Vintage arcade games and pizza: a new kid-friendly brunch for Prague

Mama Shelter Prague opened its doors in September 2018 in the former Parkhotel, a Holešovice landmark between Stromovka and Veletržní palác known for its brutalist architecture.

Prague is the seventh location for the franchise which also operates hotels in Bordeaux, Los Angeles, Marseilles, Paris, Lyon, and Rio de Janeiro.

The building’s blocky facade is a stark contrast to the riot of daring interior design and fresh international flavors one discovers within.

Already a worldwide success with its target demographic—millennials who appreciate whimsical touches like superhero-mask light fixtures in the rooms and display cases packed with tchotchkes in the lobby—it’s also an ideal place to take the family brunch.

We visited one of the first Sunday brunches, launching in late January. The brunch takes place in the daylight-flooded cantina section of the hotel, a color-drenched space decked out in eye-popping mismatched upholstery and retro seating.

The buffet-style brunch is definitely not your standard Continental breakfast fare. The spread runs the spectrum from vegetarian quiche, cheeses, grain and vegetable salads, charcuterie, and a rainbow of fresh fruit, to breakfast casseroles served family-style in enormous baking dishes.

The international menu, a nod to the hotel’s diverse portfolio of locations, continued with large platters of hummus, dill-spiked cucumber-and-yogurt salad, and tabbouleh (though truthfully I was disappointed that the gyozas and shakshouka from the daily menu weren’t served at brunch).

The undeniable winner—at least among the 4-to-6-year-old contingency—was the never-ending pizza with its soft, chewy brick-oven crust and quality toppings that was as easy to handle (among the most important criteria for us these days) as it was delicious to eat.

The hotel will soon be launching make-your-own pizza classes for kids during brunch time (the cantina area also houses a brick pizza oven), though for now, ours were satisfied with the novelty of having unlimited pizza for breakfast.

Runner-up kid favorite: the grilled brioche, wobbly French-toast cubes perfect for loading up with spoonfuls of Nutella and preserves from the giant bowls positioned on a low-table at kid height. Breakfast sausage sliders were also a big hit for small hands.

A children’s’ corner has now opened with activities, coloring, games, and movies, though older kids will definitely appreciate the multiple old-school arcade-game consoles, air hockey, and pool in the lobby, while the seating opposite the cantina has tables with built-in chess and checker boards, and shelves stocked with board games.

Dessert almost seemed like a dangerous endeavor at this point but the little teacup servings of tiramisu and vanilla creme brulée, madeleines, and homemade chocolate chip cookies were impossible to resist.

Mama Shelter also has a very affordable kid’s menu for anyone who considers pizza and free Pacman a winning combo.