Inspection prompts closure of popular bakery in Prague's Old Town

Photos depicting unsanitary conditions at a popular Prague cafe have drawn public attention and forced the business to temporarily close part of its operations.

The State Agricultural and Food Inspection published the troubling images on its website, potravinynapranyri.cz. They showed dirt, crawling ants, dried grease buildup, and moldy refrigerators at the establishment located on Kozí Street in the city center.

In response, inspectors ordered the Bakeshop to shut down its food preparation areas on July 31. It has since reopened.

"Only a part of the establishment is closed – the area for the preparation of hot and cold food, the production of bakery products and the production of confectionery products," the State Agricultural and Food Inspection clarified. The overall business was not entirely shuttered.

Inspectors cited the presence of insects, mold in refrigerators, neglected cleaning, accumulated waste, and floor dirt as major issues. They also expressed concern about the potential for food contamination.

On Saturday, Bakeshop addressed the situation on social media, apologizing to customers. "We were out of service from Wednesday to Thursday, during that time we eliminated the shortcomings and now we are back in full operation," the cafe's Facebook post stated.

While Bakeshop was able to quickly remedy the problems, the inspection photos have drawn significant public scrutiny, according to Refresher.cz which compiled responses to the news from social media. "It took my breath away. My very favorite company and I would never have expected this from them," wrote one commenter.