I was a fan of Zak the Baker before he opened his bakery/cafe in trendy Wynwood. I have had some of his fabulous breads in some of Miami’s top restaurants. Most recently I enjoyed his breads at Beachcraft and Cypress Tavern.
When I pulled up to 405 NW 26th st, there was a long line up out the door. But don’t worry, the line moves pretty fast. They have a good system going there. When you get inside the menu is displayed on brown butcher paper scrolls on the wall and the daily specials are on a blackboard. You decide what you want, move to the front, place your order and take a seat. They bring you your food when it is ready. If it is take out you are after there is a separate line for that. The location is very cool with a minimalist industrial vibe. The staff is all young and friendly. The kitchen is open and you can see them mixing the dough, rolling it, shaping loaves and baking the breads.
The breads are piled high on baker’s racks as well as cookies and pastries. There is also soup, salad, quiche and cakes of the day. We sampled an avocado open face toast, an amazing tuna melt sandwich toasted to perfection and some vegetarian cholent. We washed this down with a great green iced tea with lemongrass and mint. They also serve Panther coffee. All the foods are organic. Zak learned to make his artisanal breads while traveling in Homestead, FL, India, Sweden, Italy, France and Israel. His breads have a nice crisp crust and are perfectly browned and chewy. This is a certified Kosher bakery, so it is open daily except on Saturdays from 7am- 5pm.
The menu changes daily. There are different categories on the menu like savory toast, sweet toast, sandwiches and daily specials. His sourdough breads can be walnut and cranberry, multi grain or rye etc. I still think his breads don’t come close to True Loaf but he is still a talented bread maker.
The crowd is an eclectic mix of people who all seem to be enjoying the experience of eating here.
The restaurant even supplies umbrellas to shield people from the sun who are waiting in line or in case it starts to rain – very thoughtful!
Zak the Baker has a great concept going with his bakery/cafe.