11 sesame, 12 sulphites, 13 lupin, 14 molluscs.

Extras. Bread, sauces and pickles brought to the table may be charged. Look for a line such as pečivo (bread) or kuvert (cover charge). Ask before you eat if you are unsure. See also how a Czech pub works.

Prices. Prices are shown in crowns, inclusive of VAT. The price shown is what you pay, apart from a tip.

A worked example

Take a line such as smažený sýr 120 g, hranolky, tatarská omáčka (1, 3, 7). Read it from the left. Smažený sýr is breaded fried cheese. 120 g is the weight of the cheese itself, not of the whole plate. Hranolky are chips and tatarská omáčka is tartare sauce, so the side is included in the dish. The numbers in brackets say that the dish contains cereals with gluten, eggs and milk. In ten seconds you know what you are getting, how big the cheese is and what to avoid if you have an allergy.

Now a different line: svíčková na smetaně, houskový knedlík. The beef is in a cream sauce and the side is a bread dumpling. If the dish has no weight, the portion is standard. If it has one, compare it with the next dish. This habit of reading left to right, name, weight, side, allergens, becomes automatic after a few visits.

Useful phrases

Můžu dostat jídelní lístek? means could I have the menu? Co doporučíte? means what do you recommend? Je v tom maso? is there meat in it? Bez lepku and bez mléka mean gluten-free and dairy-free. Zaplatím, prosím means I would like to pay. Pronunciation helps; see how to pronounce Czech letters.

Common mistakes

Ordering a main without checking the side is the first. A svíčková comes with dumplings, but a steak may arrive alone. The second is ordering by translation: a dish called pečená kachna is roast duck, and the menu may specify the portion in grams and the side separately. The third is assuming that "meat-free" means free of animal products. Stock, lard and bacon are common, so ask. For more on that, see vegetarian food in Prague.

Frequently asked questions

What are the allergen numbers on a Czech menu?

They refer to the 14 major allergens under EU rules, numbered 1 to 14. For example 1 is cereals containing gluten, 3 is eggs, 7 is milk. A list is on the menu or available from the waiter.

What does gramáž mean?

The weight of the main ingredient in grams, such as 150 g. Use it to compare portions.

Do mains come with sides?

Sometimes, sometimes not. Look at the přílohy section and ask if you are unsure.

Is VAT included in the menu price?

Yes. Prices are shown in crowns inclusive of VAT.

What is a minutka?

A dish cooked to order, usually grilled or fried meat.

Do this today

Take a photo of a Czech menu, mark the sections, the weights and the allergen numbers, and try to order two items without pointing. Say the name aloud before the waiter arrives.