After health inspectors discovered cockroaches, a swath of flies and multiple other food safety violations at Magnolia Bakery, it became one of several Chicago restaurants forced to temporarily close in recent weeks.
Following a complaint, the Chicago Department of Public Health inspected the popular Loop bakery on Monday, which is widely known for its banana pudding cups and pastel-frosted cupcakes. Inspectors found an infestation of more than a dozen cockroaches and hundreds of small flies.
The bakery’s only Chicago location, which opened in 2011 on the first floor of the Block 37 shopping mall at 108 N. State St., had its license revoked, according to the city’s data portal.
The city’s inspection report listed “13 live cockroaches crawling in between cracks and crevices” underneath the front prep area, front cabinet, in or near the coffee machine cabinet, inside of the cup storage cabinet, on the railing between the counter, under the hand sink in the prep area and in the basement. The report also lists numerous dead roaches inside several cabinets.
Besides the larger insects, inspectors found “100 or more small flies” flying around a box of bananas. The small flies were spotted both on the first floor and in the preparation areas in the basement, inspectors said. The bakery must have the premises serviced by a pest control operator before reopening, the report said.
They flagged other violations, too, such as sinks that were not properly supplied or accessible. Inspectors also pointed to a large gap along the bottom of the bakery’s street-side double doors that could allow more insects or rodents to get inside. The review also found that food debris had built up in the mixers and dust had accumulated in the ceiling vents in the bakery’s bathrooms and dining area.
On Thursday, flyers were posted on the bakery’s doors letting the public know that they’d be “closed until further notice.”
Magnolia Bakery, which is based in New York and operates 11 locations there, as well as six internationally, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
While a Tribune analysis of health inspection data found that more than a dozen local restaurants were cited for pest issues over the past month, the CDPH’s food safety inspection team said the findings are relatively routine.
“There is no trend in the number of license suspensions. This is something CDPH manages throughout the year,” a CDPH spokesperson said in a statement on Thursday. “We suspect that more people are becoming aware of these closures because some of the affected facilities are popular locations.”
On July 9, Chicago officials also shut down Stella’s Diner (3042 N. Broadway), citing trouble with insects and rodents. Inspectors observed over 50 trapped cockroaches and several dead ones in the kitchen’s temperature-controlled holding units. There were also issues with wastewater disposal, damaged floors, and pots and pans encrusted with food debris and grease deposits.
This came after the restaurant failed an inspection in late June when inspectors noted two live cockroaches in the kitchen and dining room.
Inspectors instructed the manager of the long-standing corner diner in the city’s Lakeview neighborhood to remove all roach carcasses and to tightly seal the bottom of the main door and basement door to prevent more pests from entering.
City of Chicago health inspection records show that Stella’s Diner previously failed an inspection in May 2025, when dozens of rat droppings were found in the basement. They also failed in late 2024 after inspectors found rat droppings and a pair of live cockroaches, in addition to other violations.
Lakeview’s The Bagel Restaurant and Deli (3107 N. Broadway) was forced to close down temporarily after health officials discovered a heavy cockroach infestation. The deli is run by Marvin Barsky, who also owns Stella’s.
More Top Picks Best Cold Plunge Tubs For Couples
Inspectors reviewed The Bagel after receiving a complaint in June and found dead roaches and rodents throughout the kitchen area, including under the stoves and cooking equipment. Live roaches were also found near where the cups are stored in the kitchen.
The Bagel was closed for 17 days while a pest control service managed the roach infestation. It reopened on June 20 after passing the re-inspection.
A representative from The Bagel told the Tribune on Thursday that the deli is now on a six-month plan with the pest control provider to keep things under control.
“Honestly, summer started and it just started to get bad … I don’t know how, but it happens and our customers understand that it can happen to anyone,” the representative said.
The representative said the ownership team hopes to reopen Stella’s in the next few days.
The CDPH uses three tiers to categorize violations based on severity and risk: core, priority foundation and priority, which is the most severe.
Insects and rodent infestations are always considered “priority violations,” because they create an immediate health hazard that carries a high-risk of causing food-borne illness, said Bessie Guillen, a retired food health inspector of more than 20 years for CDPH.
Guillen said other priority violations include improper food handling practices, improper personal hygiene and inadequate storage temperatures, all of which result in a restaurant closing down. Once the owners or operators have addressed the citation, they can request another inspection and reopen upon passing.
In Chicago, fines for each priority violation cost restaurants $525, a $25 increase since January.
Last week, Kimberli Sushi Bar and Thai Cuisine (2547 W. Lawrence Ave.) in Lincoln Square was temporarily shut down after failing a complaint-driven inspection. According to the report found on CDPH’s food inspection data portal, inspectors observed “a pest infestation of live insects and evidence of rodent activity throughout the premises.”
Fifteen live cockroaches were found in food prep and dry storage areas – as well as on paper and takeout items, on the backs of cutting boards and inside of the deep fryer door. Small flies were seen above spice racks and 200 mouse droppings were found in various spots in the food preparation and office areas. The restaurant received multiple priority violations in one visit.
Inspectors additionally noted an excessive amount of clutter throughout the restaurant that may have helped the pests hide in tight spaces.
Kimberli Sushi Bar management could not be reached for comment, but was instructed by inspectors to clean and remove all rodent droppings and eliminate all insect activity before they could reopen.
Kindling in the Loop recently failed a routine, unannounced inspection by the CDPH, and received several second-tier violations for concerns regarding the handwashing station as well as small flying insects.
They were not shut down because the restaurant solved the issue within the allotted timeframe, Kindling management told the Tribune on Thursday.
More Top Picks Best Screen Settings To Reduce Eye Fatigue
Flies aren’t always a cause for closure, Guillen noted, unless it’s a large, unmanageable swath. Typically, fruit flies or other small flies are given priority foundation, and need to be remedied by the time a restaurant is re-inspected in five business days. If it’s not, the place will need to close.
In the last month, the following restaurants received citations for insects or rodent issues, but have since passed re-inspections: Tropic Island Jerk Chicken in Chatham, Rainbow Beach Sub Shop in South Shore, Cedars Mediterranean Kitchen in Hyde Park, Tacos Y Tamales El Pollo in Little Village, Changde Rice Noodles in Bridgeport, See Thru Chinese Restaurant in Humboldt Park and Shinya Izakaya Grill in Wicker Park.