Pub spy: Prague, Sandringham

Prague is a small and friendly spot. Photo / Michael Craig

Address: 599 Sandringham Rd, Sandringham
Ph: 09 815 7086
Website: praguebar.co.nz
Open: Sunday 9am-10pm, Mon-Fri 11am-11pm, Sat 9am-11pm.

I was quietly impressed with Prague when it first opened a little more than a year ago.

It was tiny and cute and looked very European. But most importantly for me, it was a short walk around the corner from my house, meaning I had high hopes for it. In fact I was almost as desperate for the owners to get it right as they were.

Happily, it is doing well. It has overcome its size and its originally limited drinks selection to offer a genuinely good neighbourhood bar that doubles as a cafe during the day.

And the food is really good too and priced to ensure that many could afford to dine there at least once a week, with great specials and genuinely lovely food. Anywhere you can get a steak dinner for less than $20 is fine by me.

The decor is great, reminiscent of some tiny bar in a side street in Budapest or, well, Prague. It is small, though, so be prepared and it's possibly not the best place to decide to bring 30 of your closest friends for drinks and dining.

The drinks are okay, with a nice wine list that won't break the bank but offers some really classy wines. The beer is fine as long you like Stella and the spirits are better than they were when the place opened.

Service too has improved as the bar worked out the kinks. It's a genuinely friendly place to drop in for a drink or a bite to eat. Hats off to them.

Scores

Drink: 3.5/5
Food: 4.5/5
Service: 4.5/5
Atmosphere: 4/5
Overall: 4/5