All You Can Eat
All you can eat is a simple deal between you and the restaurant: you pay once, and from then on all you have to do is pick what to try. For me it's an occasional treat I save for special days - I love the chance to taste a little of everything and happily spend a whole Sunday afternoon at the table.
One Price, Many Shapes
The most common form is the self-service buffet. In Prague, a good example is the Asian brunch at Buddha-Bar, with a sushi counter, oysters and a station where you put together your own tom yum soup. The Artisan Restaurant, meanwhile, changes its brunch theme every Sunday; I happened to catch the chocolate one, and the real draw for me was still the beef from the Josper grill.
But a buffet doesn't have to be a special occasion. In London's Chinatown, plenty of places run on an all-you-can-eat basis, and nothing else around there fills up a hungry tourist quite as reliably. The Chinese buffet itself was born in California in the late 1940s.
There are gentler versions, too. The brunch at Občanská plovárna lets guests help themselves to as many starters and desserts as they like, but the main courses are cooked to order and brought out by the staff. The weekend brunch at Mlýnec Restaurant comes at it from the other end: the food is served in courses, while the drinks, wine and prosecco included, keep flowing. Last time we were there, we quite literally closed the place down 😇
Airport lounges are a chapter of their own - there, all you can eat is tucked into the price of entry. At the Sky Lounge in Vienna, a little showcase of Austrian cooking was waiting for me, along with a bar stocked with nothing but Austrian wines. At the iGA Lounge in Istanbul, I enjoyed an excellent couscous, though the sweets couldn't hold a candle to what you get in Turkish pastry shops. Either way, I've rarely paid more happily than for two hours of complete peace and quiet.
And conveyor belt sushi? The circulating plates were the idea of Yoshiaki Shiraishi, owner of Genroku Sushi, who was inspired by a conveyor belt at a brewery; he opened the first conveyor belt restaurant near Osaka in 1958. I've tried it twice myself, a long time ago - and the belt has never lured me back since.
How to Tell a Buffet Is Worth It
The surest sign: the place puts out smaller amounts of food and keeps topping it up with fresh dishes. That's exactly what they did at Občanská plovárna and at Buddha-Bar. At the Sky Lounge in Vienna, they were still restocking the buffet two hours before closing time, when I'd have expected people to be picking over the leftovers.
Tip number two: find out in advance exactly what's included in the price. Alcohol is often limited to a selection of drinks, or comes at an extra charge. A decent place will tell you that up front, before you order.
And tip number three: get there when it starts.
In Prague these days, all you can eat mostly goes hand in hand with Sunday brunch - I'll share exactly where to go in an upcoming guide to brunch in Prague. And what about you? Is there a place you keep going back to for "unlimited" helpings?
Buddha-Bar Prague: Asian Brunch with Babysitting
The Sunday brunch at Buddha-Bar Prague is a rich Asian buffet with unlimited consumption of food and selected beverages. For 1,599 CZK (64 EUR) per person, guests can taste fresh sushi, oysters, hot Pan-Asian specialties, and diverse desserts. Families with children will certainly appreciate the well-equipped kids' corner with babysitting. The quality and freshness of all dishes are ensured by the experienced Executive Chef Jan Voráček, who has been at the restaurant continuously since its opening.
The Artisan Restaurant: Chocolate Brunch at the Marriott Hotel
The Artisan is a modern restaurant in the Prague Marriott Hotel that hosts brunches every Sunday. The theme changes every week, so the visitor can experience a brunch focused on, for example, a Czech pig feast, burgers, caramel, or wild garlic.
Občanská plovárna: Sunday Brunch by the Vltava River
Brunch at Občanská plovárna takes place every Sunday, and the menu changes every two months. The price includes unlimited consumption of starters, egg-based breakfast dishes, main courses, and mini desserts. Unlimited consumption also applies to selected types of soft drinks, wine, or beer.
Sky Lounge Vienna Airport
I didn't set foot in an airport lounge until a layover in Vienna - and it turned out to be one of the good ones. Sky Lounge in Terminal 3 serves turkey meatballs, cheesy Kasspatzln noodles and two kinds of strudel, and the bar held nothing but Austrian wines. You can pay your way in on the spot, or get in free as a perk with a credit card.
iGA Lounge, Istanbul Airport
Istanbul Airport (IST) is Turkey’s main international airport, with a capacity of 200 million passengers per year. For a more comfortable layover, passengers can visit the iGA Lounge, which is open 24/7. The lounge offers amenities such as a buffet, bar, and showers. The buffet includes Turkish appetizers, salads, filled rolls, and sweets, while the bar serves beer, wine, and cocktails. Non-alcoholic beverages, coffee, and Turkish tea are freely available. The lounge boasts a view of the bustling terminal, a modern interior, and plenty of seating.
Mlýnec Restaurant, Prague: Weekend Brunch
The weekend brunch at Mlýnec Restaurant ranks among very popular events. Guests gradually taste three different appetizers, three main courses, and two desserts. The experience is complemented by unlimited consumption of selected wines, beer, and non-alcoholic beverages. Advance reservation is a necessity due to high demand.