Best 7 Italian Restaurants in Prague

Seven Italian restaurants in Prague worth booking, from Michelin-listed dining rooms in the Old Town to a proper Neapolitan pizzeria and a hilltop terrace you reach by cable car.

Italian food is everywhere in Prague, and much of it is forgettable: the same carbonara and tired pizza on every square between the Old Town and the castle. Behind that, the city has a serious Italian scene, driven partly by two local groups, La Collezione and Ambiente, that treat ingredients, regional cooking and Italian wine with real care. This list suits anyone who wants a reliable Italian meal while travelling, from a fresh-pasta lunch to a long dinner with a sommelier.

Every restaurant here is one we have written about in detail on Prague Hints, and each was checked again before this page went up. The picks are spread across neighbourhoods and budgets: five in or near the Old Town, one in Vinohrady and one on a hill above Smíchov, from a quick pizza to a six-course tasting menu.

At a glance

Best for a special dinner	La Finestra — imported meats, open kitchen, long Italian wine list
Best for breakfast to fine dining	Aromi — relaxed bistro and seasonal restaurant in one
Best for wine lovers	Divinis — Pohlreich’s wine bar with a tasting menu
Best for Neapolitan pizza	Pizza Nuova — hand-shaped Naples-style pizza from an open kitchen
Best for fresh pasta	Pasta Fresca — homemade pasta, about 20 wines by the glass
Best for a view	Ristorante Il Giardino Toscano — hilltop panorama, reached by cable car
Best for an all-day Old Town table	Kogo Havelská — open from breakfast, beside Havelská market

1. La Finestra

Platnéřská 13 · Staré Město

La Finestra is where we send people who want Italian cooking with real ambition. Head chef Riccardo Lucque builds the menu around imported meat and regional Italian traditions, and the restaurant belongs to the La Collezione group, which also runs Aromi further down this list. The open kitchen gives the warm, modern room some theatre, and the Michelin Guide lists it as La Finestra in Cucina.

Order meat: the steaks and the lamb are the reason to come, cooked with real precision. The wine list is long and Italian, so let the sommelier steer you between a full-bodied red and something lighter. It suits a business lunch as well as a date; ask for a table with a view of the kitchen.

Read our full guide to La Finestra →

2. Aromi

Náměstí Míru 6 · Vinohrady

Aromi was one of the restaurants that brought high-end Italian cooking to Prague, and it is the only place on this list that splits itself in two. One side is a bistro for breakfast, quick lunches and coffee with homemade desserts, which becomes a cocktail bar in the evening; the other is a fine-dining room with a seasonal menu. It is a La Collezione restaurant and is listed in the Michelin Guide.

In the restaurant the kitchen leans on seafood and pasta, and the menu follows the seasons, so ask what has just come in. In the warmer months a terrace opens up. The square has its own metro station, Náměstí Míru on line A, a quick ride from the centre.

Read our full guide to Aromi →

3. Divinis

Týnská 21 · Staré Město

Divinis is a wine bar and Italian restaurant from Zdeněk Pohlreich, the Czech celebrity chef, on Týnská, a short lane behind the Týn Church. The kitchen sticks to traditional Italian dishes and seasonal produce, and the wine list is extensive enough to make the place a destination on its own. The restaurant notes its place in the Michelin Guide selection.

You can eat à la carte from a menu of Italian classics, but the six-course tasting menu with matched wines shows what the kitchen can do. A lunch offer is the gentlest way in. The room is elegant and intimate, made for a quiet dinner for two; it has historically closed on Sundays, so check first.

Read our full guide to Divinis →

4. Pizza Nuova

Revoluční 1 · Staré Město

Pizza Nuova does one thing and does it properly: pizza in the Verace Pizza Napoletana tradition, the Naples style with a soft centre and a puffy, blistered rim. Each base is shaped by hand, and the toppings start from San Marzano and Piennolo tomatoes, buffalo mozzarella and good olive oil. It is run by Ambiente, the Czech group behind Pasta Fresca too.

The open kitchen lets you watch the pizzaioli at work. Order a margherita first to judge the dough, then branch out. It is a relaxed room for friends or families, open daily from late morning until late evening, which makes it an easy fallback when other places are full.

Read our full guide to Pizza Nuova →

5. Pasta Fresca

Celetná 11 · Staré Město

Pasta Fresca sits on Celetná, the street that runs from the Powder Tower to Old Town Square, and it is the most useful address on this list for a sit-down lunch between sights. The pasta is made in-house, the cooking follows Italian regional specialities, and the menu changes daily.

The wine list is the surprise: put together by a top sommelier, it is one of the widest Italian selections in Prague, with around 20 wines by the glass, so you can try something new without committing to a bottle. The room is lively and draws locals as well as visitors; book online for dinner.

Read our full guide to Pasta Fresca →

6. Ristorante Il Giardino Toscano

U Mrázovky 1566 · Smíchov (NH Collection Prague)

Ristorante Il Giardino Toscano is the outlier here, and the setting is why. It occupies the upper building of the NH Collection Prague hotel on Mrázovka hill above Smíchov, reached by a short cable car ride from the main hotel building. From the top there is a panoramic view over the city, plus outdoor seating in good weather.

The menu is Tuscan in spirit, with classic pasta, fresh seafood and regional specialities. It feels a long way from the Old Town crowds, which is the point: come for a long lunch or an early dinner timed for the light. The kitchen breaks between lunch and dinner, so check the hours, and head to the main hotel building first for the cable car. There is also a brunch.

Read our full guide to Ristorante Il Giardino Toscano →

7. Kogo Havelská

Havelská 27 · Staré Město

Kogo Havelská is a dependable Old Town Italian on Havelská, beside the Church of St Gall (sv. Havel) and a few steps from the open-air Havelská market. Behind its big windows are two separate, smartly designed dining rooms, and the cooking puts the emphasis on fresh ingredients.

It is the most flexible place on the list: open every day from breakfast time until late, with a broad menu that has something for most tastes. That makes it a sensible pick for a group that cannot agree, or a late meal after an evening walk. Book if you want a window table.

Read our full guide to Kogo Havelská →

Practical tips

Book dinner ahead. Reserve a few days ahead for Friday and Saturday nights at La Finestra, Divinis and Aromi’s restaurant. Lunch is usually easier.
Use lunch to try the top end. Many Prague restaurants run a cheaper lunch offer; Divinis has one, and it is the simplest way to taste a high-end kitchen.
Neapolitan pizza is meant to be soft. A slightly wet centre and a charred, airy rim are signs of the style, not a mistake.
Ask the sommelier. At La Finestra and Pasta Fresca the wine lists are long, Italian and built by sommeliers, so describe what you like and let them choose rather than guessing.
Tipping. Around 10 percent for good service is normal in Prague. Check the bill first, as some places add a service charge.

Häufig gestellte Fragen

What is the best Italian restaurant in Prague?

It depends on the meal. For a special dinner we would book La Finestra or Divinis; for Neapolitan pizza, Pizza Nuova; for fresh pasta at lunch, Pasta Fresca. If the view matters most, go to Ristorante Il Giardino Toscano.

Do I need to book an Italian restaurant in Prague?

For dinner at the smarter places, yes, especially at weekends. Pizza Nuova and Kogo Havelská are easier to walk into, but booking still saves a wait at busy times.

Which Italian restaurant in Prague has a view?

Ristorante Il Giardino Toscano, at the top of Mrázovka hill in Smíchov, has a panoramic view over the city and outdoor seating. You reach it by cable car from the main building of the NH Collection Prague hotel.

Are these Italian restaurants expensive?

They span a range. La Finestra, Divinis and Aromi’s restaurant are the high end, while Pizza Nuova, Pasta Fresca, Kogo Havelská and Aromi’s bistro suit a more casual budget. Check current menus before you go.