Tuesday 8th May 2012

Bob Thompson

Yet another brewpub in the Old Town, the Two Cats in the old Coal Market (Uhelný trh), where charcoal was traded, has been around for a very long time, I remember visiting in the communist period.

Now, it has acquired a small brewery, viewed on the right as you enter. They brew a light and a dark lager, both of which are reasonable. It is very close to U Medvídků.

This pub has changed in a very strange and not altogether pleasant way over the years, according to recent visitors, although everybody has a different opinion, often depending on their expectations. I must say that my own visit in May 2012 went without complications.

Back in the good (bad?) old days of Socialism it was a pleasant, if somewhat smoky, pub frequented by a large number of locals with the occasional couple or small party of tourists, often from other communist countries.

They were all there specifically for the beer which was Pilsner Urquell (or Plzeňský Prazdroj as it was known in Czech, the current German version of the name was hardly ever seen back then) and the Two Cats was said to have some of the best in Prague.

Nowadays it seems to a bit of a tourist trap with the emphasis on trap. It appears that you get charged extra for listening to an accordion player you don't want to hear and they try to slip in other charges.

Myself and Russell turned up after 22.00 and ordered two beers, a light and a dark. The waitress was extremely disinterested but came up with the goods.

We already knew the price so, when on leaving, we left the correct amount on the table. I suspect this is what you have to do, but why a pub, through its own practices, makes itself so unpopular is a bit of a mystery? Possibly it is all a scam operated by the staff and nothing to do with the management, but who knows?

One of the main reasons why you would want to go there is that it is a traditional Prague tavern with a classic gothic vaulted ceiling and is very easy on the eye if you like traditional pubs. And yes, it is still recognisable from the communist days, yet it is nice to see colours on the walls and ceiling now that the ubiquitous brown of its former cigarette-stained days has gone.

This pub is included because it is historic and brews its own beer but, whether it stays in BeerVisits depends on further reports.

Important Information:

U Dvou Koček, Uhelný trh, Praha 1, 11000.

Open: Daily 11.00-23.00

The pub is in the Old Town and stops for trams 6,9,17,18,21,22 and 23
are within ten minutes walk.

Staroměstská (A), Můstek (A & B) and Národní Třída (B) Metro stations are also very close.