Svíčková, or svíčková na smetaně (Marinated Beef Sirloin) is a typical and one of the most popular Czech meals. It is made of vegetables (carrots, parsley root, celeriac and onion), spiced with black pepper, allspice, bay leaf and thyme and boiled with double cream. It is generally served with houskové knedlíky (bread dumplings).
Svíčková na smetaně is served with a cream (smetana) topping and usually with cranberry sauce in many restaurants around the Czech Republic.
Bohemian immigrants to the United States following the First World War have passed on an older variation of the dish to subsequent generations, while regional tastes and product availability have influenced its preparation. Svíčková made in the Chicago area, for example, rarely includes vegetables in its final presentation, but instead incorporates them into a vinegar-based marinade suffused with crushed allspice and bay leaves. Beef (round or brisket) is marinated for up to three days before it is roasted and thickly sliced. A gravy is made from a part of this strained marinade, beef stock (optional) and sour cream. It is served with bread dumplings but rarely sauerkraut, and never (as is currently done in the Czech Republic) with cranberry sauce.