In vinárna veritas: Sipping your way through Prague's vintage wine bars

There's a saying in the Czech Republic that there's three kinds of wine: the good stuff, the bad stuff, and whatever they drink in Prague.

There’s unfortunately some truth in that, as Prague has committed considerable time, effort and resources to making sure beer of a reasonable quality is available everywhere – largely forgetting to do the same thing with wine. Many places in Prague tend to stick to French or Italian wine of a certain price and vintage.

Such wine bars obviously do have their place on the city's wine map, but it's also worth looking out for the "staročeská vinárna" - the tradition of the Old Czech wine shop - that serves good and honest local wines at a good price in the most communal and friendly of atmospheres.

Finding those vintage wine bars may present a bit of a challenge, but ultimately, you only need to know where to look. Here's the non-comprehensive list of our favorite ones.

Most establishments understood as "staročeská vinárna" are of a somewhat diminutive nature, and Na Skleničku is no exception - it's tiny, and hidden away in a small passage just off Wenceslas Square.

In winter, it gets fairly steamy and crammed considering the square-footage of the place. As you might expect from such a gathering, it's joyfully loud, with the incessant and heated conversations sometimes overpowered by an improvised singsong started by some of the more musical-minded customers. Imagine an Irish village pub, and you won’t be far off.

You won’t find any sommelier around, with Na Skleničku instead charging a flat rate per deciliter for any wine. For the thirstiest ones out there, you can go for the bottomless glass option: you receive your glass and instructions on where the taps are, and then you're off for as long as you can stand it, and free to try as many glasses of as many wines as you like for CZK 444. Whether or not that makes actual business sense is not for us to judge or decide.

We recommend the Rulandské Šedé.

Address: Jindřišská 5, Nové Město

A bit less central and a bit more normal, Vínečko is a short walk away from the I.P. Pavlova metro station. It’s more spacious and comfortable than Na Skleničku and priced a bit more in step with the market but still completely affordable. This time, the wine comes from an actual bottle, with various vintages and vineyards represented on the extensive enough wine list. If you ask for a recommendation, you'll be asked about your preferences, and these people know what they're talking about.

It's the perfect place for an intimate and edifying conversation with anyone you respect and admire, or potentially for a happy outing with a group of fellow oenophiles who might still have a lot to learn about high-quality Moravian wines.

Our favorite was the Sauvignon.

Address: Londýnská 29, Vinohrady

Back now to the squalor of CZK 35 a glass: FIJOPA is next to the Jana Masaryka tram stop in Vršovice. It’s not as claustrophobic as Na Skleničku, but you may enter with the feeling that the place could use a few more square meters. You'd be wrong, as there's a fabulously welcoming atmosphere to the place that is neither excessive nor oppressing.

It’s the people that make FIJOPA a place you'll come back to. Apart from the waitress, ready with tips and jokes, a decent part of the clientele were active in the Velvet Revolution, knew Václav Havel, and are more than happy to indulge your curiosity or questions on the topic. Not only is the place homely and comfortable in the extreme, you can also experience a fascinating period of history with those who lived and made it.

We fancied something a bit sweeter here, and the Tramín Červený was just the thing.

Address: Sázavská 1, Vinohrady

You'll have to make your way to the badlands of the Malešice district for this one, and upon arrival, might think the new and shiny appearance of the place would disqualify it from this list. True enough, they do have some expensive bottles for sale, but you can have a fair-sized glass of the draft for CZK 50 – and it's really good stuff.

The place very much keeps to the ideals of the local establishment, where neighbors all meet in the evening for a quick sip and piece of gossip. The atmosphere becomes livelier as you approach the magic hour of 9 p.m. – otherwise known as bedtime in Malešice. And the local dogs that patronize the place are certainly not shy about introducing themselves to you.

We were in the mood for dry white wine here, and the waiter expertly told us: "There are two, and they taste the same, so I'll give you the cheaper one."

Address: Počernická 62, Malešice

Surprisingly well-hidden despite being located on a public square, it's a tram stop away from the Anděl metro station. A big glass of wine will put you back just CZK 28 – another example of business-unfriendly civic-spiritedness. No wonder it's full at 2 p.m. The clientele is of an older vintage, and the conversation usually focuses on dogs and other pets – in that order. Don't think you can go there for a restful one and enjoy your glass in silence, as you'll actively be invited to take part in the impassioned discussions.

We had Rulandské Šedé, and it cost, you guessed it, CZK 28.

Address: Matoušova 5, Smíchov

This one is far away from anything. You have to take the metro to Rajská zahrada, and even then, it's a bit of a walk. But this is very much part of the attraction. The phrase "getting away from it all" could have been invented for places like this.

The wine bar is friendly, but in a slow and quiet way. And the handsome, floral terrace very much embodies this notion. If you've ever toured the vineyards of southern Moravia, you'll know that La Garage has captured some of that hazy summer tranquility. Here too, it's an older crowd, but it's the ideal place to take your book and actually finish it.

We enjoyed a Veltlínské Zelené that comes highly recommended.

Address: Borská 29, Kyje

Opening hours are a matter of blind faith here, but if you catch them at the right time, you'll meet with an incredibly personable and witty staff full of recommendations. Small and intimate without being overwhelming, the place is gorgeous and comes with a genuine wood fire in winter that provides ample character and atmosphere.

Out of the way, unless you live in Michle, but worth the trip. This isn’t the cheapest wine we sampled (at nearly CZK 60 a glass), but it’s the best one. Let yourself be guided by the sommelier who visibly has done the research, and you can't go wrong. Live music here and there, a lively sort of crowd, and excellent, excellent wine.

We had Müller Thurgau, but do ask for recommendations - you won’t be disappointed.

Address: Nuselská 37, Michle