If you like coffee in Prague - and you should, it’s awesome - then Ondra Hurtik needs no introduction. The reigning Czech barista champion and the runner up of the 2015 Coffee in Good Spirits competition, Ondra has been a prominent figure on the Prague coffee scene for years. And as one of the faces of the ubiquitous Doubleshot roasters, he can be mostly seen behind the espresso machine of Kavarna Misto or Muj salek kavy, unless he’s training in Doubleshot’s barista training centre in the Karlin district.

What are his favorite places in Prague? Where does he like to go and - most importantly - what is his favorite cafe in Prague? Our summer intern Nicole has interviewed him a while back, as he was training for the World Barista Championships in Dublin.

Five Favorite Places in Prague

The Prague Zoo
One of the biggest zoos in the world filled with so many interesting animals and exhibits. The nature and atmosphere are so nice. I really enjoy walking around there.

Prague Riverside (Naplavka)
Great parties at night, with a farmers market on Saturdays. It has gotten fairly busy with a lot more tourists coming to the market, but I still like to go to see my friends at the BrewBar. Overall, the general area around has a lot to offer.

Pristav 18600
Another riverside but not near the center, so it isn’t as busy. Located in the Karlin district, the area is a bit smaller, but it is full of grass and trees that make for a relaxing atmosphere.

onesip coffee
I am friends with the two owners of this small espresso bar. They do it very well, and have great equipment to do so. It’s probably the café that I visit the most in Prague.

Divoka Sarka
A great park with a large water reservoir. The nature is very nice and you can get swim there. Taken from a stream, the water is vey cold and refreshing on a hot day.

Five favorite social media accounts

@cuketka
Clearly adored by many. He is probably the first true food blogger in the Czech Republic to do it all independently. Admired for trying to do everything in depth. For example, he elaborates on something as simple as putting salt on meat. He determines when is the best time to apply the salt: before, after, during? He experiments with it all and is always a trendsetter.

@longmilescoffee
An American family who moved to Burundi to produce coffee. Ben and Kristy Carlson could see the great potential for coffee in the area. Their goal has become to show the local farmers how to improve the quality of the coffee and how it is produced. I visited them not too long ago, and they were very welcoming and friendly. At the time, I only got to see the farm and where everything is set up. I would like to go back to see the whole process of the harvest.

@lapalmayeltucan
An experimental coffee farm in Colombia. They are always trying something new and are very innovative. I like that they have an exchange program so it’s possible to go work with them and see first-hand how they produce their coffee. They also just have very nice pictures and consistently document what new methods they are trying.

@bosch
I met this guy through the coffee world, of course. His real name is André Krüger, and he is stationed in Hamburg, Germany. What he is probably most famous for is #boschholdinghands. The project, which he doesn’t do so much of anymore, was simply André finding interesting people and holding hands with them, while someone photographed the moment.

@europeancoffeetrip
(Side note: Onda was trying to pick someone who wasn’t coffee-related for the last one of his tips. He just couldn’t do it.)
Two passionate coffee fans. Run by Ales Pospisil and Radek Nozicka, the two travel around Europe, mapping the coffee scenes in different cities. They are interesting and obviously care a lot about what they do. They post great pictures, updates on coffee events, and have their own video blog for their followers.