Prague

A perfect riverfront location provides memorable views of Prague Castle and the Charles Bridge. The Czech-Continental cuisine is consistently well-prepared, and typical entrées include veal fillet and sweetbread with potato purée, seasonal vegetables and a mushroom sauce; and grilled venison saddle with a nut crust, celeriac, spruce needles and salsify.

The Michelin-starred restaurant of chef Oldřich Sahajdák, La Degustation Bohême Bourgeoise, is one of my favorites in Prague, but it’s no secret. Less well-known is his new bistro, Milada, a rather spare space tucked away in the Prague 7 neighborhood. It also serves rotating tasting menus, but they’re less formal and less expensive. Recent dishes have been Bohemian cep mushrooms with an egg and cream; lamb with mustard, bell peppers and plum; and scallops with mango. Closed Monday.

Though off the beaten track, this is the place to discover beers from the Matuška brewery, which are served to accompany hearty dishes such as grilled sausages, rabbit terrine, and veal shoulder with homemade noodles. Closed Sunday.

Perennially popular thanks to its riverside terrace beside the Charles Bridge, this gracious restaurant offers a menu that includes such starters as king crab ravioli with makrut lime aioli, tarragon and orange dust. Main courses might be olive oil-poached halibut with black truffles, crispy bacon, French mustard potato mash and vegetable foam; or veal entrecôte with crisp salsify, beluga lentils, baby spinach, foie gras purée and shimeji mushroom jus. The wine list includes a selection of notable Czech vintages.

Young chef Marek Šáda produces fine contemporary Czech cuisine at this delightful restaurant next to the Charles Bridge. Šáda cooked in New York before attending classes at the Culinary Institute of America in California. This experience explains his worldly style, which includes dishes such as freshly smoked veal tartare with yuzu mayonnaise, capers, watercress, mustard, radish and bulgur; and traditional Czech duck leg confit with red-cabbage foam and butter-seared mashed potatoes. The wine list offers a superb selection of little-known but excellent Czech wines.