I highly recommend buying the extended ticket and leaving through the winery. It offers a luscious view of the city with fewer tourists in the way of your pictures (and more bathroom access in places where it isn't so cold to drop your drawers.) As you enter the winery, there will be several "chefs" at the gate trying to lure you to their restaurants. We really didn't pay them any mind, but then it dawned on us... we WERE hungry. After all, hot wine in a Dixie cup doesn't keep you full all day.  Trust me. 

On our descent, we came across Villa Richter. It looked gorgeous. a mix of modern and classical European architecture. But the menu, fine dining all the way with new takes on the classics, was a little pricey for what we wanted for an afternoon delight. Just down the hill, in the lower lever of the restaurant, is the Piano Terra. Essentially this is the outside piazza in the summer. In the winter when it is 30 degrees, head inside. The prices are less than the more formal upstairs but hushed tones and white table cloths still feel super upscale and romantic! You won't be disappointed.

The Piano Terra was running a "Advent Special" that consisted of pumpkin soup and duck with potatoes. Sounds great, right? Except the soup had been thickened with flour!!! What's a gluten-free girl to do???

(Let me pause for a moment to say how GOOD the wait staff was to me in Prague. No one tried to kill me and EVERYONE was diligent in checking on my food. Yeah Prague!)

The kitchen substituted a wonderful onion soup. It was delicately flavored with garlic and rosemary. Joe had potato soup in a home made bread bowl that he said was perfect. It too had rosemary and he said it was a welcome change. Plus, the presentation was cute! He ate as much as he could without looking like an ill-mannered American!  We split the duck, which the kitchen did for us without an up-charge. Nice! The duck was fall-off-the-bone tender. The potatoes were mashed, not boiled, with real heavy cream and chives. The brussel sprouts had been sauteed with butter and bacon. This is heaven for a Southern girl. I felt my arteries clog just a little and sighed in pleasure!!!!

We accompanied the meal with a beer for Joe and a glass of Frankovka Czech wine. I asked the waiter for the name so I could pick some up at the grocery but he laughed and said I wouldn't find it there. It was yummy spicy, a little like a Malbec. It must have been a very good year!

All in all one of my favorite meals in Prague. Villa Richter Piano Terra... we salute you!