One can work up quite the appetite while traipsing about Prague 1 for an entire morning. Most of the major sights can be reached inside this central district and for that reason many of the city’s visitors waste no time seeking them out. But come noon, the pressing reality of midday hunger becomes all too apparent. Thankfully, a viable solution is near at hand – meat and donuts anyone?
Maso a kobliha, or Meat and Donut for the non-Czech speaking crowd, is a quirky and delicious bistro in the northeast corner of central Prague. They’re showcasing the indisputable quality of local butchers, The Real Meat Society and some of the best home-made Czech donuts you’re likely to find anywhere in the city. The combination of which is truly a revelation. And in light of all the walking you’ve done today, why not replenish those spent calories the right way? You’ve certainly earned it.
Thanks to a bright palette of bubblegum pink and sea foam green, the restaurant feels quite like an American nineteen-fifties drugstore soda fountain, although one where you can get down with some Czech takes on English pub fare like scotch eggs and bangers & mash. In light of such examples, it goes without saying that the rest of the menu heavily features meat, but thanks to some cleverly portioned dishes of varying sizes you won’t necessarily find yourself down for the count afterwards.
We thoroughly enjoyed sampling lots of the smaller options as a table, opting more for a tapas-style approach, but there are certainly larger main-course type dishes at the ready. We had no regrets whatsoever. Of course you’ll need some drink to balance out the saltiness, and for that they’ve got a prime lineup of Czech beers on tap. We found Matuška’s American Pale Ale hit the spot quite nicely.
Whatever you do, save room for a donut. The traditional Czech kobliha are the unavoidable and glorious conclusion to your gastronomic experience at Maso a kobliha. The vanilla-custard-filled, deep-fried, sugar-dusted donuts are jewels in the crown of Czech baking tradition and will renew even the most dwindling beliefs that there is still some beauty in this world.
Maso a kobliha
Petrská 1551/23, Praha 1
Monday
closed
Tuesday
9a–4p
Wednesday–Friday
9a–10p
Saturday
10a–10p
Sunday
10a–4p