What is worth buying at a Czech supermarket, and what is the Christmas carp tradition actually about?

The pickled and preserved shelf

Kysané zelí is sauerkraut, sold in bags and tubs, and it is a staple rather than a garnish. Buy the raw version rather than the pre-cooked one if you want to cook with it.

Utopenci literally means drowned men: pickled sausages with onion in vinegar. They are eaten in a pub with bread and they are better than the name suggests.

Hermelín is a camembert-style cheese, often marinated in oil with chilli and onion as nakládaný hermelín. It is the single most useful thing to buy for a picnic.

Kyselé okurky are pickled cucumbers, sold in large jars, and they are a standard side rather than a condiment.

Bread, dumplings and the everyday diet

Knedlíky are bread dumplings, sold sliced and vacuum-packed or frozen. They are the standard accompaniment to roast meat and sauce, and the supermarket version is entirely acceptable.

Chlebíčky are open-faced sandwiches, sold in every supermarket deli counter, and they are the correct thing to buy for a train journey.

Rye bread (žitný chléb) and dark sourdough are better here than the white rolls, and they keep well.

Kofola is the local cola, less sweet and slightly herbal, and it is genuinely worth trying rather than a novelty.

Drink: beer is cheaper than water

Pilsner Urquell, Budvar and the supermarket own-brand lagers are all part of everyday life, and beer is often cheaper than bottled water in a shop.

Becherovka is the herbal liqueur from Karlovy Vary, and slivovice is plum brandy, usually homemade and usually stronger than you expect.

The wine is drinkable rather than remarkable; the beer is the point.

The Christmas carp, explained

In the days before Christmas, supermarkets and street stalls sell live carp from large tubs. The fish is bought alive, kept in the bathtub at home, and killed and prepared on Christmas Eve.

This is not a stunt for tourists — it is the standard Czech Christmas dinner, served with potato salad. If you are travelling in December you will see the tubs everywhere.

The rest of the Christmas shelf is vánočka (sweet braided bread) and an enormous quantity of biscuits.

Shops close on Sundays in smaller towns, and many close earlier on Saturdays. Larger supermarkets in cities are usually open, but do not rely on it.

Frequently asked questions