Pilsen (Plzen) is the first place I have ever visited in Czechia, so I wasn’t exactly sure what to expect. I will admit right away, it’s not nearly as difficult as Carcassonne, but it’s not the easiest either. So let me break down vegan Pilsen from my experience so you know what to expect.
Pilsen is wildly known for its beer, specifically Pilsner Urquell, and the city is clearly centered around that and a well established mental fest. So if you find yourself in Pilsen for one of these reasons (or to gawk at the dreamy architecture), I got you covered.
When you start to do research on what’s vegan in Pilsen, it actually looks pretty promising. The problem for me didn’t stem from the handful of options, it was that very few things actually tasted good married with finding things open later in the day. I hate to say that, especially when places who actually try and accommodate vegans exist, it’s just such a downer when you have multiple meals in a row that aren’t exactly appetizing.
After Pilsen, I immediately went to Prague, where the food was incredible. It was a week of all hits and no misses, so I feel this is a uniquely Pilsen problem when it comes to vegan offerings.
Let’s Start with What’s Actually Vegan in Pilsen
Pivstro – Beer Bistro / Bezručova 185/31, 301 00 Plzeň 3-Vnitřní Město, Czechia
I think I was most excited about this spot, so it was the first place we went. I got a burrito, and so did my husband. My son got a burger and we shared the nachos.
The nachos I think was something we didn’t understand. When we ordered nachos, we thought we were getting corn chips covered in various toppings, but it was a bowl of chips with salsas on the side – like chips and salsa.
My son did not like or eat his burger, so that was a miss. He did enjoy the fries. My husband liked the burrito, while I didn’t really. They use the vegan cheese that feels like snot, and a lot of it, so that’s always hard for me to enjoy. I would order it again – without the cheese. They did a nice job with pan frying the outside and the flavors weren’t bad. It was really just the cheese that was a turn off.
The Fresh Bar / nám. Republiky 202/28, 301 00 Plzeň 3-Vnitřní Město, Czechia
Being I was here on a work trip, my husband was a saint a grabbed me vegan meals from various places. This one was decent. They had one vegan poke bowl which was premade and consisted of sushi rice, mango, soy beans, some tofu and pickled veggie along with some dressing. It was pretty basic and not typically what I eat, but it’s really good to know it exists in a pinch.
Walter Mitty • Bakery Brunch Coffee / Smetanovy sady 314/12, 301 00 Plzeň 3-Vnitřní Město, Czechia
There were two vegan options here, a tofu sandwich and a vegan ramen. I went with the ramen and didn’t really enjoy it at all. I loved their coffee, and returned multiple times for that – but I skipped trying the tofu sandwich out of fear of disappointment. At this point I was thinking – is it me? Are my tastes off?
So what’s actually……Good?
BUDDHA / 2, Perlová 84, Vnitřní Město, 301 00 Plzeň 3, Czechia
This was the first good meal I had in Pilsen. I ordered the chana masala, a safe bet and it was very, very good. The staff was super kind and accommodating and walked my family through the menu. Everyone enjoyed their meals and it was a nice sized serving for a fair price.
LE CONSULAT / Riegrova 15, 301 00 Plzeň 3, Czechia
This was the second meal we really enjoyed. I reached out on instagram ahead of time asking if their vegan offerings were current and they quickly replied with an enthusiastic yes!. The vegan menu is clearly visible and the pizzas were delicious and unique.
In All Fairness, What We Never MAde It to
Brunette Burger / Perlová 8, 301 00 Plzeň 3, Czechia
We showed up and checked out them menu and decided to head next door to Buddha instead. The reviews were great, but we were a little too hungry to experiment with their offerings.
Vegebistro V Šipce / V Šipce 683/10, 301 00 Plzeň 3-Jižní Předměstí, Czechia
It felt like a travesty not eating here because I was equally excited to eat here as I was Pivstro. Their hours are a bit particular, which is why I never made it. According to Google Maps, they are closed on the weekend and only open 10:30 – 2:00 during the week. Being I was on a work trip and not managing my own schedule, I missed every opportunity!
Vegetarian bistro Satyr / 24, Kardinála Berana 1069, 301 00 Plzeň 3, Czechia
Similar to to Vegebistro (same owners?) the timing issue kept me away. Vegetarian Bistro Satyr is closed on the weekends and open 10:00 – 3:00 during the week. Perhaps another time I will get to try these spots both out.
If these hours work for you stay, I would definitely try both out, the reviews are great and I think this could be a saving grace for lunch.
Of course this is only our experience…
It seems like if you plan really well, you can have a long weekend here as a vegan with little to no issue. If you have a packed week of obligations, it can be very difficult when dinner time rolls around . Some of the taverns were able to throw some pan friend tofu on a salad a few times for me during lunch, which was much appreciated.
Have you been to Pilsen? Have you had better luck than me?
Vegan Prague 2024! - The Vegan Holiday
[…] What better time to check it out?. Though I thought eating vegan in Prague was not going to be easy based off my difficulty in Pilsen, but I was so […]