Utopenci
Photo: MOs810 · CC BY-SA 4.0

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.

Lokal Dlouhaaa ★ 4.4

€€Czech PubStare Mesto

Lokal Dlouhaaa is the longest of Ambiente's Czech pubs, a 70-metre tile-and-wood room in Stare Mesto pouring Pilsner from tank and cooking honest Czech.

OrderThe tartare with bread; tank Pilsner Urquell.

Vycep ★ 4.3

€€Modern CzechVinohrady

Vycep is a modern Czech pub in Vinohrady with a Michelin Bib Gourmand. Chef Jiri Hrachovy brings a Wallachian sheep-cheese touch to the Czech repertoire.

OrderThe halusky with bryndza; pour from tank.

U Fleku ★ 4.2

€€Czech Brewery-pubNove Mesto

U Fleku has brewed beer on the same Nove Mesto block since 1499. The cavernous beer hall pours its own 13-degree dark lager, brewed exclusively on site.

OrderThe dark Flek 13; the pork knee.

U Medvidku ★ 4.0

€€Czech Brewery-pubStare Mesto

U Medvidku has poured beer since 1466 in the same Old Town building. Located in Stare Mesto. Order the the x-beer 33; the goulash with bread dumplings.

OrderThe X-Beer 33; the goulash with bread dumplings.

Learn to cook it, or eat it with a guide

Utopenci makes more sense with someone from Prague explaining it. These are the classes and tours we have checked, with booking links.

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