Updated in 2023 after a second visit to the city in November 2022.

I have now visited Prague twice since being coeliac, a business trip in November 2022 and again with friends in 2017.

Every year I tend to go on a short European city break with my school friends just before Christmas for a catch up. There are four of us plus husbands/boyfriends and now a toddler taking the group up to nine! Finding places none of us have been to is difficult and in 2017 it took us to Prague. In group scenarios it is often more difficult to go to safe restaurants with everyone having a say and having a hungry child to accommodate makes it harder as you don’t want to drag them all over the city. Having said that my friends and family are extremely good at accommodating me and letting me choose safe places to eat, I just don’t like them having to go majorly out of their way so some planning ahead helps keep everyone happy.

Our 2017 trip to Prague was a two night city break, so this is certainly not an extensive guide to eating gluten free in the city as I only sampled a few places but it should help with any weekend breaks or as a starting point for longer trips. Prague is a beautiful city and one that a two night trip didn’t do justice, especially when your Sightseeing attempts are slowed down by a young child. My business trip in 2022 was short so didn’t allow for much more sightseeing but I did squeeze in some excellent gluten free finds. Flights are cheap as is the city making it an excellent choice of location for city breaks before Christmas.

Hotels

Hotel Yasmin

In 2017 we stayed at Hotel Yasmin, a lovely modern hotel in a central location that we all felt was good value for money. Breakfast was included in the rate so we ate there both days for convenience with a large hot and cold buffet available. I normally email hotels to see what they can do gluten free and they responded that they would have something gluten free available. This was a separate table that had gluten free cereal, bread that was covered with a napkin, a gluten free cake that I added some Nutella to and I also noted a jug of soy milk. They also had an omelette station so there were enough options to set me up for the day!

This hotel has since been renamed as The Grandium Hotel.

Corinthia Hotel

When I stayed in Prague for work, known chains were pretty expensive for the weekend and there were many less well known options which I didn’t want to risk alone. In the end I stayed at the Corinthia Hotel which was a fabulous 5 star hotel for a very reasonable price. I did however, need to use the metro for a couple of stops to get here but that made it super convenient and the stop was right by the entrance.

I didn’t end up eating breakfast here to know what their gluten free options were like but they had told me they could cater.

Little Quarter

The Little Quarter looks to be a centrally located hostel but the great news is that the team behind the amazing gluten free restaurant that closed during the pandemic – Svejk U Karla – look to be the chefs here so you know you should be catered for well.

Hotel Botanique

I haven’t stayed here but they claim to have a gluten-free corner at breakfast and that they can cater for those with coeliac, and their menu online supports that.

Breakfast/Lunch

Babiccina Spiz – 100% Gluten Free

This is the bakery that was recommended to me the most on Instagram. Open for breakfast during the week, and over lunch time you will find bread and sweet treats being sold along with sandwiches and baguettes. If I was in Prague longer I would have gone here for lunch rather than just a coffee and cake. I ordered the chocolate tart, which may have also been a dairy free or sugar free raw tart type dessert as the chocolate flavour wasn’t very strong and if I was to go again I would order something different. The baguettes that the table next to me were eating looked fantastic. Get there early if you want to pick up a loaf as the bread loaves were sold out by the time I visited in the afternoon.

My Raw Food – 100% Gluten Free

This is the option that I had on my list for a healthier breakfast – think smoothies and acai bowls as well as pancakes and buckwheat porridge. They also open for lunch, and in the evenings on Fridays and Saturdays but I’m personally not a fan of raw food but I would stop for a raw treat if I was nearby. It would be a good option for anyone with multiple dietary requirements as the food is vegan and sugar free as well as gluten free.

Tree Sisters – 100% Gluten Free

Many blogs for gluten free mention Sweet Secret of Raw as a 100% gluten free cafe, which I believe is now the gluten free, sugar free and vegan raw food cafe selling some amazing looking raw treats. They also look great for a morning visit for smoothies, a sweet treat and coffee.

Lunch

Cafe Louvre

On the Sunday morning of our 2017 trip we did some shopping and sightseeing before needing a lunch time stop. We looked on google maps to discover we weren’t too far from Cafe Louvre for some food, somewhere that had been recommended to me on my Instagram account.

This bustling cafe is over 100 years old and the menu had a couple of gluten free options marked using a number system to identify allergies. They also had a specials menu that we translated using google translate. The specials menu didn’t use the number allergen system but one of the options was listed as gluten free when we translated it. I checked it was and ordered only to be told it was part of the evening menu. I tried to order something else and they had sold out and after that I was struggling as there weren’t many things labelled as gluten free. However, the waiter then told me that the chef would do my first choice for me as a lunch meal as I needed a gluten free choice. The meal of chicken with a creamy sauce and mash was ok, nothing amazing but we were all happily fed and the turtles in the tank entertained my friends toddler all the way through the meal!

Lunch/Dinner

Restaurace U Agamy – 100% Gluten Free

Restaurace U Agamy, as a dedicated gluten free restaurant selling traditional Czech cuisine would be my top recommendation for coeliacs on a trip to Prague. I ordered the beef goulash with dumplings and it was delicious – rich and meaty, and every thing that you want from a dish in November in Prague. They also had schnitzel on the menu which would definitely have been my top choice if I hadn’t eaten it in Budapest recently. They also make homemade desserts that sound delicious, but on my short trip I wanted to try Buchta Cukrarstvi bakery and chimney cake so I skipped dessert here.

Alriso – 100% Gluten Free

I have now visited Alriso twice – once in 2017 with my friends, where the lasagne was so good that they are still talking about it even though they are not gluten free. I knew I had to return here in 2022 and they were very jealous of me getting to go back to have it again! It may not be local cuisine but the Italian food here is so good that you have to go anyway.

On our 2017 trip we tried to have dinner at Alriso over the weekend but it was fully booked, so instead we went for lunch on the Monday before flying home. (Saving 100% gluten free restaurants for flight days are one of my top travel tips!)When we went we could see why the weekend could have been a problem as the restaurant isn’t that big and the nine of us pretty much took up all the ground floor. The staff welcomed us into their gorgeous Italian restaurant and passed around the bread, which I loved. I ended up with quite a lot of it, so I’m not sure if the gluten eaters weren’t so keen or if they were being nice as it’s not something I get a lot of! As we had some time to kill before our flight we decided on a three course meal (possibly as I was absolutely insisting we had dessert!)

I ordered calamari for starter, which I regretted! This isn’t because it wasn’t nice, it was but the calamari wasn’t battered so didn’t feel like a real gluten free treat whereas my boyfriends tempura prawns were simply amazing and what I recommend you order if you like prawns. Luckily for me he shared them with me! There was no decision required on my part for the main meal – I quickly chose the lasagne which is something I never see on a gluten free menu. Three of us ordered this and one is still going on about how good that lasagne was, the best in fact they’d ever had despite eating gluten – the ultimate praise!! The rest of the group either ordered steak, which would have been a naturally gluten free meal or pasta. Would a fussy two year old eat the gluten free pasta or would they notice the difference?! -the verdict – he didn’t even notice and merrily ate his bowl of tomato pasta. The only dish that anyone said they could tell was gluten free was the spaghetti as it had a stronger taste or texture making it feel different. The steaks, lasagne and pasta all got a big thumbs up!

Dessert was a tough choice but the molten chocolate pudding won it for me and oh my days it was simply divine. The chocolate oozed out the middle and it tasted incredible! Not being a coffee fan I don’t generally pick the tiramisu but my friend did and loved it. One of the other dessert choices was a melting chocolate ball where hot chocolate was poured over the chocolate ball and it melted in front of us, putting on a bit of a show but my friend wasn’t too happy that half her dessert had melted away so bit of a mixed reaction on that one!

Terasa U Prince

On our trip in 2017, we booked a table for the Saturday night at Terasa U Prince, the restaurant that is in Hotel U prince. I had read that they had gluten free options and the views looked amazing. The only thing I couldn’t work out is where we actually would be sitting as the attraction of this restaurant is the outdoor terrace and views over the city, something that I thought would be closed in winter. However, we arrived to find that we were sitting outside with heaters and blankets and it made for a great, unique experience. We had views over the square all lit up and it was fab! Definitely try and make it here, even if it is only for a drink.

The gluten free options were marked on the menu but they only had two starters, neither which appealled to me so I just had a main course. However that was outstanding – saffron risotto with scallops, some of my favourite things!

Trip advisor reviews are very mixed – the views are rated as amazing but many criticise the food for being overpriced and for the service being poor. We had great service and food. It probably is expensive by Prague standards, but at £15 for this dish it isn’t as extortionate as the reviews make it sound (although I am used to London prices!) but even more so you are in the Old Town opposite the astronomical clock with amazing views so about as touristy as it gets – and with that comes higher prices and I personally accept that.

MaLi Bistro – 100% Gluten Free

I didn’t have time to visit MaLi Bistro but on a longer trip this dedicated restaurant looks great for burgers, pizzas or salads.

Arepas de Lyna

Arepas are becoming more popular around the world, which is a good thing for anyone gluten free as they are a naturally gluten free option. I had seen online that Arepas de Lyna take lots of care in the preparation of gluten free orders so they were on my list to check out if I had time to visit.

Hard Rock Cafe

Hard Rock Cafe is one of my go to chains around the world if I am ever struggling to eat out somewhere. Fortunately I didn’t need to eat here in Prague to know how this particular branch caters for coeliacs but every branch I have been to has had a manager who is clued up and helped me find something safe to eat even in countries which have been difficult to easily find safe food.

Gluten Free Bakeries and Sweet Treats in Prague

Good Food Coffee and Bakery

Chimney cake (Trdelnik) is a sweet pastry cooked by being wrapped around a rotating barrel, and then it can be eaten on its own or filled. If you follow any gluten free bloggers on Instagram, or gluten free travel pages on Facebook Good Food Bakery is likely to be on your radar as I’m sure everyone gluten free comes here seeking out the opportunity to be able to partake in the activity of eating chimney cake when in Prague! This is the only place that I know of that sells a gluten free version and it was top of my list of places to visit in 2022.

It is not a dedicated facility but they are clued up and prepare the gluten free option separately. Due to this there was a bit of a wait whilst they made it for me, but when the end result is being able to eat chimney cake it has to be done! It was a tough choice to choose a filling but in the end I chose the Snickers chimney cake filled with caramel ice cream, chocolate sauce and nuts.

Babiccina Spiz – 100% Gluten Free

See above under breakfast/lunch

Buchta Cukrarstvi – 100% Gluten Free

I’m not even sure how I found this bakery as since coming home it hasn’t come up on any of my research, and when I posted it on Instagram even people living in Prague said they had never heard of it – which is such a shame as honestly this bakery was one of the best I’ve ever visited. They had so many incredible looking desserts and the cream choux bun I ended up choosing was absolutely heavenly and made it into my best of 2022 round up. I loved this bakery and it will be the first place I head back to on my next trip to Prague.

Bassotto Bezlepkova Pekarna – 100% Gluten Free

I had this gluten free cafe serving pastries, sweet treats and pizza on my list to visit but sadly didn’t have time to go so definitely one for my next trip.

Grom – 100% Gluten Free

If you haven’t heard of Grom, a 100% gluten free ice cream parlour then you have been missing out. There is a branch in Prague so you should definitely visit on a trip to Prague. I didn’t get a chance to but have loved it when I have been in London, Italy, Paris and Lisbon.

Tree Sisters – 100% Gluten Free

Many blogs for gluten free mention Sweet Secret of Raw as a 100% gluten free cafe, which I believe is now the gluten free, sugar free and vegan raw food cafe selling some amazing looking raw treats. They look great for a morning visit for smoothies, a sweet treat and coffee.

Captain Candy

Captain Candy is a pick and mix sweet shop where all the sweets are in separate barrels with separate scoops and allergens clearly marked. A majority of them were gluten free too so I bought a bag and they made for a happier flight home although be warned they are incredibly expensive. I didn’t get a chance to revisit in 2022 though so do check that they are still safe.

Permanently Closed Restaurants in Prague

Svejk Restaurant u Karla

As we all arrived at different times on the Saturday, flying in from different U.K. Airports I made the most of it by going for lunch at one of the gluten free restaurants before the others arrived on slightly later flights . This was a restaurant that I would have been disappointed to have missed – Svejk u Karla. From my research this was the place I was most looking forward to as they have an extensive gluten free menu that is also available online. After arriving and asking for the gluten free menu I could see why it had been recommended, you would have not have known that it was the gluten free menu from the food on offer- schnitzel, dumplings, apple strudel and beer as some of the stand out items! I opted for the pork schnitzel and my boyfriend had a normal chicken schnitzel. When they came out he was so disappointed in his as mine was about twice the size! -this was not due to it being gluten free but due to me somehow ordering the schnitzel special just for me which in hindsight must have been some sort of sharing plate as it was huge! I was about to make up for the lack of times that I can eat schnitzel in one go!! It was so delicious and I was disappointed in myself that I had to send some back, it was just too big! I can 100% recommend this restaurant and would say it’s the top choice for coeliacs in Prague as it gives you a chance to try the local cuisine. They even put gluten free flags on their food to make you feel even more confident about eating it! If you want room for apple strudel though, make sure you order a normal sized portion!

Cafe UNO

That night the hotel tried to make a reservation for us at Alriso, the 100% gluten free Italian restaurant in Prague – cue bitter disappointment for me as it was fully booked! I needed a back up plan, which was Cafe Uno which hadn’t been top of my choices due to being located in a shopping centre. However we needed to eat so headed over there as I was struggling to find much else, and with a group of nine we didn’t want to go looking for gluten free food, it was easier to go somewhere that we knew could accommodate. The Palladium shopping centre was actually very pretty all decked out in Christmas lights and the food far better than expected for this type of location.

The highlight for me was the awesome goats cheese starter, which four of us ended up ordering. I followed this with a prawn spaghetti olio dish (there was pasta and pizza on the gluten free menu, but I always feel pasta is less hassle to try and get gluten free when I don’t know the place without as much fear of contamination!) Dessert was a mega creme brûlée. I know some people aren’t keen that this is often the gluten free dessert but I am always grateful to have more than fruit offered, plus I absolutely love a creme brûlée!

White and Crispy Pizza

On my list in 2017, but I didn’t get a chance to visit.

Bars in Prague

There will always be times when you feel different being Coeliac whether it’s being insanely happy at getting a surprise gluten free menu, all the groups Bread or an incredible dessert! However there are times when feeling different isn’t for the good such as watching everyone eat apple strudel on a coffee stop! I did manage a mulled wine but it just isn’t the same. It did the trick to warm me up though in the cold, wintery weather though.

Bassotto

There seems like there are far more options for great gluten free places to visit in 2022 though, and Bassotto gluten free cafe is also a wine bar serving pizza and charcuterie so a definite must visit on longer trips!

Supermarkets in Prague

Billa

I highly recommend visiting Billa if you are visiting Prague. It is a supermarket that I have found in Budapest, Bratislava and now Prague that has gluten free products unique to these countries. I recommend the Crispy Pillows cereal (also found in Lidl) and Marlenka honey cake or honey nuggets (also found at the airport). Also, its not a specific gluten free product but you should try Kofola the local rival to coca cola.

Sightseeing in Prague

We only had a short trip in 2017 but the city was just so beautiful to be in, particularly at night when it was all lit up. We saw the main sights of the Old Town Square including the Astronomical Clock and there were some Christmas stalls that we had a wander around. We also saw the Charles Bridge and Prague Castle. We stopped several times for drinks and did some shopping, stopping in all sorts of shops from Hamleys to this adorable ginger bread shop (not gluten free but just so cute and I found some great biscuit cutters to buy in there!)

I would recommend Prague to anyone, it is stunning and good value. I’m not sure if there are enough gluten free options to last for a long trip and I’m not not sure how easy it is to go into normal restaurants and get gluten free as it’s not something I really did as I had enough recommendations. These recommendations I would happily pass onto you as I ate extremely well during my time in Prague with some of the food being completely outstanding and worth the trip alone! For more blog posts and information on Prague and the Czech Republic, or for further travels in Europe see my extensive gluten free in Europe post.

We had a really wonderful time, and I ate so well both on this trip and my flying visit for work. With costs of living rising, it would also make a budget friendly break compared to some options in Western Europe too. I hope that if you visit you also manage to find amazing food and have a great trip.

Happy Travels, with no gluten!

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