Prague, Krakow, Warsaw, Gdansk and Bratislava are popular short breaks from the UK: easy flights, good food and Christmas markets in winter. If you or your child has a peanut or tree nut allergy, the food is generally meat, potatoes, dumplings and soups, but sweets, pastries, street snacks and market food are where nuts turn up. Restaurant menus are often in the local language, though English is widely understood in city centres.
This guide covers all three countries together: where nuts appear, how allergen rules work (Czechia has the clearest rules), words worth recognising in Polish, Czech and Slovak, and the allergy cards available for each.
Last updated: 29 October 2026.
The Quick Answer
- Sweets and pastries are the main risk. Walnut, hazelnut, almond and poppy-seed fillings, cakes, ice cream and market treats are all worth asking about.
- Trdelník (the sweet rolled pastry sold across Prague) is often coated in ground walnuts or sugar and nuts, or filled with spreads. Ask before you buy.
- The EU's 14 allergens must be declared on packaged food and available for restaurant meals in all three countries, but how it's done varies.
- Czech menus often show allergens as numbers. In the standard EU numbering, peanuts are 5 and tree nuts are 8, but check the key on the menu, as it can differ.
- English is widely understood in city centres and tourist restaurants, less so in smaller towns, so a card in the local language is a useful backup.
- Emergency number: 112.
Where Nuts Appear in Food
Recipes vary by cook and bakery, so treat this as a list of things to ask about, not a list of foods to avoid or trust.
| Food | What to know |
|---|---|
| Trdelník (Prague, also Bratislava and Krakow) | Rolled sweet pastry often finished with sugar and ground walnuts or other nuts, and sometimes filled with chocolate-hazelnut spread or ice cream. Ask about the coating and the filling. |
| Cakes and sweet rolls | Nut and poppy-seed rolls and strudels (such as makowiec in Poland and orechovník in Slovakia) often contain walnuts or poppy seeds. Nuts also appear in cheesecake bases, gingerbread and honey cakes. |
| Gingerbread and Christmas treats | Festive stalls sell gingerbread, biscuits and sweets, some with nuts and many unwrapped on shared trays. |
| Dumplings and sweet pierogi | Sweet fillings and toppings can include nuts or nut butters. Savoury dumplings are usually less of a concern, but ask about toppings. |
| Ice cream and café desserts | Shared scoops are normal in ice cream parlours. Ask for a clean scoop and check the flavours. |
| Salads and mains | Walnuts or other nuts are sometimes added to salads, cheese dishes and sauces. Ask rather than assuming. |
| Bar snacks | Bowls of peanuts and mixed nuts are common in bars and beer halls. Ask for them not to be put on your table. |
| Breakfast buffets | Shared spoons and neighbouring dishes (muesli, spreads, pastries) make cross-contact easy. |
Removing visible nuts doesn't make a dish safe. The sauce, base or filling may still contain them.
Are Allergens Labelled?
Packaged food
Poland, Czechia and Slovakia are EU members, so EU food information rules require 14 allergens, including peanuts and tree nuts, to be identified on packaged food, emphasised in the ingredients list. A "may contain" warning is voluntary.
Restaurants: Czechia
Czech food inspectors explain that restaurants must provide allergen information for all 14 groups. A menu can carry a general notice that staff will give allergen information on request, which staff can then give verbally or in writing; or allergens can be listed in writing, for example behind the word "contains" or in the name of a dish. See the Czech Agriculture and Food Inspection Authority's guidance.
It isn't always followed. In a 2015 inspection of 114 catering premises, 37% did not meet the requirement for clear allergen information, and about one in five of the 55 meals tested contained an undeclared allergen, including peanuts in some. See the inspection report. That was some years ago, but it's a reminder to ask even when a menu lists allergens.
Restaurants: Poland and Slovakia
EU rules also require allergen information for restaurant meals in Poland and Slovakia, but we couldn't confirm exactly how each country applies them. Ask staff directly and don't rely on a menu alone.
Words Worth Recognising
The words below are from our own knowledge. Have them checked by a native speaker before relying on them for a safety decision.
| English | Polish | Czech | Slovak |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nuts | orzechy | ořechy | orechy |
| Peanuts | orzeszki ziemne | arašídy | arašidy |
| Almonds | migdały | mandle | mandle |
| Walnuts | orzechy włoskie | vlašské ořechy | vlašské orechy |
| Hazelnuts | orzechy laskowe | lískové ořechy | lieskové orechy |
| Allergy | alergia | alergie | alérgia |
Short words can't explain how serious an allergy is, or that you need clean utensils and oil. That is where a card helps.
Eating Out With a Nut Allergy
Restaurants and pubs
In city centres, staff often speak English and menus may be translated, but the person you speak to isn't always the cook. Hand over your card before you order and ask staff to show it to the kitchen.
Bakeries, cafés and street food
Many items are sold unwrapped and handled with shared tongs. Ask about each item, particularly trdelník, cakes and market sweets.
Christmas markets
Stalls sell a lot of sweets, pastries and snacks, often without labels. If you can't find out what's in something, leave it. For a Christmas-market trip, see also our Germany and Austria guide.
Hotels
Contact your hotel before you arrive and explain your allergy. Breakfast buffets are a cross-contact risk, so ask the staff what is safe.
Your Allergy Cards
We sell digital peanut and tree nut allergy cards you can keep on your phone or print:
Each explains your allergy and how serious it can be, and asks kitchen staff to use clean utensils, surfaces, cookware and oil. A printed Polish gluten (coeliac) card is also available. Keep your card on your phone and consider printing a copy.
What to Pack
- Prescribed medication, including adrenaline auto-injectors if you have been prescribed them, in your hand luggage with a doctor's letter.
- Your allergy action plan.
- An insulated allergy medical bag to protect medication from temperature changes, which matters in cold winters and hot summers.
- Your allergy card, plus a photo of it on your phone.
- Safe snacks for trains, trams and days out.
- Travel insurance that covers your allergy and medical needs. A GHIC doesn't replace insurance.
Emergency Information
Dial 112, the European emergency number, in Poland, Czechia and Slovakia for an ambulance, police or fire. Each country also has its own ambulance number, but we couldn't confirm them from an official source, so use 112. If anaphylaxis is suspected, follow your emergency action plan, give adrenaline promptly and call for emergency help. Hospital assessment is needed even if symptoms improve. For more, see the NHS guidance on anaphylaxis.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Prague safe for someone with a nut allergy?
People with nut allergies do visit Prague. Czech restaurants have a legal duty to give allergen information, and menus often list allergens by number, but inspections have found gaps, and trdelník and market sweets need care. How safe it is depends on your allergy, where you eat and how clearly your allergy is understood.
Does trdelník contain nuts?
Often. It is commonly coated in sugar and ground walnuts or other nuts, or filled with spreads or ice cream, though not always. Ask about the coating and filling.
Do I need a card in Polish, Czech or Slovak?
English is widely understood in city centres, so you may not need one in tourist areas, but a written card is a useful backup in busy kitchens, smaller towns and for children. It can explain your allergy and how serious it is, but it can't guarantee that food is safe.
Can I use the same card in all three countries?
No. Polish, Czech and Slovak are different languages, though Czech and Slovak are closely related. Take the card for the country you're visiting.
Enjoying Central Europe With a Nut Allergy
A nut allergy doesn't mean you have to miss out on a city break. It means finding out what's in your food, saying clearly that you have an allergy, and walking away when you aren't sure. Heading to more of Europe? Read our guides to Germany and Austria and Italy, or browse every language in our allergy travel cards collection.
Important: This guide is general travel information, not medical advice. Ingredients and food preparation vary, and no dish or restaurant mentioned should be assumed safe. Always follow your allergy specialist's advice, carry prescribed emergency medication and check ingredients. Polish, Czech and Slovak words and phrases in this guide should be checked by a native speaker before being relied on for safety-critical communication.