City Café Cosmopolit

In an unassuming spot on Spálená Street, City Cafe´s friendly striped awning promises entry to what looks like another coffee-cake-pastry place—when in fact it´s anything but. The ground floor cafe invites lingering, with plenty of homey touches: plush settees, pillows, and the kind of bric-a-brac (books, brass accents, handmade toys) that puts diners at ease. The second floor restaurant is a touch more sophisticated, but no less inviting. Italian light fixtures hang alongside original Czech paintings in up-ended gilded frames and other details culled from around the world. Low-lit nooks and couches afford privacy while plush table seating offers a view of the city below. Berlin-based designer Zhenya Glosch combines the perfect blend of rustic and modern to reflect what is, truly, an international eatery.

Owner Gayana Breiova, an Armenian by way of Russia, launched a similar concept in Moscow in 2004. Shortly thereafter it was named one of Moscow´s best restaurants by Menu.ru (2005). Now she brings the City Cafe Cosmopolit name to Prague where she hopes the restaurant´s edgy design, the multi-national experience of its owner and, above all, the promise of upscale cuisine at recession prices will appeal to Czechs, expatriates, and everyone in between. “We want to recapture that same vibrancy,” she says. During its short existence, City Cafe Cosmopolit has played host to numerous VIP events and functions, and will cater Czech crooner Karel Gott´s upcoming CD release party. But Breiova, a mother herself, adds that her restaurant is also a relaxed place to bring one´s family. The down-to-earth atmosphere here is reinforced by preferred customer cards and birthday perks.

At the heart of the City Cafe concept is the diversity and pulse of the urban lifestyle—which Breiova´s establishment exudes from the outgoing English-speaking waitstaff down to the sleek dinnerware. Chef Jan Brei, a fine-dining veteran of Bellevue Restaurant and Chateau Saint Havel, turns out kitchen innovations that perfectly espouse this attitude. The bold menu includes an Armenian napoleon of eggplant, tomato, roasted red pepper, and onion, held together with a garlic aioli and garnished with walnuts. Shrimp and shitake mushrooms in a tangy coconut-milk broth add Thai flavor to the offerings. A beef carpaccio starter, drizzled with truffle oil and topped with a crispy Parmiggiano cone, lends Italian flare. Entrees include grilled sea bass with wasabi puree and fennel ragout as well as dressed up Czech favorites and an impressive sushi menu, made fresh and for a reasonable price. Cappuccino crčme brule and a fudgy chocolate fondant highlight the dessert selection. A wine list of 50 imported wines—all vintages may be sampled by the glass—rounds out any meal.

City Cafe´s business breakfast menu includes an English breakfast and homemade apple pie. Waiters pour free coffee or tea from 8am to 11 am and fresh juices are 50% off. The Saturday and Sunday brunches, geared toward families, feed children under 10 free of charge. The lunch special includes a choice of soup or dessert in the fixed price. Beginning in July, Saturday and Sunday cooking classes for children with Chef Brei give mom and dad a chance to enjoy brunch favorites while kids try their hand in the kitchen. Add to this cheap hourly parking, and you´ve got a recipe for a successful family outing.

A slate of events and specials make City Cafe Cosmopolit a must-visit. Interactive degustation nights, every Thursday beginning at 6 pm invite guests to try complimentary samples off the menu. A Japanese-themed degustation runs for ten days through June 11. The degustation nights include a customer feedback session that allows Breiova to shape future menus. On Wednesdays from 6 pm to 8 pm one or two lucky diners will be selected from a lottery to cook with the chef (the meal is free). City Cafe Cosmopolit also provides a catering and corporate meeting service. A live jazz schedule is in the works, too, but for now Brieova and company are focusing on what they know best: creative cuisine made from fresh ingredients in a warm atmosphere that´s sure to get your return business.