Eating out in Cesky Krumlov – Best Pubs & Restaurants

There are many options for drinking or dining out in Cesky Krumlov, including hospitable pubs, bars, and restaurants. Many serve traditional Czech or Bohemian cuisine, which is delicious. There are also some international restaurants, including Thai, Chinese and kebab shops.

Dining out in Cesky Krumlov is rather good value, especially compared to countries like the UK, France and Germany. Beer is cheap in the Czech Republic in general; Cesky Krumlov is no different. We found many places that were dog-friendly and very welcoming to pets.

The Best Bars & Restaurants in Cesky Krumlov

These are the pubs, bars and restaurants that I enjoyed while staying in Cesky Krumlov. Most of these served hearty Czech cuisine and local beers.

Restaurace Vyšehrad

Between the Historic Centre of Cesky Krumlov and the train station is Restaurace Vyšehrad. Restaurace Vyšehrad is a neighbourhood bar and restaurant that has a great atmosphere. Locals mainly frequented this place. However, despite the language barrier, they welcomed us on multiple occasions. This included when they won the local bowling league and invited us to join their celebrations with a few shots.

The beer at Restaurace Vyšehrad was rather nice; we enjoyed many glasses of Dux. Dux is a delicious Bohemian beer.

We enjoyed a few meals at Restaurace Vyšehrad, as it was next door to where we were staying. We enjoyed their ribs, pork knuckle and the local take on goulash.

Hospoda u Dušků a Friendly Dive Bar

Overlooking the Budweiser Gate of the Historic Centre of Cesky Krumlov is Hospoda u Dušků. Hospoda u Dušků is a small bar frequented by the locals, with some great-value beer. This was a great place for a quick Kozel inside or on their small terrace. This was a great place for a cheap beer, and the locals were friendly.

We met a few and had a great laugh. One of them discussed Ceausescu’s impact on ending communism in the Czech Republic. He was rather inebriated and enquired if I was a mafioso. This was rather amusing to both my wife and me.

Tavern of the Two Maries With a Lovely Beer Garden & Castle Views

Alongside the River Vltava, with views of the castle, is the Tavern, or the Two Maries, or Krčma U dwau Maryí. It has both indoor and outdoor seating. We opted for the outdoor seating by the river because it was a nice day and the views were lovely.

Beer was the drink of choice for an afternoon meal out. However, while sitting by the river, I fancied fish, so I opted for their trout with potatoes and salad. The food was great, and the venue was fantastic. Note: unfortunately, they don’t accept cards, so you will need to pay in cash here.

Rožmberská bašta

Rožmberská Bašta, on the riverbank near St Vitus Church, is a lovely place to eat out. We ate here twice: once in the evening for dessert and once for lunch while we waited for our room to be ready at Merlin Hostel opposite.

On the first visit, we enjoyed a few glasses of Cesky Krumlov beer and some apple strudel. The dessert was delicious and really impressed us; hence, we returned for a meal.

For lunch, I opted for their carp as a starter; it was fresh and deep-fried in breadcrumbs. While wandering through the restaurant, I noticed a fish tank to ensure the fish was as fresh as possible.

For the main course, I enjoyed their venison steak with chips and salad. The meat was delicious and locally sourced. We saw the farm from the train into Cesky Krumlov.

Bolero Restaurant On The Riverside

Bolero Restaurant is another nice eatery on the banks of the River Vltava. They have indoor and outdoor seating, and the terrace is nice.

Their beer options included Cesky Krumlov Beer, which is nice with a meal. For food, we stuck to the main course only and tried their pork and dumplings, as well as the deep-fried cheese. Both were tasty options, especially the spicy pork.

Švejk Restaurant

In the heart of Český Krumlov’s historic centre is Švejk Restaurant, one of the highly rated eateries on Google Maps. This, plus the interesting menu, drew us to visit here for an evening meal.

The beer selection included Pilsner Urquell and Kozel, which I enjoyed with the meal. For starters, I opted for rabbit pâté and toast. This was a delicious starter and set the tone for a delicious meal.

For the main course, I enjoyed their beef cheeks cooked with dark beer and cloves. They served this with celery purée, roasted salsify and roasted garlic. This was a rather special dish, and the flavours were fantastic.

Travellers restaurant: great value food in a nice Courtyard

We’ve visited The Travellers restaurant a few times for both food and beer. Travellers restaurant is part of a hostel and has a great courtyard for sitting out in the daytime. They also have a bar area and a dining section.

Beers on offer included Pilsner, Kozel and the local Eggenberg. They all hit the spot on various occasions and were reasonably priced. When dining here, I enjoyed their marinated feta cheese salad starter. This was the saltiest feta I’ve ever had, and it was delicious. Their bohemian garlic soups were pretty special too and very flavourful. For my main course, I enjoyed their pork chop in mustard sauce served with sautéed potatoes. This was delicious and cooked to perfection. For reference, this is a cash-only eatery.

Restaurant Bohemia

In the historic centre of Český Krumlov is the highly rated Restaurant Bohemia. We visited for a two-course meal and were not disappointed. The portion sizes were very substantial. The restaurant is housed in a historic building that dates back to the 17th century.

The beer courses were all Budvar or Budweiser, the Czech one. This is a great beer, and I’m glad to find it as an option in the town, as it comes from just up the road in Ceske Budejovice.

For starters, I enjoyed the smoked pork from Moravia with mustard sauce and sour cucumber. This was rather impressively served and looked like a flower. It tasted good too. On a normal day, this would have filled me up. My partner loves soup and, on this visit, enjoyed their traditional garlic soup with cheese and croutons.

For the main course, my eyes were bigger than my belly, and I ordered a tasty mixed grill which included chicken breast, pork tenderloin, and beef sirloin. My wife had the carp with potato salad; both were rather tasty and filling. This was one of our favourite meals out in the Czech Republic.

Hospoda Na Louži

Near the wax museum is Hospoda Na Louži, a delightful little bar which was ideal for an afternoon beer. They welcomed Henry with open arms and a bowl of water for him. They had some nice beer options here, including Kozel, a light afternoon tipple. The decor was dark wood complemented with many historic beer signs.

Babylon Gastro

Alongside the river with views of St Vitus Church is Babylon Gastro, a lovely restaurant with a terrace. The views are superb from their beer garden, and you might even get to see some kayakers passing like I did.

They serve the popular Pilsner Urquell beer, which is always nice, whatever the weather. I opted to try their special house burger for lunch here, which was nicely cooked and garnished. I usually try to stick with local food; however, local takes on burgers can be fantastic too.

Review of Restaurants in Cesky Krumlov

The restaurants in Cesky Krumlov were pretty special and good value for money for me. The local produce was special, including the local river fish. I regret not trying the zander, a river fish. We found the locals to be friendly in the bars off the tourist trail, which was nice, despite being asked if I was in the mafia.