You had to pass Cafe Alchymista in order to find the school. Sarah took us there our first day, introduced it as “Prague’s only coffee museum.” She told us to order whatever we wanted. It was one of the perks of SIT - meals and amenities were taken care of. We rarely ever spent anything out of pocket. The place had rustic charm, akin to that of a scientist’s workshop from the Renaissance. The ceilings were painted with signs of the zodiac, in constellations of deep blue and pure white. Display cases held local handicrafts for purchase. Coffee beans and exotic teas were kept in large copper urns on a shelf behind the counter. A cold display case held the most delicious cakes and pastries you ever saw. Medovnik, Whiskey Cake, Alchymista cake, Tiramisu…they were hard to pass up as an accompaniment to cappuccino or cafe au lait. We had our first meeting in the basement of the cafe, a damp, Medieval-looking space with coffees and drinking accessories dating back to ancient Chinese times.
