Healthy and affordable lunches around the UNYP campus

You may be surprised to learn that lunching out in Prague during the week can be affordable, even on a student budget. In Prague, affordable food isn’t limited to the fast-food chains clustered around IP Pavlova – if you’re smart, you can find all sorts of lunch menus and student discounts. Whether you are a UNYP freshman, already working on your Bachelor’s thesis or applying for internships, you’ll want a break from cooking all your meals at home. To help you save some time and money, we’ve rounded up the best cafes and restaurants for a healthy lunch in Prague, including our favorite vegetarian and vegan eats. 

7 lunch spots to try out while studying at UNYP 

Looking for a vegan lunch full of vitamins and minerals?  Look no further – BistRAW and Tea is located just across the street from the University of New York in Prague. Warm yourself up with a bowl of pea soup enhanced with avocado, garlic, onion, and chili, or Thai carrot soup with avocado, fresh coconut milk, and ginger. And make sure to try out the signature raw pizza! 

Etnosvět is a fancier vegetarian and vegan restaurant, but on workdays they offer an affordable and delicious lunch menu from 11:30 to 14:00, with dishes from all over the world. Their exquisite lunch menu doesn’t exceed 200CZK, and ranges from vegetable paella to goulash with sauerkraut, from tofu, mushroom, and red wine ragout with dumplings to falafel with green salad and hummus. 

Polévkárna paní Mančo is a tiny café that specializes in a range of delicious soups. Their lunch deal is unbeatable – only 101CZK for a small soup and a piece of oven-fresh khachapuri. Located 3 minutes away from our campus, on Bělehradská 77, this cozy family-owned diner offers delicious borscht, kharcho, chicken and celery, or cream of vegetable soup – Polévkárna paní Mančo is a hot lunch spot for many UNYP students. 

You probably went to Bad Jeff’s Barbecue last time you had a craving for ribs. But did you know that this American food restaurant has a lunch menu too? You can enjoy the mouth-watering Knife&fork BBQ Ribs with curly fries or a salad for only 179CZK.

If you are starving and pushed for time, check out La Taqueria. This recently opened taco shop serves vegan and vegetarian tacos, and also a signature chicken soup with tomatoes, ancho and chipotle chilies, chopped chicken breast, corn tortilla, cheese, guacamole, and cream. Their service is super-fast, so you won’t be late for class. 

Národní 38 is a fusion cafe at Národní třída, opened less than a year ago by a pair of UNYP alumni, Huy Do Quang and Robin Nguyen. They started out as a coffee shop, but quickly expanded their menu to offer delicious European-Asian fusion cuisine. From teriyaki pulled pork on a fluffy pancake to zucchini cutlets in panko bread crumbs and curry sauce, Národní 38’s lunch dishes are always worth a trip on the 22.

Last but not least, Food Depo is located at Náměstí Jiřího z Poděbrad, just a metro stop or a pleasant walk from UNYP. Come very hungry or with a few friends, to try as many dishes as possible. Hand-made Russian-style dumplings, salads with delicious original dressings, beef stroganoff with mashed potatoes – the fantastic winter menu at Food Depo will keep you warm all day. Another perfect spot for a quick and affordable lunch break. 

Photo credits Food Depo