Andělský Pivovar pulls the act off with grace. Presenting classicism with a chic and modern twist, the micro brewpub has something for everyone.

Located on the restaurant-dense Lidická street in the Anděl neighborhood, the ground floor of Andělský Pivovar is deceptively modest in its size and décor.  Because the place functions as both a brewery and pub, the no-frills ground floor serves the clientele looking to sample and purchase Andělský Pivovar’s house-brewed, signature beers.

Walking in, I was greeted by a bartender who was filling an emptied out green plastic bottle with beer for an older gentleman. Considering I’ve mainly seen this practice in longstanding pubs out in Czech villages, this to me was a good sign that Andělský Pivovar sticks to its roots.

The pub downstairs is a different scene.

It’s spacious and open, with rows of long tables to accommodate about 120 people (and there’s a sizeable garden outside as well). Yet within the cavernous space there are nooks and corner tables. The lighting is lively and warm— bouncing off exposed brick walls. The furnishings are sleek and minimalistic, as is the bar and tap itself. Their beer glasses are simple and without any logos or writing.

Regarding this design, Andělský Pivovar is a cut above the rest. It successfully creates a dialogue between the traditional and the contemporary. It’s elegant yet approachable, and one of the finer examples of this aesthetic put into play in Prague.

But even with all this attention to design, beer and the brewing process is the focal point of Andělský Pivovar.

Scrawled on the walls are sleek and stylish illustrations depicting the brewing process. And the space downstairs features large windows looking into the brewery itself. 

Andělský Pivovar offers three diverse beers on tap.

The Andělská 11° is a full-bodied Czech-style lager. It’s a solid and hearty pub-goer’s beer. You can have one or two with a meal or you can make a session out of it—although it is on the heavier side.

The American-style IPA 14° is made with a combination of Chinook, Simcoe and Mosaic hops, it has a slightly sweet fruitiness that balances out the assertive bitterness of the hops.

The Kolagen 13° is an amber ale made with a combination of Czech hops and Cascade hops. It’s relatively light-bodied with considerable citrus notes.

Glancing at the food menu, you are further assured that Andělský Pivovar is rooted in tradition. They offer all the Czech pub classics from utopenec to svíčková. Yet with modern offerings like veggie burgers and bulgur risotto.

They have an excellent appetizer sampler plate that brings the best of the old and the new.  It’s an assortment of various tapas-like snacks that revamp some of the staples of Czech cuisine. The dish, served with homemade bread, is familiar in its ingredients yet playfully modern in its details and presentation. And it goes without saying that it pairs nicely with the beer.

In a crowded field of modernized Czech pubs, Andělský Pivovar stands a cut above the rest. It’s chic and elegant yet welcoming and familiar. A place for grandparents and their hipster grandchildren alike. This approach is echoed in the beer as well, which takes something established and brings a unique spin in subtle, discerning ways. Reflected both in design as well as food and drink, Andělský Pivovar is respectful towards tradition but dynamic in its embrace of the contemporary.