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Nov 02, 2026
Beyond the Goose Dinner: Where to Celebrate St. Martin's Day in Prague
Mariko Amekodommo
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Four years ago, a group of Czech men blocked the exit of a wine bar and told my husband and me we couldn’t leave.
Not until we shared a bottle of young wine with them.
We had moved to Prague that week, just in time for St. Martin’s Day.
I’ve explored culinary traditions around the world, usually researching a country’s food culture before arriving. My introduction to the Czech Republic, however, came courtesy of a group of overly friendly, slightly tipsy Czech men determined to make sure we understood the importance of St. Martin’s Day.
I soon discovered that St. Martin’s Day is serious business here. Especially when it comes to the goose.
Every November, restaurants across Prague roll out elaborate St. Martin’s menus, with tables booked weeks in advance.
For up to CZK 2,000, diners can enjoy a multi-course feast featuring goose pâté with seasonal fruit, soup, beautifully roasted goose with cabbage and dumplings, dessert and wine pairings.
Even neighborhood hospody get in on the action. I’ve booked a table, dressed up and indulged in a fancy goose dinner. Eating far too much is part of the fun, and I love it.
Last year, though, we booked too late, and our favorite restaurant had already run out of goose.
That’s how we ended up at Náplavka.
Long before tasting menus and restaurant reservations, St. Martin’s Day marked the end of the agricultural year. The harvest was complete, workers settled their contracts, and communities gathered to celebrate with seasonal food and the first young wines of the year. According to legend, geese gave away St. Martin’s hiding place when he tried to avoid being made a bishop.
At Náplavka, I discovered another side of the tradition.
The riverside was buzzing. Visitors moved between winemakers, sampling the season’s first Czech and Moravian wines, while the smell of roasted goose filled the air and music and conversation carried along the riverfront.
Roast goose with cabbage and dumplings, goose liver specialties and kaldoun, a traditional goose soup, were all part of the celebration.
I regularly lead farmers’ market tours at Náplavka, introducing visitors to the growers and producers behind the food. And just like the people who began this tradition centuries ago, the farmers and producers were there to celebrate, too.
This year, the St. Martin’s festival returns to Náplavka on Saturday, November 14, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Visitors can look forward to Czech and Moravian wineries, traditional roast goose dishes and live music, including performances on the *cimbalom*, a traditional hammered dulcimer.
I’ll still happily dress up for another beautifully presented goose dinner. But there’s something special about celebrating alongside the people who grow, make and serve our food.
Four years later, I finally understand why those men at the wine bar were so determined to share their celebration.
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