Grand Café Orient is a café inside the House of the Black Madonna in Prague’s Old Town, at Ovocný trh 19. Its Cubist design extends from the furniture and lamps to small interior details, making the room itself a reason to stop. Settle in for coffee, brunch or cake, including the Grand Café Orient chocolate cake with mint cream. There is also a terrace with city views. Come for the setting and a light meal or drink; the menu is not the main draw for a large meal.
A café inside the House of the Black Madonna
Grand Café Orient is at Ovocný trh 19 in Prague’s Old Town, inside the House of the Black Madonna. Architect Josef Gočár designed the building, completed in 1912, as well as the café’s interior. The building takes its name from a Baroque figure of a Black Madonna on its corner, which came from an earlier structure on the site.
The café’s Cubist character is visible in more than its overall layout. Its original design extended to fixtures and furnishings, including lamps, built-in furniture and a dark oak bar counter. The geometric approach also appears in smaller details around the room. Look up at the staircase, whose shape has been compared to a lightbulb, and notice František Bílek’s sculptures on the walls.
Czech Cubism in the café interior
The café gives you a chance to see Cubist ideas applied to a place made for eating and drinking. Marble-topped tables, woodwork, hanging brass lanterns with silk shades and mint-striped upholstery contribute to the period interior. The café also has expansive windows and a wooden grand piano. A terrace provides another place to sit, with views over the city.
The café lost popularity as Cubist design fell out of fashion in the 1920s, and its floor was later used as offices. It was restored and reopened in 2005. The return of the café brought back its distinctive interior as part of a visit to the House of the Black Madonna, which also houses the Czech Museum of Cubism.
Coffee, brunch and cake
The menu includes coffee and tea, brunch dishes and sweets. Eggs Benedict and pancakes are among the brunch options; cakes include the café’s namesake chocolate cake, served with mint cream. Turkish coffee and ginger tea are other choices for a drink alongside dessert. Menu items can change, so check what is available when you visit.
Treat the stop as a café visit rather than a full-sized meal: the setting is a strong reason to come, and the food is suited to brunch or a lighter break. If you want to take in the interior at a slower pace, choose a table indoors; the terrace gives you a different view of the city.
Preguntas frecuentes
Where is Grand Café Orient in Prague?
It is inside the House of the Black Madonna at Ovocný trh 19 in Prague’s Old Town.
What is special about Grand Café Orient?
Josef Gočár designed the café’s Cubist interior as part of the House of the Black Madonna, completed in 1912. The design can be seen in details such as the lamps, furniture and bar.
What should I order at Grand Café Orient?
The café serves coffee, tea and brunch, including Eggs Benedict and pancakes. Its namesake chocolate cake comes with mint cream.
How long should I plan for a visit?
Allow about 45 to 90 minutes for a drink, cake or light brunch and time to look around the interior.
