Italian Restaurants

You will be spoilt for choice with the Italian Restaurants in Prague. Italian cuisine is trendy amongst locals (most places are affordable) and tourists alike (quiet lunches/snacks). Italian is definitely a favourite with the Czechs at dinnertime. There’s an abundance of restaurants to choose from, some of which have exclusively Italian menus, and others offering Italian as well as the standard fare. Some of the best choices are: Ambiente Pasta Fresca, VinoDiVino, Aromi or Ambiente Pizza Nuova.

Ambiente Pasta Fresca

If you’re up for perfect homemade pasta with a large selection of wine, one of the best choices is the permanently best-rated Ambi chain restaurant Pasta Fresca. From street level, where the café is, the restaurant might not look extremely charming, but once you enter, the stairs will take you to the intimate 300-year-old cellar where everything is made by hand. This busy Italian restaurant with an extensive menu serves dishes such as pasta with asparagus, ham, freshly grated parmesan cheese, creamy risotto with porcini and piquant spaghetti Aglio-olio with chilli. Most pasta dishes are reasonably priced at around 200 CZK, while seafood and meat dishes might reach 400 CZK.

Address: Celetná 11, Prague 1; www.ambi.cz

Ambiente Pizza Nuova

This is another branch of Ambi chain restaurants situated in the first-floor space next door to the Kotva shopping mall, overlooking Republic Square. The pizza here is hand-rolled according to the tradition of Verace Pizza Napoletana and then baked in an original oven using a beechwood fire. The all-you-can-eat menu until 6 pm is 365 CZK, or after 6 pm, a different all-you-can-eat deal is available for 555 CZK. Pizza a la carte goes for 200 CZK.

Address: Revoluční 1, Prague 1; www.ambi.cz

Aromi

This gourmet Italian restaurant offers a wide range of fresh fish and seafood. It presents authentic Italian cuisine with an emphasis on quality and fresh ingredients from which the food is prepared. Redbrick, polished wood and country-style furniture create a rustic atmosphere which is ideal for lunch and equally for a romantic dinner. You will find a big table with a great selection of cheeses in the middle of the restaurant. For those who can’t find space due to the restaurant’s popularity, there is a large eight-metre cubist-style bar to have a drink or even your meal. From 2006 to 2012, the restaurant was awarded the Michelin Bib Gourmand award. Even though service can get a little over the top, with one waiter giving you the specials list, while another pours water and a third brings the breadbasket, Aromi is one of the best choices! Mains range from 450 to 600 CZK.

Address: Mánesova 78, Prague 2; www.aromi.cz

Casa de Carli

A typical Italian restaurant, centrally located in the Old Town, with friendly and attentive personnel. Once you enter, you will notice the modern décor with lovely chandeliers and a comfortable atmosphere, reminding you rather of a coffee shop than a restaurant. Our tip is to try rabbit risotto, which is delicious. Pasta is here for around 250 CZK, while meat mains cost around 500 CZK.

Address: Vězeňská 5, Prague 1; www.casadecarli.cz

Corte di Angelo

Located in the Anděl/Smíchov area, this fairly busy place is good for decent pizza at a bargain price. The main draws here are thin-crust pizza from a wood-fired oven, pleasant and quick service, and a nice terrace situated off the street in the courtyard. Mains range from 120 to 200 CZK.

Address: Nádražní 116/61, Prague 5; www.cortediangelo.cz

Da Emanuel

This lovely restaurant is hidden away in a quiet residential area not far from Dejvice metro station. The only downside is that the Italian owner put the prices up and it is rather expensive, but it is still a nice, cosy, intimate place for dinner with a nice atmosphere. Mains range from 250 CZK to 600 CZK.

Address:Charles lla 626, Prague 6; www.daemanuel.cz

Giallo Rossa

Perfectly located just a few hundred metres from Old Town Square, this small Italian bar-restaurant is great for various pizzas, plates of pasta and meats. Prices are very favourable, service is quick, but non-smokers be aware – the place can get really smoky here—daily lunch menu with soup only 145 CZK; mains from 120 to 200 CZK.

Address: Jakubská 2, Prague 1; www.giallorossa.cz

Grossetto

This chain of Italian restaurants has a few locations in the city; one of the oldest is in Dejvice, another is in Vinohrady, and one is on the River. The last one, Marina Grosseto Ristorante, offers superb views over Prague Castle. It used to be one of the best places where the locals would head for pizza, though unfortunately, for some reason, it has changed over the last few years. It still offers good value and tasty Italian dishes and pizzas prepared in a wood-fired pizza oven, while service tends to be less attentive. Mains cost from 120 to 200 CZK.

Address: Alšovo nábř., Prague 1; www.grosseto.cz

KOGO

One branch is located in the pedestrianized zone Na Prikope, between Wenceslas Square and Republic Square in Slovansky Dum shopping mall, and the other one in Havelska 27. This modern, upscale and stylish restaurant is worth visiting for the chef’s excellent fish, pasta and risotto dishes. The truth is that the place is a bit pricey and sometimes gets smoky, but the food here is always good. Mains range from 200 CZK and up for homemade pasta, risotto for around 300 CZK, and meat dishes from 400 to 500 CZK.

Address: Havelská 499, Prague 1; www.kogo.cz

Modrá Zahrada

An affordable and decent place for pizza, with the possibility of outdoor seating. Mains cost from 130 CZK up.

Address: Národní 37, Prague 1; www.modrazahrada.cz

Osteria da Clara

Located further from the centre, Osteria da Clara is a small, Tuscan-inspired place with a British chef and owner, Glen Svarc, who lived and cooked in Florence. At first sight, the place might not look very appealing, considering its simple interior, but the friendly and intimate atmosphere make up for it. Mains here are under 180 CZK.

Address: Mexická 58, Prague 10; www.daclara.com

Pizza Einstein

With a few locations around the town, this chain offers cheap and quick eats. Mains cost from 100 to 170 CZK.

Address: Seifertova 595, Prague 3; www.pizza-einstein.cz

Pizzeria Kmotra

There is no shortage of pizza places in Prague, but finding a perfect one takes quite an effort. Some pizzerias start well, but over the years, they lose their name. That is not true with one of Prague’s oldest and probably best pizzerias, Kmotra, nicknamed as ‘the Godmother’. The menu has 30 different pizzas to choose from, and you can even add additional toppings from a list. The pizza here is cooked in a genuine wood-fired pizza oven and tastes really delicious. Sit beside the bar upstairs, watch a football match on one of the two big-screen TVs, or head down to the basement – both areas are non-smoking. There are separate areas for smokers and non-smokers. The place gets really busy here, so try coming early for dinner to snag a table before then. Mains range from 100 to 225 CZK.

Address: V Jirchářích 12, Prague 1; www.kmotra.cz

Rugantino

It’s a great place for pasta with friendly and quick service. It’s definitely not a posh place but rather is characterized by a simple interior and affordable prices. They have two locations, one in Dusni 4 in the Jewish Quarter and the other in Klimentska 40 near Republic Square. Mains cost around 200 CZK.

Address: Klimentská 40, Prague 1; ristoranterugantino.cz