Café Review: TriCafé

Tricafe

It was a photo of some cupcakes topped with rainbow coloured icing in circulation on Facebook which lured me to TriCafé – along with the promise of discovering that holy grail, somewhere nice for a coffee and a sit down in tourist-trap Old Town. Heck, this place is practically within shouting distance of that third circle of Bohemian hell, Charles Bridge. Is it possible that this could be the quirky independent café that the picture promised?

The huge sign advertising a reggae bar in the same street had me worried but I was in the right place. First impressions? Light, bright, and airy. The wide open windows face out onto Anenské náměstí, a pretty enough corner of Prague which was packed with parked cars rather than people.

And the décor? Think stripped down shabby chic: white walls, parquet floors, and lots of deliberately mismatched retro chairs around old-fashioned tables. A cute red rocking chair made me wish I’d brought my knitting. I spot a solitary tomato plant on a stool and then realize that the windowsills are lined with them too. The overall effect is pleasing – enchanting even – and would be cozier still if it weren’t for the fact that there are only half the tables here which could potentially fit in the space. I’m not saying I like a café where I’m forced to sit cheek by jowl with strangers but the interior does feel a little incomplete.

The cappuccino (49 CZK) was excellent but rather on the small side. Still, quality is always more important than quantity – unless we’re talking about desserts in which case I expect both. It turned out those cupcakes were only on offer during Prague Pride so I was left with no alternative but to sample a slice of chocolate cheesecake (79 CZK). It had a very thin biscuit base which tasted faintly of amaretto and an almost moussey main body. The result was pleasant enough but I was left with the feeling, as so often happens in the Czech Republic, that this wasn’t quite the real cheesecake deal. It’s worth mentioning though that both the coffee and cake came supplied with a large carafe of tap water at no extra charge – a practice more cafes should follow.

And the service? Friendly but not intrusive. As I went to the counter to pay, the waiter (or owner?) asked me where I was from. Once I told him, he adjusted the tally on the visitor’s board: a blackboard recording different nationalities who’ve dropped by. There are dozens – a fun reference to the café’s inevitably international clientele given its location.

During my Thursday lunchtime visit I had the place to myself: that’s right, I’m the kind of responsible adult who eats chocolate cake for lunch. However, I popped back the following Monday later in the afternoon and struggled to get a table. I also roadtested a latte (69 CZK), which seemed so huge I struggled to finish it, and a chocolate brownie which was moist, rich, and altogether more authentic than the cheesecake.

While there’s some room for improvement – I’d love to see a broader range of food options on the menu, both savory and sweet – TriCafé is a delightful haven away from those tourist hoards if you happen to be in the area. 

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