Kratochvile

Kratochvile is a blend of a teahouse, café, wine bar and bookstore, tucked away on Sokolská, one of the historic centre’s most interesting and overlooked streets.

There are more than 100 different types of black, green, spiced, and herbal teas from across the world. A favourite of many is the Yogi tea. According to the menu, the black tea spiced with cinnamon, ginger, cardamom and cloves supports “mental alertness and leads to a mildly euphoric state, pleasant and warming in all seasons”. It comes served with soy milk and cane sugar, and a wonderful addition is a plate of the homemade shortbread biscuits.

Kratochvile is not all about tea, though. There are coffees from three continents, Melta barley coffee, and cocoa which can be served cold, hot, with cream and/or flavoured with cinnamon. There are also some interesting bottled beers, a short list of wines and the smokers’ corner offers two dozen flavoured tobaccos for the shisha pipes. Sweet and savoury snacks are available and if you’re properly hungry, they may be able to whip up a bowl of cous-cous or some toasted sandwiches.

The three main rooms on Kratochvile's ground floor have quite different characters. The front room is light and busy, the old gothic arches of the second room form two private nooks which are filled with cane furniture and low round tables. In the large rear room, you can sit on sofas, cushions on the floor or swing from one of the hammocks suspended from the ceiling. From this back room a wooden staircase leads up to the small loft, which is where you'll be directed if you want to try a shisha pipe.

As if all this weren’t enough, the interior walls are frequently used as a gallery and the back room hosts performances and small concerts from time to time.

Kratochvile is open 7 days a week until 11pm.

Kratochvile te & cafe
Sokolská 36
Tel: 603 564 120

Kratochvile

Kratochvile is a blend of a teahouse, café, wine bar and bookstore, tucked away on Sokolská, one of the historic centre’s most interesting and overlooked streets.

There are more than 100 different types of black, green, spiced, and herbal teas from across the world. A favourite of many is the Yogi tea. According to the menu, the black tea spiced with cinnamon, ginger, cardamom and cloves supports “mental alertness and leads to a mildly euphoric state, pleasant and warming in all seasons”. It comes served with soy milk and cane sugar, and a wonderful addition is a plate of the homemade shortbread biscuits.

Kratochvile is not all about tea, though. There are coffees from three continents, Melta barley coffee, and cocoa which can be served cold, hot, with cream and/or flavoured with cinnamon. There are also some interesting bottled beers, a short list of wines and the smokers’ corner offers two dozen flavoured tobaccos for the shisha pipes. Sweet and savoury snacks are available and if you’re properly hungry, they may be able to whip up a bowl of cous-cous or some toasted sandwiches.

The three main rooms on Kratochvile's ground floor have quite different characters. The front room is light and busy, the old gothic arches of the second room form two private nooks which are filled with cane furniture and low round tables. In the large rear room, you can sit on sofas, cushions on the floor or swing from one of the hammocks suspended from the ceiling. From this back room a wooden staircase leads up to the small loft, which is where you'll be directed if you want to try a shisha pipe.

As if all this weren’t enough, the interior walls are frequently used as a gallery and the back room hosts performances and small concerts from time to time.

Kratochvile is open 7 days a week until 11pm.

Kratochvile te & cafe
Sokolská 36
Tel: 603 564 120

Kavárna Národní Dům

Kavárna Národní Dům is a newly opened cafe on the ground floor of one of Olomouc's most prominent 19th century buildings.

The new kavárna is elegantly furnished in dark wood, pale leather and large images of Olomouc's main historic attractions line one wall. Chandeliers hang low, the wait staff look sharp in their black and white uniforms and the place seems to be striving to give the impression of a grand Viennese coffee house.

The entry doors from the foyer lead into the main non-smoking area of the cafe; just seat yourself at any of the available booths or tables and the waiters will take your order. The large plate glass windows are good for people watching across one of Olomouc's busiest pedestrian corners and the first booth inside the door offers the best vantage point.

The main disappointments about this place are the apathetic attitudes of some of the wait staff and the fact that there is no physical division between the smoking and non-smoking sections. Most of the time that might be OK but if people are fagging up a storm in that corner it soon wafts out to stain the entire space.

All the usual coffees are available and the prices are around average for the centre of Olomouc; 31Kč for a large espresso without milk, 35Kč with. There always seem to be at least five or six different cakes on display in the cabinet and the Sacher Dort (39Kč) is quite good. On the breakfast menu are about 8 offerings ranging from 29Kč for the omelette to 49Kč (2 Euros) for ham and eggs, but it's only served until 9am (better order by 8.30 to be on the safe side)

The cafe is open from 7am to 7pm on weekdays and 8am to 8pm on Saturday and Sunday and the music is trashy hits and memories from the radio.

Kavárna Národní Dům
8. května 21
Tel: 685 224 806

Kavárna Národní Dům

Kavárna Národní Dům is a newly opened cafe on the ground floor of one of Olomouc's most prominent 19th century buildings.

The new kavárna is elegantly furnished in dark wood, pale leather and large images of Olomouc's main historic attractions line one wall. Chandeliers hang low, the wait staff look sharp in their black and white uniforms and the place seems to be striving to give the impression of a grand Viennese coffee house.

The entry doors from the foyer lead into the main non-smoking area of the cafe; just seat yourself at any of the available booths or tables and the waiters will take your order. The large plate glass windows are good for people watching across one of Olomouc's busiest pedestrian corners and the first booth inside the door offers the best vantage point.

The main disappointments about this place are the apathetic attitudes of some of the wait staff and the fact that there is no physical division between the smoking and non-smoking sections. Most of the time that might be OK but if people are fagging up a storm in that corner it soon wafts out to stain the entire space.

All the usual coffees are available and the prices are around average for the centre of Olomouc; 31Kč for a large espresso without milk, 35Kč with. There always seem to be at least five or six different cakes on display in the cabinet and the Sacher Dort (39Kč) is quite good. On the breakfast menu are about 8 offerings ranging from 29Kč for the omelette to 49Kč (2 Euros) for ham and eggs, but it's only served until 9am (better order by 8.30 to be on the safe side)

The cafe is open from 7am to 7pm on weekdays and 8am to 8pm on Saturday and Sunday and the music is trashy hits and memories from the radio.

Kavárna Národní Dům
8. května 21
Tel: 685 224 806

Moritz Microbrewery

Moritz was Olomouc's original non-smoking microbrewery, and remains a highlight of the pub scene in the city.

The bare wooden floorboards, coloured glass windows, ceramic coasters and checkered tablecloths give Moritz the feel of a classic old school beer-hall.

At one end of the L-shaped space, plate glass windows offer a peek into the brewing room where Moritz's three beers slowly ferment in their open-topped vats. There are no organised tours of the microbrewery but if you're there during the daytime and the brewmaster overhears you speaking English and showing a genuine interest, you might be lucky.

Moritz attracts patrons of all ages, which is a refreshing change from some of Olomouc's student venues where a thirty-year-old can be the oldest person in the pub by about eight years.

The main beers are the 10° Moritz, the 11° Maisel half-dark and the stronger Moritz 12°. Start with the 10° and work your way up. The CAMRA 'Good Beer Guide to the Czech Republic' rates them all either 4.5 or 5 stars.

The menu is of similar quality. Dishes range from the 42Kč spicy sausage snack up to 210Kč for the monster pork knee or 230Kč for the 200g prime beef steak in mushroom sauce. Try the pork with plum sauce for a real taste of the local region.

In summer there's a large outdoor seating area (smoking permitted) and Moritz is the favourite pub of many an Olomouc local. The only negatives are connected with its popularity; it's sometimes hard to get a seat and the wait staff can be brief when they're under pressure.

One of the best pubs and the best beer for miles around might just be worth the wait though.

Moritz microbrewery
Nešverova 2
Tel: 585205560

Moritz Microbrewery

Moritz was Olomouc's original non-smoking microbrewery, and remains a highlight of the pub scene in the city.

The bare wooden floorboards, coloured glass windows, ceramic coasters and checkered tablecloths give Moritz the feel of a classic old school beer-hall.

At one end of the L-shaped space, plate glass windows offer a peek into the brewing room where Moritz's three beers slowly ferment in their open-topped vats. There are no organised tours of the microbrewery but if you're there during the daytime and the brewmaster overhears you speaking English and showing a genuine interest, you might be lucky.

Moritz attracts patrons of all ages, which is a refreshing change from some of Olomouc's student venues where a thirty-year-old can be the oldest person in the pub by about eight years.

The main beers are the 10° Moritz, the 11° Maisel half-dark and the stronger Moritz 12°. Start with the 10° and work your way up. The CAMRA 'Good Beer Guide to the Czech Republic' rates them all either 4.5 or 5 stars.

The menu is of similar quality. Dishes range from the 42Kč spicy sausage snack up to 210Kč for the monster pork knee or 230Kč for the 200g prime beef steak in mushroom sauce. Try the pork with plum sauce for a real taste of the local region.

In summer there's a large outdoor seating area (smoking permitted) and Moritz is the favourite pub of many an Olomouc local. The only negatives are connected with its popularity; it's sometimes hard to get a seat and the wait staff can be brief when they're under pressure.

One of the best pubs and the best beer for miles around might just be worth the wait though.

Moritz microbrewery
Nešverova 2
Tel: 585205560

M-Cafe

M-Cafe on Kateřinska Ulice is one of Olomouc's latest crop of cosy little non-smoking cafes. This one shares its space with a bakery, but they're two separate businesses. If you'd like something from the bakery counter you order and pay for it there, but are welcome to take it through to the cafe at the back.

In the cafe there's table service; the menu is only in Czech but the coffees all have their Italian names and the fruit juices and smoothies aren't too difficult to work out (especially karamelova, bananova etc).

The cafe's main room is exceptionally cosy and the small courtyard is nice, but too high-walled to get any direct sunshine. The upholstered chairs are comfortable and the sturdy tables are perfect for catching up on a bit of writing or emailing (there's free wifi, but you'll need to ask for the password).

The only let down is that the cafe can get a bit noisy, especially when it's empty the tiniest noise echoes around. The music quality is a bit hit and miss; varying from pretty cool jazz CDs to the crappiest commercial radio stations imaginable, depending on who is working that day.

In all it's a nice enough little place to pop into if you're passing, but is probably not worth a special trip across town.