Czech pickled sausages, the canonical pub starter: a fat soft-fleshed parky sausage halved lengthwise, stuffed with raw onion, then submerged in a sweet-sharp vinegar brine with bay, peppercorns and chilli for at least three days before serving.

Utopenci, literally drowned ones, are a Czech pivnice staple developed in the late 19th century as a way for pubs to keep parky-style soft sausages edible for weeks once a fresh delivery had been cut. The sausages float face-up in tall glass jars at the bar like macabre ornaments, scooped out with tongs and served on a small plate with the brined onion piled around them and a slice of pickled cucumber. Utopenci are pivni jidlo (beer food) of the strictest kind, demanding rye bread and round after round of cold beer to balance the funk. U Medvidku and U Fleku keep jars going perpetually.

4 editor picks for Utopenci in Prague, ranked by editorial score. All Prague signature dishes · Utopenci across every city.