Prague's most festive menus: Where to go for Christmas dinner or brunch

One of Prague's grand-dame art deco cafes, Café Imperial's historic setting combined with a menu under the direction of famed chef Zdeněk Pohlreich gives the venue added appeal as a holiday dining option. Classic fish soup as well as fried pike perch and potato salad will be served on Dec. 24.

Deer restaurant offers a 4-course festive menu of roasted snails in butter with Beluga lentils and parsnip puree, Christmas fish soup, fried carp with mashed potatoes, or Wiener schnitzel with potato salad amid its hunting-lodge setting.

Restaurant La Gare traditionally prepares three types of snails for Dec. 24 lunch (10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. or from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.) including snails Bourgogne with herb butter, snails with mushroom ragout and allumette with sea salt, Vol au vent with snails and garlic velouté. 

Located in the up-and-coming district near the Masaryk train station, Masaryčka's holiday menu runs through Jan. 1 and features Czech holiday favorites including pork schnitzel and mushroom "kuba." 

Better known for its sushi offerings, Soul Love has a 3-course traditional Czech Christmas menu with fish soup, fried sea bass with potato salad, and, for dessert, apple strudel with cinnamon and vanilla ice cream from Dec. 24-26.

Tuck into a gourmet Christmas menu from Červený Jelen restaurant. Pike perch fish soup, venison parfait, wild boar salsiccia with black truffle, veal tenderloin with truffle mash, or USDA Prime Cowboy steak washed down with the restaurant's famous egg nog.

Ginger and Fred's Dec. 24 tasting menu features lobster tartare, truffle tartlet with foie gras, fish broth with carp terrine, escargot gratin, venison back with oyster mushroom, and dumplings with vanilla zabaglione (not to mention panoramic views of Prague).

OBLACA restaurant, nestled high atop the Žižkov TV Tower, pays homage to European holiday traditions with marinated foie gras, creamy fish soup, baked pike perch, and cinnamon panna cotta from Dec. 22-26.

Terasa U Prince has a festive three-course menu from Dec. 21-26. Indulge in Old Bohemian creamy fish soup, choose between wiener schnitzel or fried Třeboň carp for the main course, and finish with homemade gingerbread and marinated plums.

Triton Restaurant's lavish 7-course Christmas Eve menu starts with Moët & Chandon Imperial Brut Champagne and continues with courses named for seasonal flavors deer, mushrooms, and St. Peter's fish. The gala event takes place in stalactite-cave surrounds.

Agora Greek Restaurant is offering a gourmet Greek Christmas Menu with authentic Greek holiday recipes on Dec. 24. The restaurant's deli is also a great spot for picking up a last-minute gift.

Aromi's Italian Christmas menu begins with amuse-bouche with snail and cranberry ceviche, paired with Sauvignon Blanc. Appetizer of orzetto and lentils served with Soave Classico. A Martini sorbet precedes a choice of Skrei cod or Pork porchetta.

Hard Rock Café Prague's American-style Christmas dinner with all the trimmings includes slow-roasted turkey breast, roasted fresh vegetables, home-style classic stuffing, creamy sweet potato mash, and cranberry sauce finished with a traditional turkey gravy. Available now until Dec. 31

Alcron, newly reopened in the Radisson, is serving up a fresh-catch Christmas dining experience. Christmas Eve lunch offers fish soup, blackened pikeperch, and a festive "snowball" dessert with cherries. For Christmas Day and Boxing Day, savor an international 4-course menu with amuse bouche and sparkling wine.

The Artisan Restaurant hosts advent weekend brunches throughout December and a festive Christmas lunch menu from Dec. 18-29 featuring all the flavors of the holiday season.

The Mozart is serving a Dec. 24 dinner with pumpkin soup with black truffle, turkey roulade, and a diverse dessert buffet. On Dec. 26 amid the opulent setting of the hotel restaurant, enjoy a rich buffet brunch of delectable soups, and a choice of three main courses.

Seasons Restaurant at the Hilton Hotel Prague is offering a four-course dinner on Dec. 24 of seabream, lobster, or terrine with fruit and champagne; vegetarian options are available. On Dec. 25 enjoy a holiday brunch buffet with live music.

Café Savoy is currently taking orders for classic Czech Christmas cookies and Christmas bread. A kilogram of vanilla crescents, rum balls, Linzers, and more as well as sweet braided vánočka bread.

The Christmas Without Stress menu from Léta Páně restaurant offers a ready-made Christmas Eve menu that includes soups, salads, schnitzels (turkey, chicken, pork), carp, and wine sausage. Now taking orders at +420 774 008 556. Espirit restaurant in Vyšehrad is now filling orders for Czech Christmas staples like potato salad, mushroom kuba and desserts to go.

Spend a fairytale Christmas Eve at Chateau Trnová on Dec. 24. The chateau, just a short trip outside of Prague, invited merry makers to a festive 5-course menu and Christmas punch in a peaceful castle setting. Reserve at: restaurace@chateautrnova.cz.