7 Reasons to Visit Prague A Mosaic of Tastes and Aromas Many peoples, many tastes – throughout history, a variety of cultures have made their mark on the Czech lands. Since the time of the Austro-Hungarian Empire (1867–1918), Czech cuisine has taken on aspects of Viennese, Bavarian and Hungarian cooking, such as a passion for wild mushrooms and game, dumplings (both sweet and savoury), thick sauces, and wonderful pastries with poppy seeds, quark or jam. And of course don't forget the beer – Czechs are known for brewing the best beer in world.