Emerging Prague: Karlín

Labeled for years, if not decades, as the dirty, crime-ridden misfit of Prague’s right bank, Karlín has undergone something of a resurrection since the floods of 2002 swept away a lot of its grime. Some might call that the turning point. Others argue it wasn’t until big-name developers swept in a few years later and laid claim to many of the district’s weed-infested land parcels, quickly turning Karlín into one of the city’s marquee office zones, which includes Amazon Court and the International Business Center among others. A string of boutique cafes and restaurants soon followed. As did higher rents and better landscaping.

A walk down its tree-lined main artery, Křižíkova street, reveals a new tea room (the elegant Tea Mountain) here and a cozy wine bar (Veltlin) there. Not far away are old favorites like the go-to Vietnamese lunch spot Red Hot Chilli, cozy Korean mainstay Bibimbap Korea and coffeehouse rock star Můj šálek kávy. Though only three years old, the cafe is credited as being the first in a tidal wave of fresh businesses that has rapidly reshaped the Karlín dining scene. The lineup now includes a number of chains (Mamacoffee and Bageterie Boulevard) as well as one-of-a-kind gems like Peter’s Burger Pub, stationed in a lovely green corner house just down from the Vítkov Hill pedestrian tunnel that links Karlín to Žižkov.

Sokolovská, the district’s other key roadway, offering a direct connection via tram between New Town and Libeň, is a mash-up of dingy mini marts, casino non-stops, scrappy fast-food takeaways, though more polished local favorites have sprung up in recent years including Polevkarna, Krystal Mozaika Bistro, the build-your-own salad place, Chop’d, and the just-opened coffee joint, Kafe Karlín. In January, the Czech food blog Scuk.cz reported that the Ambiente Group would bring its Lokál chain to Sokolovská 81/55 this spring.

While the neighborhood has clearly come a long way in a short amount of time, it still seems, in many respects, like a work in progress. Karlín’s biggest eyesore, the Florenc transit hub, lies on the other side of its viaduct, the longest in the Czech Republic. Sure, the Hilton’s just around the corner and the sleek S9 Florenc office space took over the vacant lot next to Jurys Inn. The popular Karlín musical theater and the Prague City Museum sit on either side of the renovated bus terminal. But, despite all its best efforts, Florenc has been unable to shake its undeniable creep factor. The area attracts unsavory figures who loiter near the highway underpass, in front of the metro station and, more troubling, outside the front doors of Česká spořitelna. Clearly, not a place for nighttime frolicking.

These days, there seems to be very little left of this Prague 8 borough that has not been thoroughly explored and picked over. Its proximity to the center has made it a hot commodity. District administrators recently made city-owned flats available for sale, while the Czech state is busy trying to offload cultural heirlooms, like Invalidovna, a sprawling baroque building that was once a dormitory for disabled veterans. It now acts as storage for military archives and is occasionally open to the public.