5 Tasty Prague Rib Joints

While a slew of varieties exist, in the Czech Republic you will mostly find roasted ribs (pečená žebra), which are slow baked in a marinade and emerge fall apart tender; barbequed ribs (grilovaná žebra), which have a slightly blackened, crispy exterior and an unmistakable flame grilled smoky flavor from the fire; and smoked ribs (uzená žebra), which tend to be drier and without sauce, leaving more of the natural flavor of the pork in each bite. Whatever you might be into, you are spoiled for choice in Prague. With that being said, a few restaurants stick out amongst the crowd when it comes to supplying extra satisfying pork racks for your dining enjoyment.

U Mlsnej Kocourat Náměstí míru is a buzzing establishment that has become a favorite of locals for its massive 800g rib platter (189 CZK). These dinosaur-size marinated short ribs baked in a sweet,slightly spicy marinade have a succulent combo of meat and melt-in-your-mouth fat. Attempting to eat an entire platter by oneself is an undertaking that could lead to the undertaker, or at least could make one fall into a food coma, so eater beware. At least the meat is adorned by a token bit of fresh carrot and celery sticks, perhaps to take a little bit of the guilt out of this otherwise over the top carnivorous undertaking.

Chapadlo in Nusle is another place that touts a massive 750g order of baked ribs (185 CZK). Despite the gargantuan portion, the eater can see the finer touches involved in the preparation, as the chef takes the time to french the tips of the rib bones. This is when the meat at the end of the rib is stripped away, making for a nicer-looking rib and giving the diner a cleaner eating experience by having little handles to hold onto. Chapadlo is also one of the few restaurants in Prague that offers baby back ribs, a rib that is smaller, but has a more delicious meat in between each bone. The effort put in makes for a divinely gluttunous rib eating experience.

Chudoba restaurant, a music themed restaurant piping in soul and classic rock while you eat, is a fun place to visit for the atmosphere and the enormous 800g portion of baked short ribs (219 CZK). There are two options of marinade, either the slightly dry grilovaná flavor or the more wet and delicious honey and chili sauce. Not a difficult choice on which one I preferred. These ribs are tender, with the right combination of juicy fat and tender meat that practically falls off the bone when you jostle it with your fork. Served alongside was a nice accoutrement of freshly ground horseradish and fancy mustard, for you condiment aficionados out there.

BBQ U Davida is a unique and homey BBQ place in the depths of Prague-10 Uhříněves. The car ride out from the center of Prague is worth it to be able to enjoy Chef David’s immaculate Texas style baby back pork ribs (145 CZK). The ribs are marinated in his own special, homemade tangy, spicy bbq sauce and cooked on an outdoor grill, giving you a taste of a summer meal any time of the year. The portion size is just right at 450g, allowing you to enjoy these tender, smoky treats without needing to take a nap at your table at the end of your feast.

Jiný Stav restaurant, located near I.P. Pavlova, gets back to the massive portions expected in Prague with its 750g rendition of short ribs (219 CZK). Served barbarian style on a wooden platter with a wonderfully minimal amount of vegetables, these ribs have a soy sauce infused flavor that made them stand out from the typical ribs found in Prague. While not fall off the bone tender, they were still cooked nicely, being crisp on the outside and juicy on the inside. The strong flavor from the soy sauce and the (un)healthy sized serving makes one order likely enough for two people to feel sated and full of porky goodness.