Magnolia Bakery temporarily closes after health inspection finds roaches, other violations

Magnolia Bakery’s Chicago location had its license suspended following a failed health inspection on Monday, according to the city’s data portal.

Inspectors found live and dead cockroaches and multiple other violations inside the bakery on the first floor of the Block 37 shopping mall in the Loop at 108 N. State St. After the inspection, the bakery was categorized as “risk 1 (high).”

The bakery’s sole Chicago location, which opened in 2011, is most popular for its creamy banana pudding and iconic “Carrie” cupcakes, named after the “Sex and the City” character played by Sarah Jessica Parker.

City health inspectors found 13 live cockroaches “crawling in between cracks and crevices” and “approximately 100 or more live small flies flying around” on Monday in prep areas, under sinks and inside of storage cabinets, according to city data.

Inspectors found “numerous” dead cockroaches in those same areas, according to city data.

They flagged other violations, including that the bakery’s hand-washing sinks were not properly supplied and accessible, and the staff bathroom sink drained too slowly. They also identified a gap along the bottom center of the bake shop’s street-side double doors that could allow more insects to get inside.

Inspectors also found that food debris had accumulated in food mixers, a walk-in cooler, storage shelves and on the exterior of a grease trap in the basement. The restaurant must also clean dust buildup from the ceiling vents in its bathrooms and dining area.

In the basement, where Magnolia stores and prepares food items, inspectors encountered chipping paint and several crates on the floor, preventing the floors from being properly cleaned.

The report states that the bakery must have the premises serviced by a pest control operator before reopening.

Flyers letting the public know that the bakery will be “closed until further notice” were posted on the bakery’s glass doors. Magnolia Bakery did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The Bagel Restaurant and Deli and Stella’s Diner in Lake View were both recently shut down after city health inspectors found cockroach infestations, according to the city’s data portal.