Myšák: Continuing the legacy of Prague’s First Republic pastry shop
Myšák: Pastry shops on both banks of the Vltava River
Memories of the original pastry shop
The year is 1904, and František Myšák has just opened his own pastry shop. He had everything planned down to the last detail, insisting on high-quality ingredients, hiring the best architects, and taking good care of his employees.
Among the pastry shop’s original recipes were orange cookies and caramel cream. Staples of the menu included “ledovky,” “indiánky,” “trdlovec” (dough toasted on a spit), and marzipan fruit. During the First Republic, the pastry chefs at Myšák baked everything from scratch, spending winter preserving fruits for the coming year.and the only thing they bought was the chocolate.
“I feel it’s important to emphasise that all products were made exclusively from high-quality ingredients. Margarine was never allowed to cross the threshold of the workshop. During the war, however, nothing but substitutes were available. My father was utterly miserable about it. He used to say that it was chemistry, not confectionery,” recalls his son, František Myšák Jr., who, like his father, became a master of the trade and took over the family business.
The pastry shop operated under the Myšák family’s leadership until the end of the war, when it was officially shut down. The biggest blow came after February 1948, when the business was nationalised, and the Myšák family’s presence became undesirable.
Fortunately, František Myšák Jr. remained in the field and achieved success at international competitions, such as Expo 1958 in Brussels.
The new pastry shop, part of the Ambiente chain, stands on the same site as František Myšák’s pastry shop, which opened here in 1911. Today, the shop is run by manager Tomáš Hánek, and the pastry section is overseen by pastry chef Lukáš Pohl.
A First Republic-era interior
The interior, designed by architect Tereza Froňková, respects the original look of the café from the 1920s. “The lower level of the pastry shop was renovated in collaboration with historic preservationists. But nothing remained of the original upstairs floor, because the building collapsed ten years ago, leaving only the facade,” explains the architect. “Originally, we wanted a simple, even functionalist-style café, but since we’re building on the original interior, we needed a bit of decor and even some kitsch,” she adds.
Crystal chandeliers complete the space, created in collaboration with Michal Froněk and Jan Němeček from Olgoj Chorchoj studio.
The chandeliers feature stylised glass fruits, mushrooms, and animals. “Michal Froněk and Jan Němeček have extensive experience of working with glass. This allows them to collaborate directly with our master glassmakers, and adapt their designs to fully maximise the potential of of the material,” explains Pavel Kadleček of Preciosa, describing the collaboration.
Tereza Froňková also invited illustrator Michal Bačák to collaborate on a painting. “When selecting the craftsmanship and decor, we drew inspiration from the luxurious atmosphere of a First Republic-era establishment. We used a printing technique on velvet fabric, which appears as a gold decoration on a green-blue background,” explains Michal. The motif of the painting, located on the first floor, has its origins in the Orient.
“At first glance, we wanted the illustration to look like a Persian rug, a tapestry covered in decorative patterns, or a traditional Middle Eastern book miniature. Upon closer inspection, the details related to our visit to Eastern countries become apparent—Ms. Stáňa from Karviná with a tribal tattoo on her shoulder, swaying in the jungle with a drink in her hand, or the newly arrived guys in Hawaiian shirts who are discovering for the first time what the hot and humid air is like…” concludes Michal Bačák’s description.
For decades, Prague families and distinguished figures frequented František Myšák’s pastry shop on Vodičkova Street. Oldřich Nový and Ema Destinnová indulged in his sweets, and even President Masaryk had a cake from Myšák at his birthday celebration. The ice cream and whipped cream sundaes were also renowned here.
Ambiente commissioned the family-owned Rückl glassworks in Nižbor to produce blown and hand-cut glasses made of Czech crystal to serve these treats. The collection, named “Lady,” is based on old archives and the glassworks’ original catalog from the 1930s.
Visual identity and the face of the pastry shop
Studio Najbrt designed the pastry shop’s visual identity. “When we came across a historical photograph of the Myšák pastry shop’s storefront, it was immediately clear to us that we didn’t want to create an entirely new brand, but rather try to give it a facelift,” explains Marek Pistora of Studio Najbrt. The logo is based on handwritten lettering and draws on the interwar tradition of Czech typography. The colours are inspired by vanilla and chocolate, complemented by a gold accent reminiscent of the patisserie’s historic interior, which featured Oriental elements that were fashionable at the time.
From the workshop of today
While the lower floor of the pastry shop acts as a café, where both savoury and sweet breakfasts and traditional Czech pastries are served starting in the morning, the upper floor belongs to the pastry chefs and their workshop there. Opposite the production area is a pleasant, bright space that the pastry shop offers for rent for corporate breakfasts or larger family events.
