Zurich and Prague recommendations

Just got back from a trip to Prague -- check my website www.BeerGuidePRG.com for the places I like. Be sure to try some Uněticé (10º or 12º) -- pretty easy to find even in non beer type places. Hostomice is also very good but a bit harder to find.

I am way out of date for Zürich but I always had a good time at Brasserie Federal in the Hauptbahnhof. Their draft list was a times not all that interesting but they have a great selection of Swiss bottled beer.

 

I was a big fan of Lokal in Prague (the one at Dlouhá 33). The whole city is loaded with great places to eat and drink.

 

If you go to Lokál Hamburk (PU tankovna) in Karlìn you can visit the new Dva Kohuti brewpub right behind it. Only one beer brewed there last month but 7 good Matuška beers on tap as well.

 

If you like lagers, U Fleků in Prague is a place you don't want to miss. Not only are the big mugs of beer delicious, the surroundings (& the rather wild company when we visited) are top notch.

 

If you do go, be aware if the waiter comes by and offers you a shot of schnapps, it is not free -- in fact is a bit pricey (as is everything at U Fleků) But the beer (and food) is good, just pricey by Prague standards. That means you pay about $3 for a .4L mug where similar beers might cost $1.50-2.00 for .5L. I get outraged at tourist prices in Prague until I realize I would kill for such a deal at home

 

I only had an evening in Zurich so I didn't get to visit very many places. I did make it out to the International Beer Bar and had a good time.

http://www.theinternational.ch/

 

I saw it at První Pivní Tramway and Restaurace U Bansethů last October but it is not something I look for. Don't remember seeing on my trip last month but I wasn't at a lot of PU places.

I used Google Pay all over Prague -- contactless cards are fairly common. There are places that are cash only so you will need some. Most of the terminals I saw were Chip & Pin and/or contactless so you may have issues with a signature card. The more touristy places did seem to have terminals with a printer.

 

for Prague, if you are looking for Czech lagers definitely Lokal is good to have a perfect Pilsner Urquell where you know the beer will be fresh, has been taken care of properly, and will be poured properly.

U Fleku - great if you are want Czech black lager

I'll echo the recommendations for Unetice, Unetice 12 is my favorite Czech lager and it is not very hard to find in the city. Also keep an eye out for Fabian 12 from Hostomice, and Desitka from Matuska.

Dva Kohouti is great and they have a good house lager (mistni pivo) on tap.

Regarding Unfiltered Pilsner Urquell I have only seen it in the city once, at U Veverky but that was years ago and I think it was only a special on tap for two weeks type thing. Unfiltered PU is not common in the city at all, you would most likely have to travel to the brewery itself for it.

 

For Zurich:

https://www.bov.ch/cgi-bin/canton.cgi?zh