A lunch break that won’t break you
By Modupe Akinnawonu
Getting sick of Paneria sandwiches and salty pizza, but looking for a cheap lunch? Look no further than Restaurant Rainer Maria Rilke in Old Town. An unexpected find in the midst of expensive-looking hotels in the heart of Prague, this easy-to-miss gem should be on the to-do list of every student studying here.
Walking into the restaurant is like waltzing into a romantic dream. Its theme is its namesake, with detailed ink-sketches of Rilke, a Prague-born poet famous largely for his German-language poems, decorating the walls. Portraits of Friedrich Schiller and Johann Wolfgang von Goethe can also be found among the old brass instruments, landscape photographs, and giant murals that adorn the restaurant. Music reminiscent of Disney films and opera of the 1930s serenades you as you eat.
Soups are generally between CZK 20 and CZK 30 ($1–$1.60) and are a good-sized portion for lunch, especially with bread. If you’re looking for a full meal however, don’t fret. While the prices in the regular menu largely seem to hover above CZK 300, lunch never creeps above CZK 90. For those who want to visit often, the lunch offering changes on a daily basis and is always affordable. And don’t forget to enjoy your free water with that hearty lunch, just make sure to clearly ask for tap water.
Most of the food is very Czech and incredibly delicious, but some international cuisine sometime finds its way onto the table. Generally at least one of the main dishes is, or can be made, vegetarian, and there always seems to be at least one vegetable on all of the other plates, beyond mere garnish. The wait staff is courteous, and there’s usually someone there who speaks enough English to interpret.
Restaurant Rilke is less than a 10-minute walk from campus — just keep an eye out for its neighbor, Hotel Leonardo. Given the fast service, it’s very easy to have a nice, candle-lit lunch followed by a quick stop somewhere else for dessert.
Restaurant Rainer Maria Rilke
Karoliny Světlé 322/25
Prague 1–Old Town
Tel. 222 221 414
www.rmrilke.cz
Open Daily 11 a.m.–11 p.m.
Lunch served Monday to Friday, 11 a.m.–2 p.m.
Visa, AmEx, MC accepted
