The Prague Restaurant in Scarborough serves up Czech cuisine in an elegant outdoor setting.

Built on the edge of a 25-acre park, this picturesque restaurant is surrounded by tall pines, sturdy oaks, and weeping willows. 

An elevated patio overlooks the main lawn, allowing you to take in the land's natural beauty while you enjoy your meal.

You might even catch a glimpse of the local fauna: hand-painted birdhouses can be found throughout the park, giving sparrows and chickadees a place to rest their wings.

The dining room is no less impressive: furnished with dark wooden chairs and crisp white tablecloths, the space balances both class and comfort.

When we visited, the restaurant was alive with conversation. The low hum of human voices, combined with the tasteful rock music playing over the sound system, contributed to The Prague's relaxing atmosphere.

Mariana Sulganova has owned The Prague for the past seven years, but tells us that the restaurant's history goes back much further.

The land on which it currently sits — known by the locals as Masaryktown — was purchased in the 1940s by Toronto's Czech community. The restaurant was built shortly thereafter.

"It started out as a community for Czechs and Slovaks, but we get a lot of Canadian customers as well," Mariana explains.

Many regulars have been coming to the Prague for decades, due in no small part to the residences built near the park in the 1990s.

"It's the kind of place families can go with their grandparents," says Mariana. "We also do a lot of events; weddings, birthdays and family reunions. It's always nice to see happy people coming together."

Mariana's philosophy has always been to "keep it traditional." Having grown up in former Czechoslovakia herself, she and her team are committed to crafting authentic Eastern European-style dishes.

Everything on the menu has either Czech or Slovak roots, with some items imported directly from their native countries.

Pierogies come in sets of five ($15) or eight ($20), making them suitable as either an appetizer or an entrée. Stuffed with potato and cheddar filling and topped with green onions and bacon bits, these pillowy soft dumplings pair well with sour cream.

Having grown up eating pre-packaged pierogies, this was the dish I was most excited to try. Though they bore superficial similarities to the pierogies of my youth, I can confidently say that these are the better of the two.

If you're looking for something lighter, try the Prague Salad ($14). The restaurant's eponymous dish is a savoury-sweet mix of greens, tomatoes, and cucumbers, tossed in ranch dressing and sprinkled with walnuts and blue cheese.

A hard-boiled egg brings some protein to the meal, but you can also add chicken breast or schnitzel for $10 extra.

The mushroom schnitzel ($26) is one of The Prague's most popular dishes. This thin slice of pork is fried until crispy, then topped with creamy mushroom sauce.

The bramborak and goulash ($32) consists of a flaky potato pancake filled with chunky stewed beef. It's seasoned with paprika, giving it a rich, distinctly European flavour.

This dish was a surprise favourite of mine. The tender beef and crispy bramborak made for an interesting contrast, and the spicy sauce was borderline addictive.

Pilsner Urquell is just one of the beers on tap. Other options include Czechvar, Kozel, and Godspeed lagers, each of which is available as a small glass ($7.50), a large cup ($9.75) or a full-sized pitcher ($26).

Most were a bit strong for my liking, but would likely appeal to more experienced drinkers.

The Bohemian Spritz ($13) is a light, refreshing cocktail, which features prosecco, Beefeater gin, elderflower syrup, cucumber, and mint. If "patio season" were a flavour, I imagine it would taste something like this.

The blueberry mint mocktail ($9) is a great choice for non-drinkers. It's sweet and fruity, with a fun, fizzy texture and a pleasantly bitter aftertaste. Of all the beverages we tried, this was the one I enjoyed most.

"We try to focus on great service and great food," Mariana tells us.

Given the restaurant's longevity, it's safe to say that she has succeeded.

The Prague Restaurant is located at 450 Scarborough Golf Club Rd.