Erhart's pastry shop tempts with a First Republic tradition

Prague - The famous Erhart pastry shop and café in Prague's Milady Horákové Street invites you to dance to the rhythms of R. A. Dvorsky, experience the first-republic interior from the 1930s, and enjoy traditional and modern confectionery delights in its newly opened spaces. The monument-protected building was reconstructed by the Prague 7 district in an effort to restore its original character. The restoration, which lasted two years, cost more than four million crowns.
    "It is unique. Not only the original interior, but in the context of the entire building, it is a Czech rarity. A perfect functionalist building. Possibly the only one in the republic," said Marek Ječmének, the mayor of Prague 7, to ČTK.
    The pastry shop and café was opened 70 years ago on the former Belcredi Street. The functionalist building, designed by architect Evžen Rosenberg, is a highly valued cultural monument. His works also include other functionalist houses on Antonínská, Letohradská, and Schnirchova Streets, as well as in Ortenovo Square and U Průhonu Street.
    The interior is adorned with a round columned showcase, replicas of original furnishings, as well as lighting and switches that stylistically evoke the 1930s. According to operator Pavel Procházka, the only thing spoiling the impression is the opposite gaming room with flashing colorful lights. "We would like people to associate this place with Brouk and Babka, not a Vietnamese gaming hall," he stated.
    "The assortment should be Czech, traditional, but we also have Italian and French confectionery specialties. We pieced it together from grandmothers from various regions," he told ČTK.
    According to architect Tomáš Hořava, it is important whether a building has personality during reconstruction. "Sometimes it can be 'creatively impotent.' But there are cases where it is an exceptional building. This is one such case," he told ČTK. He noted that no other first-republic pastry shop in this style has survived. "Another known one was on Spálená Street. There, only a few pieces of marble remain," he mentioned.
    He believes it is important for a restored historic building to have the appropriate atmosphere. "Period music should play there. If you turn on the radio here, you will bury it all. The staff must be decently dressed so that one realizes that life has continuity. Some things have vanished, but some are so valuable that they need to be preserved," emphasized the architect.
    According to pastry chef Zdeněk Jartica, the pride of the café should be the handmade pastries. "We will have French, Italian, Tyrolean, and Czech specialties. They will be cakes like from Hilton. Besides traditions, we want to offer something new for people who usually cannot enjoy this," he told ČTK.
    Dozens of residents from Letná and surrounding areas came to witness the opening. "I have been looking forward to this for several months. It is different and beautiful. It is a 'noble' environment and excellent pastries," praised the new spaces Anna Hudečková from Podbaby.