Eating vegan in Prague: what to ask, what to skip, where to shop

In a traditional pub, a vegan has the salad and the bread. In the rest of Prague the picture is much better. Here is how to plan.

The honest picture

Classic Czech cooking relies on pork, lard, butter, cream, eggs and cheese. A dumpling may contain egg or milk. A sauce often has cream. A vegetable soup may sit on meat stock. The old pubs are not built for you.

The newer restaurants and cafes are. Prague has a healthy number of vegan places, and many mainstream cafes offer plant milk and a vegan dish. The practical approach is to treat traditional food as a place to ask questions and everything else as the default.

Words to know

Vegan or veganský is vegan, rostlinný is plant-based, bez mléka a vajec is without milk and eggs, and bez živočišných produktů is without animal products. Sójové mléko, ovesné mléko and mandlové mléko are soy, oat and almond milk. Sádlo is lard, máslo butter, smetana cream and med honey.

Say jsem vegan (or veganka if you are a woman) and je to bez mléka a vajec? Then ask about lard and stock.

Using allergen numbers

Czech menus list EU allergens by number. For vegans the useful ones are 3 (eggs), 7 (milk), 4 (fish) and 2 (crustaceans). A dish with none of these may still contain meat or honey, so use the numbers alongside the questions above. See reading a Czech menu for the full list and how the weights work.

Dishes that can work

Some Czech staples can be vegan if made without butter or eggs, but you must ask. Bread dumplings made without egg or milk exist, though many recipes include them. Boiled potatoes with sauerkraut can work. Mushroom sauce can be made without cream. Potato pancakes can be fried in oil rather than lard; see bramboráky. Pickled vegetables and fresh salads are usually safe, with a check on dressings.

Do not assume. Ask each time, because the same dish at two kitchens can be different.

Where to eat

Vegan and vegetarian restaurants are listed on online maps with filters and reviews. Use them, since places open and close. Vegetarian cafes often have vegan options marked clearly. Asian restaurants (Vietnamese, Indian, Thai) are strong for vegans, and many Middle Eastern places serve plant-based dishes by default.

A workable day

Breakfast can be oats or toast at home, or a vegan cafe with plant milk. Lunch is a vegan restaurant or an Asian place where tofu and vegetables are the norm. Dinner can be a Middle Eastern plate with hummus and falafel, or a supermarket picnic if you are on the move. You will notice that nothing in this plan involves a Czech pub, and that is deliberate. When friends or colleagues pick the pub, check the menu online, eat before you go if the options look thin, and order a salad and a side of boiled potatoes, which are often vegan by default. Say plainly what you can't eat, and most kitchens will do their best.

Shopping

Supermarkets carry plant milk, tofu, tempeh, pulses, nuts and ready-made vegan spreads. Many products carry a vegan label. Check the ingredients, because some desserts use milk powder. Health food shops and farmers' markets sell fruit, vegetables and bread. Bakeries make some vegan items, such as plain rolls (rohlíky), though some use butter or milk, so ask.

Pastries and sweets

Check every pastry. Many Czech sweets are made with butter, eggs or curd. See Czech sweets and pastries for the ingredients. Poppy-seed and plum fillings may be vegan, but the dough often is not.

Drinks

Beer and most wine are vegan in practice, though some wines are fined with animal products. Producers rarely label this. If it matters to you, ask the producer or choose a wine marked vegan. Honey in mead or in hot drinks is another trap, and it is not vegan.

Travel tips

If you are visiting a village or small town, check menus ahead and carry snacks. Larger towns have a few vegan options. In Prague, a short search will find several within walking distance of most central stops.

Common mistakes

Assuming that a dish labelled vegetarian is vegan is the first: cheese, eggs, butter and cream are all vegetarian. Assuming that a salad is vegan is the second, because dressings can contain honey or dairy, and toppings can include bacon or cheese. The third is giving up too early. A pub visit is not the whole city. A day built around a vegan cafe for lunch, a supermarket picnic and a Vietnamese dinner works without effort.

Frequently asked questions

How do I say I am vegan in Czech?

Jsem vegan (male) or jsem veganka (female). Add: je to bez mléka a vajec?

Is it easy to eat vegan in Prague?

In traditional Czech pubs, no. In vegan and vegetarian cafes, Asian and Middle Eastern restaurants and supermarkets, yes.

What do the allergen numbers mean for vegans?

3 is eggs, 7 is milk, 4 is fish and 2 is crustaceans. A dish without them can still contain meat or honey.

Are Czech pastries vegan?

Often not. Many contain butter, eggs or curd. Ask the baker.

Is beer vegan?

Beer is vegan in practice, but some wines are fined with animal products. Producers rarely say, so ask if it matters.

Do this today

Save two vegan places near where you live or stay on a map, learn je to bez mléka a vajec?, and write it on your phone so you can show it to the waiter.