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 echoes of Communism (including a well-integrated Vietnamese community giving the local cuisine a welcome 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 drinking holes, but you can go extra right, so here is our tourist’s guide to the establishments you won’t want to miss. The list is geographically driven, starting in the city centre and working its way between neighbourhoods, therefore also lending 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 well-known venue in the city, situated on the main square and replete with an on-site hotel, its own beer and a huge, contemporary food menu. The vibe is clean, gleaming, though with a little bit of an edge (make sure you check out the toilets). It is one of those town centre bars that is a 7/10 on all counts and works well for a quick beer at any time of day, given you’ll probably pass by it multiple times.

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

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

Any one of these three options are great for either lunch or dinner, so check opening hours then visit whichever of them you like the pictures the most.

On the same block as Lokal, you will find Pivarium 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 loosely translates to 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, 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 are worth the jaunt.

Antikvariat is impossibly stunning. Full transparency, we didn’t research this place before coming and encountered it while accidentally looking through the windows – truly 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 ten 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 and sip away. Note that despite many empty seats, actually sitting might be a challenge as most tables are permanently reserved for daily patrons. Tourist tip – even if they seem vacant, do not sit there. Embrace the cultural experience, order some pork knuckle (the only thing on the menu) if that’s your thing, and you can say you’ve truly been to Brno.

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 complex, 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 being the only place on the list to successfully balance being a craft beer-driven bar that you’ll feel familiar with, while retaining a traditional 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 popping into for a severe change-up in vibe and just one drink that doesn’t taste like malt and hops. The second is the late night dive-bar Desert, a large, crowded hangout with multiple rooms where you can order frothy pilsners aplenty while playing table football and chatting to locals.

The final entry on this list is for either your arrival or your departure, as it is just a five minute walk from the train station. Schrott Brewing Company is a steampunk dream, with a sprawling interior full of pipes and all that other stuff that makes something steampunk. They brew their own beer (though not on site) and ranging across a variety of styles, it’s very, very good. Get a couple for the train, and off you go.

This is the guide to what we found to be the must-visit venues in Brno (and not everywhere we went made it in). Realistically, most places will serve your pilsner purpose well – just make sure you state your foam level with confidence. Na Zdravi!