Cafés While café culture here is nowhere near as developed as, say, Vienna, the café does play an important role in the life of the city as a meeting point. The grand dame of all Prague cafes is Slavia (www.cafeslavia.cz) Situated across from the National Theatre and overlooking the Vltava River and the Castle, Slavia is the historic meeting point for the Czech avant-garde and literati. It was here that Jaroslav Seifert’s famous poem “Café Slavia” was composed, where Czech dissidents plotted the overthrow of Communism, where celebrity patrons still make visits. Stopping here for a coffee is a must for any sightseeing tour of Prague.
Down the street, the Louvre (www.cafelouvre.cz) is an old favorite. Kafka used to frequent the joint, though today the crowd seems to be mainly yuppie businessmen. The food is decent, although the service leaves much to be desired.
The Tynska Literary Café (http://www.knihytynska.cz/) is a mellow respite right behind Old Town Square. Attached to a bookstore, it’s popular with art students as well as the intellectual elite.
The French Institute Café (www.ifp.cz) is unsurprisingly popular for its croissants and French-style espresso.
In Mala Strana, the fashionable Café Savoy (www.cafesavoy.cz), dating from the 19th century, is popular among a more upscale crowd (i.e. not the place for backpackers.)
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