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

> Czech supermarkets sell excellent cheap staples and a live carp in a tub every December. What to buy, what Kofola is, and why shops shut on Sunday.

- Source: https://clevertourists.com/resources/what-to-buy-at-a-grocery-store-in-czech-republic
- Authors: Evan & Clara, Clever Tourists (first-hand, from years of travel across 20 countries)
- Published: 2025-12-04

Czech shopping is unglamorous and reliable: **Albert**, **Billa**, **Kaufland**, **Lidl** and **Tesco** cover the country, prices are low, and the food is hearty rather than refined. The distinctive things are all preserved, pickled or fermented — which is convenient, because they are also the things that survive a flight home.

## 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

### Why do Czech supermarkets sell live carp at Christmas?

It is the traditional Christmas Eve dinner. Families buy the fish alive, keep it at home, and prepare it on the day, served with potato salad.

### What food should you bring back from the Czech Republic?

Hermelín cheese, pickled sausages, kysané zelí and Becherovka travel well. Bread dumplings are available vacuum-packed and keep for weeks.

### What is Kofola?

A Czech cola alternative, less sweet and slightly herbal, sold in every supermarket and pub.

### Are Czech supermarkets open on Sundays?

Larger supermarkets in cities usually are, but many smaller shops in towns close on Sundays and close early on Saturdays.