The tradition of St. Martin – a celebration of food and drink

Young wine in celebration of St. Martin

Traditionally, fattened geese are roasted on 11 November, and the first bottles of young wine open at exactly 11:11 am. St. Martin wines are fresh and young, as they only have a few weeks to mature. They are very clear and have a lower alcohol content. So join the celebrations, because it's high time to taste what this year has brought!

St. Martin wines are always the first wines of the new vintage. These are fresh and fruity wines, which have matured for only a few weeks, but during this time, they had enough to acquire their distinctive character. For a wine to bear the St. Martin brand, it must be made in the Czech Republic from grapes of the varieties Müller Thurgau, early Roter Veltliner, Moravian Muscat, Blauer Portugieser, Svatovavřinecké (St. Laurent) and Zweigeltrebe and undergo an evaluation by an independent committee. It blind tastes the properties of the wine, such as appearance, aroma, taste, and overall impression of the wine.

So if you buy wine with the St. Martin label, you can be sure that you will be getting quality young wine from South Moravia, Mělnicko or other areas in Central or Northern Bohemia.

St. Martin wine tasting – start of the celebrations

The Czech association of winemakers, called the Wine Fund (Vinařský Fond), is once again planning the largest tasting of St. Martin wines in the Czech Republic on 11/11 at 11 am on Brno's Náměstí Svobody square. The St. Martin wine tasting traditionally offers 100 samples of St. Martin wines from 100 different winemakers. But you can also look forward to more tastings, i.e. wine tastings and St. Martin’s Day processions throughout the Czech Republic. For example, in the Prague Botanical Garden, in Český Krumlov and in Jihlava.

St. Martin’s Day in restaurants

You can be sure that almost every restaurant around mid-November will be offering its visitors a special St. Martin's Day menu. What does it feature? According to a tradition that has lasted for several centuries, geese were always roasted in the autumn, fresh cabbage was processed, and wine or beer was drunk. And today's restaurants and pubs remain faithful to these basic ingredients. Typically, you will be served liver pâté as an appetizer, followed by a strong broth with liver dumplings and noodles, which the chefs usually leave to simmer overnight, with the main course being roast goose with red or white cabbage and dumplings. And for drinks? You can choose to pair your meal with a St. Martin wines, or you can select from the beer special. In recent years, breweries are trying to outdo themselves, competing on who will brew the best special for the St. Martin's holiday table. Cheers!

If you would like to try roasting a St. Martin's goose yourself, see our recipe.

Where to taste St. Martin's menu? In Czech Specials restaurants!

Restaurants in Prague

• Restaurant Sezóna (November 11 - 15): Chef Martin Tamel’s festive menu features goose liver terrine with pear and chilli chutney, followed by roast young goose with apples, thyme, three types of cabbage and a selection of dumplings.

• Restaurant Obecní dům: (November 7–11): Enjoy a festive menu combining traditional roast goose with creative starters, including smoked duck and goose prosciutto carpaccio. A special St. Martin’s brunch takes place on November 8, while the restaurant’s beer hall joins the celebrations from November 9 to 15.

• Malostranská beseda (from November 11): Located in the heart of Prague’s Lesser Town, this restaurant serves traditional roast goose with red and white cabbage and Czech dumplings. A whole goose for four is also available for those wishing to share a festive meal.

• U Pinkasů (from November6): Discover classic Czech flavours, including goose liver with pomegranate and roast goose with apples, marjoram and red cabbage. Young St. Martin’s wines from Znovín Znojmo will be served from November 11.

• Červený jelen (November 11–15): For a creative twist on tradition, try goose pâté with aronia berries and sea buckthorn, or a steamed dumpling filled with pulled goose meat. The menu also includes confit goose leg and sweet Czech buns with plum jam and rum sauce.

Tasting Across the Country

• Pivovar Řevnice, Central Bohemia (November 11–15): Enjoy a traditional St. Martin’s feast featuring roast goose with red and white cabbage and Czech dumplings, accompanied by young wines from the Sedlák family winery.

• Restaurace U tří statkářů, Dobříš: This restaurant offers both traditional and inventive goose specialities, from confit goose leg to potato flatbreads (lokše) filled with pulled goose meat. For a shared feast, try half a goose roasted with caraway seeds in a wood-fired oven.

• Chateau Liblice, Central Bohemia (November 6–8): Combine a St. Martin’s feast with a relaxing castle getaway. Enjoy goose pâté, roast goose and traditional Czech side dishes, with special accommodation packages and live music on Saturday evening.

• Restaurant MACE, Tábor (November 11–15): Discover a creative St. Martin’s menu featuring roast goose with red cabbage and pear marinated with star anise. For dessert, enjoy caramelised pears with vanilla cream and poppy seed ice cream.

• Hotely Srní, Šumava: A perfect stop during an autumn trip to the Šumava Mountains. The festive menu features roast goose breast with plum sauce and potato flatbreads (lokše), followed by homemade rhubarb crumble cake and a glass of young wine.

• EFI Hostinec Osmec, Brno (November 11–15): Traditional roast goose is served with two types of cabbage, including red cabbage flavoured with plum jam and gingerbread. Complete your meal with a pear poached in St. Martin’s wine and young wines from the Gotberg winery.

• Hostinec U Vlachů, Jamné near Tišnov (November 12–15): Enjoy a traditional roast goose with caramelised red cabbage and Czech dumplings, paired with young wine or a special St. Martin’s beer from Lobkowicz breweries.

• Hospůdka v Českém středohoří (November 13–15): Discover traditional Czech cooking in the scenic České středohoří region, with roast goose, cabbage, dumplings and hearty goose soup (kaldoun).

More Places to Celebrate
Other CzechSpecials restaurants preparing St. Martin’s specialities include Statek Jakubov, Malešický mikropivovar, Restaurant Narpa in Lány and Restaurant Na Kraji lesa . Check directly with the restaurants for their latest menus, dates and reservations.

Festivities in the market, gallery, castle or underground

City markets are not far behind either. In Prague, you can visit the St. Martin's Day celebrations at the Náplavka market on Rašín's Embankment on 14 November from 10 am. Young wines from Czech and Moravian winemakers, roast geese and other delicacies from this year's harvest will be available for tasting. The programme will be complemented by live music in the form of classical dulcimer or lively swing.

In Kutná Hora in Central Bohemia, the St. Martin's Feast will take place on November 14 at the Monastery of St. Ursula. What can you expect? A diverse collection from proven winemakers from Bohemia and Moravia, including, of course, young wines from winemakers in the Kolín and Kutná Hora regions. All this combined with modern gastronomy focused on local suppliers and ingredients.

On Saturday, November 14, 2026, Loket Castle in West Bohemia will come alive with the traditional St. Martin’s celebrations, offering a feast of flavors, aromas, and entertainment for the whole family.

Traditional St. Martin's Day festivities will also take place in Mikulov (11-15 November), Lednice (14 November, Chateau Riding Hall), Znojmo (November 7) or in the unique labyrinth of historic wine cellars in the Valtice Underground (14 November) in South Moravia.