The Svíčková Pilgrimage

Beef sirloin under a velvety root-vegetable cream sauce, with bread dumplings, a spoon of cranberry and a curl of whipped cream. Order a tank-poured Pilsner and you're set.

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Why this dish?

Svíčková na smetaně is the Czech Sunday dish: beef sirloin marinated and braised, served in a smooth, slightly sweet-sour sauce made from puréed root vegetables (carrot, celeriac, parsley root) and cream, with houskové knedlíky (fluffy bread dumplings) to soak it up, a dab of cranberry compote and a swirl of whipped cream on top.

The other half of the pilgrimage is the beer. Czechia invented the pale lager, and in the best Prague pubs it's poured fresh from tanks (tankové pivo) - unpasteurised, soft, extraordinary. Svíčková and a tank-poured Pilsner Urquell in a proper Prague hospoda is one of the great cheap-luxury lunches in Europe, under two hours from the UK.

Our Picks

Lokál

Address: Dlouhá 33, Prague
What to order: Svíčková with bread dumplings, and a tank-poured Pilsner Urquell (try a "mlíko" - a creamy all-foam pour).
Book ahead: Worth booking; the central branches get busy.
Pro tip: Ask how the beer is poured - hladinka (standard), šnyt or mlíko are all worth trying.

U Modré Kachničky

Nebovidská 6, Prague (Malá Strana)

An older, characterful Prague restaurant in Malá Strana doing serious Czech cooking - game, duck and rich braises in a wood-panelled room.

What to order: Svíčková or roast duck with red cabbage and dumplings; a dark lager if they brew their own.

Good to know

Look for "tankové pivo" (tank beer) for the freshest pour - it's a real upgrade. Bread dumplings (knedlíky) are for mopping sauce, not a side to ignore. Avoid the most touristy spots on the main square; step a few streets back for better food and prices.

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