A Beer Tourist’s Guide to…Brno, Czechia

Situated conveniently on the train line between Prague and other common interrail destinations of Bratislava, Vienna and Budapest, Brno unfairly receives short shrift. This is Moravia in pure time capsule form, with charming 19^th century buildings, the remnants of Communism (including a well-integrated Vietnamese population giving the local cuisine a much-needed uplift) and pubs, pubs, pubs. The city is small and walkable, the people are warm if culturally curt, and the lager is possibly the best in all of Europe. Stop off on your inter-city jaunt for a day or two – you’ll be glad you did.

As suggested, you can’t go wrong with the pubs, but you can go extra right, so here is our guide to the establishments to hit on a trip to Brno. The list is geographically written, starting in the city centre, and therefore also lends itself to being followed loosely in order. Obviously once you’ve had eight pilsners you won’t want to play by the rules, but we tried.

U Tomana is probably the most famous (if that can be applied in Brno) venue in the city. It is on the main square and replete with its own beer and a huge, contemporary food menu. The vibe is clean, gleaming with a little bit of an edge (make sure you check out the toilets) and works well at any time of day, given you’ll probably pass by it multiple times.

Around the corner, Hotel Pegas is exactly what you’re looking for when you think about a classic Czech beer hall. It’s a busy venue with the cavernous low roof and wood pannelling of your dreams, with fresh Pils and hearty food to match. It’s tourist friendly but not touristy, despite literally being under a hotel, and a top choice for food to soak up the beers.

Another great choice for food, Lokal U Caipla is primarily a restaurant featuring local produce on a daily changing menu. It’s a little rowdier in a high-ceilinged-beer-hall kind of way, and serves Pilsner Urquell and Kozel from specialist horizontal tanks. Go for a perfectly poured Pils, stay for the food.

Note that any one of these three options are great for either lunch or dinner, so check opening hours then go to whichever is most convenient for you.

On the same block, as Lokal, you will find Pivovarium and Vycep Na stojaka, which are very much at opposite ends of the vibe spectrum. The former is a contemporary spot, very welcoming, with table service and a variety of beer styles (if you want a break from Pilsner for some weird reason). Vycep Na Stojaka literally means standing room only and it lives this out literally, with no seating at all. It’s a bright, noisy little pub full of jovial drinkers, with extremely brusque efficient bartenders and three local beer choices. Say Pivo, choose your foam level, then mill around enjoying maybe the best pilsner pour Brno has to offer.

From this hub of venues in the centre of the old town, head 15 minutes on foot north-west, just outside of the city walls, to find a pair of options that you simply cannot miss.

Antikvariat is impossibly stunning; full transparency, we didn’t research this place before coming and simply encountered it while accidentally looking through the windows, and is a cautionary tale for those unwilling to try something unheralded. A low lit oasis of sophisticated yet rustic calm, the walls are entirely comprised of bookshelves, with the occasional pot plant making an appearance. It serves independent Czech beer and coffee to a diverse clientele spanning various age groups, with some people working on laptops and others engaged in quiet, animated conversation. With light indie music in the background serving to create a movie-like atmosphere, there is only one problem: You won’t want to leave, and there are 8 other places to get to. If we lived here, we would come every day.

Just up the road is the “legendary” Hostinec U Blahovky. It has a reputation for being the most authentic locals bar in town, because it is. They don’t speak English, but that’s ok because there’s only one beer. Don’t take photos, don’t mess around – order a beer, take a seat and sip away. Note that many tables are reserved – these are for daily patrons, so even if they seem empty, do not sit on them. It’s a cultural experience no doubt, and you can’t say you’ve drank beer in Brno without experiencing it.

You’ll then head to the south-west corner of the old town. Depending on the time of day or your stamina, you can either walk back through the old town or you can scale the big hill and head through the Spillberk Castle complex. If you do decide to take in the views from up top, there is a quaint little hut selling a couple of local beers – cash only, and no toilet – but a nice pit stop if you need something to galvanise you on the way down.

Once you’re back on the edge of the old town, you’ll find Dohoda Beer House beautifully situated on top of the city walls. Right under the cathedral, its spooky, underground interior perfectly relates to the setting. The staff here are particularly friendly and the beer selection rivals anywhere else on this list, though it definitely has less of the energised social bustle.

Pivnice U Poutnika is close by, and fits into the Vycep/Hostinec category of local-vibe, low-choice, high-foam. One of the busiest venues in the city, it has a small front room by the bar and a large, canteen-like back area where you can sit and play cards, or watch the locals get through pilsner after pilsner at world-record speeds.

In the same building, Malt Worm has to be the worst name for a bar we’ve ever heard; luckily, the actual place is quite delightful. Clean, airy and full of cool murals, it stands out for successfully balancing being a craft beer-driven bar that you’ll feel familiar with, while retaining a cosy Czech ambiance.

If you’re still somehow thirsty at this point, or when things start to close around 11pm/midnight, you still have two great options. The first is Super Panda Circus, a high-concept cocktail bar/immersive experience, and worth going into for a severe change-up in vibe and just one drink that doesn’t taste like malt. The second is the late night dive-bar hangout Desert, a large, crowded venue with multiple rooms where you can order frothy pilsners aplenty while playing table football and chatting to locals.

This is a sampling of what we found to be the best venues in Brno, but realistically anywhere you go into will serve your pilsner purpose well. Na Zdravi!