One of the best parts of travel is when you discover something wonderful completely by accident. And to walk around Prague, the capital of the Czech Republic, is to discover one wonder after another.
While looking for lunch in Wenceslas Square, one sign in particular caught our eye. It read "Burgers on a Rail," and pointed up some stairs. Intrigued, up we climbed… and discovered a restaurant that looked like it had been set up by a model railroad hobbyist. Train tracks crisscrossed everywhere, with metal stairs and platforms to work your way over the tracks to get to your seats.
We’d stumbled into the Výtopna Railway Restaurant, specializing in burgers and steaks, but also serving pulled pork, fish, and other items. We were led over a trestle bridge to our numbered seats. An O-Scale train with an engine car about ten inches long and four inches tall would occasionally rumble past, towing foot-long flat cars loaded with food or beer to one of the other diners.
We placed our orders with a server—bacon cheeseburgers, fries, coleslaw, and beers—and she told us to watch for the train with our numbers on it. Our train arrived shortly with our beers, followed by our food.
Much to our delight, there was more to the restaurant than just a cute gimmick. The burger was incredible, one of the best I’ve ever had. The beef was excellent, the patty large and perfectly grilled.
As we climbed back over the trestle bridge to leave, we realized how lucky we were to have arrived before noon. The restaurant was now completely full, and the line to get in went all the way down the stairs and out into the street.
My wife and I have visited at least a dozen capital cities around the world, including Istanbul, Rome, and Athens. But we agree that hands down, Prague is the most beautiful capital we’ve ever seen. And our visit to the Výtopna Railway Restaurant will be one of our fondest memories.
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