Ch-Czech It Out: Kraków’s Best Czech Restaurant

“Check-ch-check-check-check-ch-check it out. What-wha-what-what-what's it all about?” - Beastie Boys

I don’t think this is too crazy of a declaration as there aren’t many Czech restaurants in Kraków. But, Hospůdka u Nás is the best Czech restaurant in the city. Scratch that. It’s one of the best restaurants in Kraków (no questions asked). 

Actually, it’s alright to ask questions - “Big Body, why is it one of the best restaurants in Kraków?”. 

Come closer, and let me tell you a little tale of this Czech beer and goulash refuge that has become an all-too-regular haunt for this Big Body after a long day of doing volunteer work for himself (that’s what I’m calling not having a steady income these days).

Authentic Czech Cuisine in Kraków’s Historic Jewish Quarter

Here’s a quick little video I made on Hospůdka u Nás.

Website, Address, & Details: https://hospudkaunas.cz/ 

• Location: Mostowa 4, 31-061 Kraków

• Price: $ - Mains are affordable and range from 20 złoty to 40 złoty (USD 5 to USD 10). 

Located smack dab in the middle of Kazimierz, Kraków’s bustling Jewish Quarter and eating epicenter (more so than the Old Town, humbly), Hospůdka u Nás is a Czech renegade amongst well-established Polish, Middle Eastern, and other Central European gastronomic titans. 

It’s kind of like that one baby hippo that was raised by rhinos at the Zululand Rhino Orphanage. At first, it seems to blend in but then you notice the quirky little mud flap of a tail and striking sharp canines protruding from its mouth when it yawns. That’s when you put two and two together that what you’re looking at is not, in fact, an oddly shaped, chunky rhino. 

You’re looking at something that is its own distinct being.  

In this case, the tail is the foamy, frothy tops of signature Tübinger glasses that elicit an excitement similar to Buddy the Elf when he thinks that Santa is making an appearance at the mall he just started working at, while the sharp canines are the formidable, hearty stews, fluffy bread dumplings, and melty fried cheeses that have you already scheduling a nap for the next day. 

Whatever nonsensical comparison I just made, know that there’s a familiar yet distinct identity to the cuisine served at Hospůdka u Nás - one that I’ve thoroughly enjoyed and has acted as a needed reprieve from traditional Polish cuisine that can be found on every corner.

That’s not a knock to Polish cuisine at all as I can’t get enough of it. My belt can though and all I’m saying is that Czech bread dumplings feel slightly less taxing on my belt loops than a 10-piece pierogi.  

Pale Ale Travel Tip: Looking for more traditional Polish cuisine in Kraków? Make sure to check out my posts breaking down 5 Kraków pierogi restaurants that I accidentally fell in love with and why the legendary Krakus milk bar should be on your eating bucket list. 

Authentic Czech Flavors at This Goulash & Piwo Haven

When the beer menu of historic smaller independent Czech breweries like Svijany, Jadrníček, and Krakonoš is scrawled on a chalkboard next to a photo of what I presume is a well-known Czech hockey player, you know it’s going to be a memorable meal. 

The one meal that I keep coming back for is ‘Segedínský Guláš’ (cabbage-stew goulash), a popular Czech staple with Hungarian origins that is suffused with sauerkraut to ‘tang it up’. 

The tender, cubed pork shoulder picks up sweetness from the rendered onions and paprika that drive both its color and silkiness, while the cream acts as a subtle counterbalance to the sauerkraut. However, this fermented raw-cut baggage is still given carte blanche to do its bad thang. 

What really brings the dish out and separates it from the overwhelmingly sweet goulash you may have encountered in other Central European countries is the introduction of the caraway seed. This is definitely an acquired taste that suffuses the goulash with a pungent, anise, and licorice warmth - reminding me of the aftertaste you get from a pumpernickel bagel. 

Paired with knedliky (aka a ‘knedliki’ or ‘knödel’), a Czech bread dumpling made from a simple dough that’s boiled, which acts as a fluffy, mild ‘tortilla’ for your sour and savory goulash, and you have hearty simplicity done right. 

Other menu favorites include grilled cheeses (like Camembert), chicken paprikash, and assorted fried potato pancakes (they even have the deep-fried Hungarian flatbread and favorite - Lángos).

There’s a signature ‘bite’ to Czech lagers that, much like grapefruit juice, is an acquired taste. However, once you power through enough Tübingers of these foamy golden elixirs that often rock a pronounced bitter backbone (I’m talking about lagers here), you’ll be hooked for life. 

I did that with Svijany Jasny, a pale lager made by one of the oldest breweries in the Czech Republic. While the bitterness is pronounced, it’s clean and smooth, balanced out by some malt sweetness and a refreshing finish. Further, its creamy thick head retains structural integrity, which is a sign of a well-crafted lager and, frankly, brings out my inner kid every time I come up from a sip with a slight foam mustache.  

Hospůdka u Nás also serves up dark wheat, and premium lagers, along with a handful of Czech and Slovakian spirits, so there’s something for everyone at this cozy pub. 

Finally, don’t forget to wash it all down with the juniper-flavored cousin of gin, borovička (a Slovak alcoholic beverage), just to add a little chaos to your night. 

Pale Ale Travel Note: Who would have thought that the country with the highest beer consumption per capita in the world was behind the best beers? Hint: that was sarcasm. 

The Beastie Boys Would Be Proud of Hospůdka u Nás

After eating and drinking at Hospůdka u Nás, I now know what the Beastie Boys were rapping about in 'Ch-Czech It Out'. And that’s obviously ice-cold crisp lagers with foamy, foamy tops and silky smooth and sour cabbage-filled goulash. 

I love this place so much that I’m actually on my way home now to change and get out the door at a reasonable hour so that I can have one final night tossing back Czech lagers with the best of them (pray for me). I may or may not be trying to set the record for most Czech beers consumed in Poland in one sitting tonight. 

If you have any questions about traveling to Poland or where to eat and/or drink, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me at [email protected]. 

Eat and drink well everyone,

Big Body