Knuckling Down.

Going to church.

Prague, Czechia – A bus driver pulls over for a smoke.

And a beer.

I double-take and almost miss my turn. Approaching an old stone archway leading to a church, I think I may still be lost.

But the sign outside U Pinkasů whispers to me that I'm in the right place and provides some history. The Gothic courtyard, now striped by rows of Pilsner Urquell-branded benches, is located in an unfinished wing of the Church of Our Lady of the Snows, whose vaults are the tallest in Prague.

Set under a far more impressive version of the golden arches, it's an incredible venue for lunch.

I wanted to try the pork knuckle – one of the country's specialty dishes – before I left and had read that the version here is well-regarded. Despite its storied history, U Pinkasů is a relative newcomer in Prague.

It has only been open since 1843.

Shanked.

A mug of unfiltered beer straight from the tank soon arrives at my table. It's followed by a metal pan containing a painter's palette of pickles, peppers, mustard and a massive bone-in pork shank that has been marinated in dark beer.

With a satisfying crunch of crispy skin, tender meat slouches across the dish. It's the most, and likely best, I've eaten in weeks.

It's a near-religious experience.