What to Taste while in Prague for Christmas: Traditional Czech Christmas Food and Sweets

I love the Christmas season, when Prague is filled with the smells and tastes of Christmas. When I suddenly switch over and start eating all the treats I haven’t had all year. When I stop by cafés for Christmas cookies with my coffee. When I bake the first Christmas bread to devour it before Christmas even arrives. Or when I find myself sipping eggnog almost daily. Just as I enjoy traveling abroad during the holidays to sample their local Christmas specialties, I hope you’ll fall in love with ours—classic Czech Christmas flavors.

Here’s what you need to know about Czech Christmas traditions and what to try:

  • Christmas Eve Dinner: The highlight of Czech Christmas includes fish soup, fried carp, and potato salad. Families often place fish scales under plates for luck and wealth.
  • Fasting Tradition: Many fast on December 24th, hoping to see the golden piglet, symbolizing prosperity. A lighter dish like houbový kuba (barley and mushrooms) is often enjoyed during the day.
  • Christmas Sweets: Try vanilla crescents and Linz cookies, or Vánočka, a braided bread with raisins and almonds.
  • Drinks: Enjoy eggnog, warm up with mulled wine.
  • Restaurants: Book early for Christmas Eve Dinner!

Traditional Czech Christmas Dinner

The main celebration and the most important meal of the season is on December 24th, which we call ‘Generous Day’. The whole family gathers for a rich dinner, which traditionally takes place a little earlier than dinner on normal days, because everyone (and especially the children) is already anxiously awaiting the arrival of Ježíšek (Baby Jesus), who will announce himself by ringing the bell. And because it may take longer than usual.

Getting ready for Christmas Dinner

In the Czech Republic, buying carp for Christmas is a special tradition that begins several days before Christmas Eve. During the Advent season, carp are sold at temporary fish stalls set up all around the country. These stalls are often set up on street corners, where customers can choose a live carp to take home.

Once bought, many families keep the carp alive in their bathtub (a tradition often associated with children’s excitement), letting it swim around in the water for a few days. It’s a quirky but beloved part of the lead-up to Christmas dinner. But of course, you can have the carp killed on the spot or just buy carp fillets in the supermarket.

The day before Christmas Eve, the potato salad is already being prepared, because it is better if left to rest.

Christmas Eve Table Setting

Families often use their finest porcelain or special holiday-themed dishes, reserved for this occasion, to add a sense of elegance. A white or richly decorated tablecloth, sometimes embroidered with festive patterns, sets the stage. Candles and seasonal decorations like pine branches, ornaments, or a centerpiece featuring an Advent wreath add a cozy and celebratory touch.

In some families, an extra plate is always included for an unexpected visitor, symbolizing hospitality and a willingness to welcome anyone in need.

Another charming Czech tradition involves placing a fish scale, from the Christmas carp, under each diner’s plate. This is believed to ensure wealth and prosperity in the coming year. Some people even carry carp scales in their wallets, believing it will bring them more money next year.

Christmas dinner

Christmas dinner is the most cherished meal of the year, which means a lot of good (not really healthy) food and a huge feast. What individual families eat for the Christmas holidays can vary according to region and family habits. But the whole nation would agree that the traditional Czech Christmas Eve menu is considered to be fish soup, and fried carp with potato salad.

Anyway a lot of Czechs prefer to eat veal or pork schnitzel instead of any fish. Many Czechs Many Czechs also prefer to have a different type of fish for their Christmas dinner instead of carp, such as salmon.

Soup is often served with butter-fried croutons for added flavor. There is also alternative to fish soup, those who don’t like it usualy have pea soup.

Potato salad is a a creamy and hearty dish served alongside fried carp or schnitzel. While every family agrees it’s a holiday essential, the real tradition seems to lie in the lively debates about how it should be made.

Each household has its own treasured recipe, passed down through generations, and fiercely defended as the “correct” one. There are some non-negotiable ingredients like potatoes (of course), onion, pickled cucumber, carrot and mayonnaise (which is now also being replaced in healthier versions of the recipe). On the other hand, the most debated ingredients are sausage, boiled eggs, pea or apple. Competitions for the best potato salad among families or friends are not uncommon in the Czech Republic.

Tradition of Fasting and the Golden Piglet

According to ancient Czech traditions, people are expected to fast on 24th December until the Christams dinner. If you manage to stick to this fasting tradition, you will supposedly see the Golden Piglet, which is believed to bring good luck and wealth for the year ahead.

However, in practice, very few people follow this fasting tradition. Most Czechs continue with their usual holiday meals throughout the day. Despite this, the Golden Piglet remains a charming part of the holiday folklore.

Christmas breakfast and lunch

Most Czechs don’t follow Golden Piglet tradition and eat as usual all day. A typical Czech Christmas breakfast is vánočka, sweet braided bread. Since the dough for the Christmas bread takes about four hours to rise, it’s usually prepared the day before.

Czech Christmas breakfast: Christmas bread, coffee and eggnog
Czech Christmas breakfast: Christmas bread, coffee and eggnog

Christmas lunch should be light in expectation of a rich dinner. What is served varies from house to house, but usually, each family has the same meal every year – often pea soup, mushroom kuba or wine sausage.

Christmas cookies

After the dinner (and throughout the day), we grab Christmas cookies, which are usually prepared several days or weeks in advance. This is the day we’re finally allowed to eat them, rather than steal them secretly from the pantry.

Czech Christmas Food: Linzer cookies in cafe
Linzer cookies in cafe

Among the favorites are vanilla crescents (rohlíčky), made with butter, ground walnuts, and topped with a dusting of powdered sugar, linzer cookies with fruit jam or gingerbread.

First and Second Christmas Holidays

After Christmas Eve there are two days of holidays. The celebrations continue on Christmas Day December 25th (Boží hod vánoční) and December 26th (Svatý Štěpán), with more festive meals and gatherings. We continue in the non-diet spirit.

On the following day, the typical lunch is roasted duck with dumplings and sauerkraut. We usually roast a whole large duck, so we enjoy it for two days. Alongside, we finish off the schnitzels, carp, and salad, as everything was prepared and fried in abundance.

So until about December 28th, we overeat, then we return to normal eating for a few days – just in time for more feasting on New Year’s Eve.

Christmas Drinks

The holiday season in Prague wouldn’t be complete without its beloved drinks. Once the winter comes to us, at outside markets, some cafés and also at home we are happy to drink mulled wine (svařák). Advent is time for sweet and creamy eggnog (vaječňák) and punch.

Czech Christmas cookies and eggnog
Czech Christmas cookies and eggnog

Where to taste Czech Christmas Food

For those looking to dive into Prague’s Christmas food scene, the city offers plenty of opportunities. From restaurants to lively Christmas markets and cozy bakeries and cafes, there are countless ways to experience these festive flavors. Sampling cookies or sitting down for a traditional feast allows you to connect with the rich heritage behind every dish.

Many restaurants offer schnitzel with potato salad and sometimes even carp throughout December. Similarly, wine sausage with mashed potatoes is also easy to find. In cafés, you can enjoy a slice of Christmas bread (vánočka) and a glass of eggnog, and many cafés even offer cookies “one piece at a time.” At Christmas markets, you’ll find mulled wine (svařák) and punch, as well as a variety of cookies for sale. And when you visit a bakery, you’ll usually find vánočka and a box of assorted holiday cookies on offer.

Some restaurants in Prague are open on Christmas Eve, though they usually don’t serve the traditional Christmas dinner. Instead, they offer a modern twist or something entirely different. Enjoying fine dining in Prague on Christmas Eve is definitely a great choice, but be sure to make a reservation in advance.

Powered by GetYourGuide