UBC July 2026 - Trdelník

Photo Credit: Diego HG on Pexels

Strolling through the touristy areas of Prague, you can’t help but notice all those tiny street stalls and takeaway windows claiming to sell the best Trdelník in Prague.

So… what exactly is it?

The English name, “chimney cake”, mostly comes from its shape rather than from what it actually is. When the dough is wrapped around a wooden spit and baked, it forms a hollow cylinder that looks a bit like a chimney, especially once it’s standing upright. “Cake” was probably chosen simply because it sounds more appealing and familiar to English-speaking tourists than something like “chimney pastry” or “rolled sweet bread.”

I had already been “warned” by my hairdresser, who has Slovakian/Hungarian roots, that the Czechs are trying to take credit for something they clearly didn’t invent, and that it isn’t even really a traditional Czech dish.

Trdelník actually traces back to the northern regions of the old Kingdom of Hungary. In the 19th century it was considered more of a Slovak specialty, and later it also became associated with Moravia. A very similar pastry exists in Transylvania (now part of Romania), where it’s known as kürtőskalács.

The name trdelník itself comes from the Czech and Slovak word trdlo, the wooden rolling spit the dough is wrapped around before baking, giving the pastry its signature hollow shape. Amusingly, trdlo can also be used as a slightly teasing word for a “dummy” or “simpleton.”

In recent years, trdelník has become hugely popular with tourists visiting the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Hungary. Prague cafés especially helped turn it into an Instagram-friendly treat, serving modern versions stuffed with ice cream, strawberries, chocolate, and all kinds of sweet toppings.

Photo Credit: Niklas Jeromin on Pexels

So… is it actually good?

My husband, whose motto is basically “when in Rome,” wanted to try one, so I got to taste a bite without having to commit to an entire portion myself. Let’s just say it looks much better than it tastes. It’s also incredibly messy to eat, especially once the ice cream, more soft serve than actual ice cream, starts melting everywhere.

Credit: The Internet / AI ;-)

As a friend of mine would say:

“Do I get a calorie refund for sweets I didn’t even enjoy?”

But hey, it’s all about the experience, right?

Would you try an overpriced fake local specialty because everyone does it?