It has been nine years since the first modern board game café opened in Vršovice. Since 2017, Bohemia Boards & Brews has been the main spot in Prague to grab a beer and play something from a library of hundreds of games.

Now, the team is finally expanding to a second location in Palmovka.

This new space is a major upgrade: it has a full kitchen, a summer garden, and a focus on shorter, social games. We sat down with the founder Douglas to talk about the move and why people are still ditching their phones for board games.

What made you leave corporate life for a board game café?

I’d been working in marketing and branding for several years. I noticed board game cafés taking off in North America and the UK, but in Prague, there was nothing like it—no dedicated places where adults could play games while enjoying food and drinks. I knew the concept would work here. We opened as the first of our kind and were busy from day one.

What’s kept Vršovice thriving, and why expand now to Palmovka?

Vršovice succeeded because people genuinely love games and still want to go out. We built a library of hundreds of titles, from quick fillers to deep strategy. However, the space has limits: it’s in a residential area, there’s no real kitchen, and summers are quiet. We planned a second location in 2019, but COVID-19 delayed things. Palmovka eventually made sense. It’s larger, fully equipped, and in a neighborhood with strong foot traffic. It finally lets us build the board game café we always envisioned.

 

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How does Palmovka evolve the original concept?

Vršovice is “game-first.” At Palmovka, the balance shifts; you come for food, drinks, and socializing, with games woven naturally into the experience. We’ve curated 200 lighter, easy-entry titles that play in 30–90 minutes. For deeper strategy, we still recommend Vršovice. Palmovka also allows us to do proper lunches and outdoor seating. Pricing stays simple: a 70 CZK table fee, which is reduced or waived if you order food or cocktails.

What’s on offer beyond standard café fare? The food leans toward U.S. diner comfort with Czech touches—Philly cheesesteaks, burgers, mac ’n’ cheese, and fried cheese. It’s simple, shareable food that works well alongside games. Drinks are a step up too, as the local crowd expects it. Lunch is especially important here; it simply wasn’t possible in Vršovice.

How do your “game gurus” help newcomers?

Our staff are experienced players. They circulate, ask about your group size and mood, and recommend a game that fits. If you’ve never played, they’ll teach the rules at the table, step by step. At Vršovice, we run open-gaming Mondays for strangers to mix; Palmovka is starting similar formats. The goal is to remove all friction: you arrive, you’re guided, you play.

Events seem central—from tournaments to speed dating?

Absolutely. Palmovka is more flexible than our original space. We’ve already run speed-dating nights where 30-minute game rounds act as the icebreaker—there’s no forced small talk. We’ve also hosted tournaments with publishers like Asmodee and playtesting sessions where designers bring prototypes for feedback. Upcoming ideas include bingo nights, pub quizzes, and a beer-pong tournament.

Who’s coming in, and why do so many women play?

The core crowd is adults in their 20s to 40s. Interestingly, we often see more women than men. Games create a social bubble around the table. Unlike bars, where conversations are easily interrupted, games let groups settle in and stay undisturbed—something many groups of women especially value. In Vršovice, the crowd is a 50/50 mix of Czechs and expats. Palmovka may skew more local—students, commuters, and people on dates.

We also host a lot of corporate groups looking for a teambuilding event that’s more engaging than just a night out getting drunk on the company tab. Board games offer a structured, fun way to collaborate and interact, making them a perfect choice for colleagues.

Do games need to be multilingual?

We streamlined to English and Czech. Most international guests are comfortable in English, and clarity matters more than variety. Many games don’t rely heavily on text anyway, and once a guru explains the rules, language stops being an issue.

In 2026, why do board games resonate so strongly?

They are a counterbalance to screens. People spend their days on phones and platforms; there’s a growing desire for face-to-face interaction. After the pandemic, social situations felt awkward again, and games help guide that interaction. Once you sit down and start playing, the conversation takes care of itself.

Final pitch to Prague Morning readers?

If you’re tired of Netflix or the standard bar scene, make your next night out a game night at BB&B Vršovice or Palmovka. Bring a few friends—we’ll handle the rest.

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