Starbucks has opened its first branch inside Prague Castle

U.S. coffee giant Starbucks has opened its first branch inside the grounds of the UNESCO-listed Prague Castle, with a 302-square-meter café appearing in the courtyard of the historic New Provost's Office on St. George's Square, directly behind St. Vitus Cathedral. 

The new branch seats just 54 people indoors and offers 72 seats outside in its summer garden that overlooks Prague Castle’s Stag Moat.

"The location of Prague Castle is a dream come true for us and also a big commitment. The unique historical atmosphere will take the Starbucks coffee experience to a whole new level,” Grzegorz Kazmierczak, Starbucks regional operations director for the Czech Republic and Slovakia, said.

The New Provost’s Office was renovated and rejuvenated earlier this year, paving the way for a commercial addition to Prague Castle’s grounds. When it came to selecting which company would occupy the space, Marek Stříteský from the Metropolitan Chapter of St. Vitus said: "Starbucks was the best choice, with experience in similar locations and specific requirements." 

A novel feature for Starbucks in Czechia will feature in the new branch: a digital menu board from which customers can order without having to queue up at the counter or speak to a shop assistant. Starbucks says that this feature will gradually spread to other chains in the city.

"This partnership marries historical grandeur with contemporary indulgence, bringing forth a new narrative within Prague Castle," shared Stříteský.

Prior visitors to Prague Castle will likely know that the 52-year-old U.S. coffee chain already has a branch in Hradčanské náměstí (opposite Salmovská Palace) and offers an upstairs terrace with views of Prague’s city skyline.

Further afield, beyond the grounds of Prague Castle, another Starbucks chain rests on Malostranské náměstí. This was actually the country's first-ever Starbucks, opening its doors in January 2008.

The Neo-Gothic building of the New Provost's Office was built on the north side of St. George's Square in 1877, according to the plans of well-known Bohemian architect Josef Mocker. 

It served as the seat of the Metropolitan Chapter of St. Vítus, the provost (the head of a chapter in a cathedral), and the congregation of canons. Since the 1950s, the building began to deteriorate and it was issued a demolition notice in the 1960s. Repairs eventually began in 2016 when the Metropolitan Chapter reclaimed ownership of the building.

Since coming to Czechia almost 16 years ago, Starbucks has opened over 55 branches in the country. In fact, Starbucks located in Hradčanské náměstí was nominated by media outlet Newsweek as one of the top 10 most beautiful Starbucks stores in the world.

With almost 40 stores, Prague also has the highest concentration of Starbucks per square kilometer across almost all Europe.

The chain has both impacted and responded to coffee drinkers' demands in Czechia. Starbucks has adapted by introducing pumpkin spice, plant-based milk, cold drinks, and a new menu since 2020, including a popular Matcha Green Tea with coconut syrup and milk.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, it also opened the country's first-ever Starbucks Reserve (where coffee beans are roasted differently) on Jungmannova Street in Prague, while also collaborating with multinational food firm Nestle to sell coffee capsules.