IKEA, the world-famous Swedish furniture giant, doesn't just offer flat-pack furniture. Its stores - which were visited by more than 882 million people worldwide in 2022 - also feature restaurants specializing in Swedish cuisine. Everyone knows about IKEA's legendary meatballs.
The menu includes not only the iconic meatballs but also various salmon dishes. In Czechia, you’ll also find the popular grilled hermelín cheese. IKEA restaurants frequently run promotions for members of their IKEA Family loyalty program, where you can get a full hot meal for about 120 CZK (4.80 EUR). Prices are truly surprisingly low - but how does IKEA food look and taste?
Twelve meatballs with sauce, mashed potatoes, lingonberries, and peas can be had for a special price of 119 CZK (4.80 EUR). That’s a price at which you’ll rarely find a hot food in Prague. While, as a mashed potato lover, I’ll definitely skip them next time in this department store, the meatballs at this price are impossible to fault.
Czechs are meat lovers, and although IKEA’s menu features a large selection of vegetarian dishes, you’ll also find pork neck with fries, again for a special price of 119 CZK (4.80 EUR). The roasted pork neck is very well seasoned.
For the same price, you can swap the side for grilled vegetables, which taste better than they look. They’re not overcooked, and the mix contains a generous amount of sugar snap peas.
IKEA is committed to offering at least half of its restaurant meals as entirely plant-based by 2025. The company is already heavily promoting vegetarian food; this vegetarian wrap with falafel was just 29 CZK (1.20 EUR). The filling is rich and flavorful - an excellent snack for a price just above one Euro.
The menu also includes desserts, such as this Swedish apple cake with whipped cream for 35 CZK (1.40 EUR), which features a generous filling and delicious streusel.
And honestly, I would gladly return to IKEA just for this strawberry sundae at 55 CZK (2.20 EUR). The portion of strawberries is huge, the berries are large and not mushy, and the dessert isn’t overly sweet.
You can complement your meal with soft drinks from the self-service dispensers. You can pour yourself unlimited refills of raspberry soda, elderflower lemonade, or cola. Coffee or tea are also available from the machines. Right next to the restaurant, there’s an IKEA café, where you can get an espresso from freshly ground beans for 35 CZK (1.40 EUR) or fresh mint tea for 49 CZK (2 EUR).
IKEA Restaurants and Food to Go
IKEA currently doesn't offer food delivery, but you can have your meal packed to take away. Many department store visitors take advantage of this option.
Behind the checkouts, there’s a special section devoted to the sale of packaged Swedish food. Here, you can buy frozen meatballs or their vegetarian version, frozen salmon, and more. There’s also another bistro where you can quickly satisfy your hunger with, for example, a hot dog (also available in a vegetarian version) or a cinnamon roll.
IKEA is certainly not a Michelin restaurant, nor does it aspire to be one. It’s a self-service canteen-style restaurant where you can eat quickly and inexpensively. Around lunchtime, when I visited IKEA Zličín several times, its huge restaurant was always full.
After shopping, many visitors head straight for the meatballs. And they seem satisfied, as suggested by the incredibly high rating of 4.2 out of 5 stars on Google Maps (with about 1,700 ratings). IKEA has thus become a popular spot for a cheap lunch in Prague.
And what about you - have you tried IKEA’s Swedish meatballs or any of their other dishes? What did you think?
Statistical data source: Statista.
The food prices quoted are for those using the free IKEA loyalty card.
For more information about the IKEA Zličín restaurant, click on the map link:
🇨🇿 Roasted pork meat with sauerkraut and dumplings? Try tacos, pho, or shakshuka! Czech cuisine is great, but exploring world cuisine will open new dimensions for you. Sign up for my newsletter and get for free exclusive access to information about excellent dishes from Turkey, Spain, or Israel!
