Community Foodies
Photo Courtesy of St. Ludmila's Catholic Church
St. Ludmila's, 211 21st Ave SW, Cedar Rapids
Kolaches: A Little Piece of Czech Heritage in Every Bite
St. Lumila's Kolache Festival begins June 20 with a "Kolache Drive-Thru" at the church. Flavors include cherry, strawberry, apricot, apple, poppyseed, prune, rhubarb and assorted. Kolaches are $9 for half dozen and $18 for a dozen. Kolaches can be purchased during the evening festivities, as well.
The first Czech immigrants made their way from Czechoslovakia to Cedar Rapids and settled along the Cedar River in the mid-1800's. It wasn't long after that Kosek's Bakery opened in the location of what is now Czech Village in 1903.
Kosek's morphed in Sykora's in 1927, and the family-run bakery sold delicious kolaches and other other pastries until 1994. Sykora's is still a mainstay in the Village, though under different owners.
Though kolaches can be found in many different location, they aren't as authentic as those made right here in Cedar Rapids, which has the biggest Czech population of anywhere in the US.
The kolache drive-thru will also be held Saturday, June 21, 2025 from 6-9 am. The festivities continue Friday evening at 5 pm with fun for the whole family. Because of the heat warning on Saturday, the festival will move to inside the church hall.
Little Bohemia: Famous for Longevity and Painting
Little Bohemia, located at 1317 3rd St SE, and is the oldest known bar in Cedar Rapids. They serve Czech and European dishes and are open Wednesday through Saturday for lunch and dinner. The bar was purchased by the Melsha family, who brought it back after the Flood of 2008 damaged most of the downtown area. The bar is famous for being the longest bar in Cedar Rapids, as well as its famous depiction by Marvin Cone in 1941.