After enrapturing New England hearts and appetites with five locations throughout Boston, Bakey, the bakery and café renowned for handcrafted baked goods and its one-of-a-kind babka (all of it built upon the philosophy of “Love, Always”), is set to open its first South Florida location in Hallandale Beach. Soon, South Floridians will come to understand Bakey fans’ rapturous mania and come to experience firsthand the utterly delicious creations of the one-and-only chef, Master Baker and cookbook author Uri Scheft. Opening to the public on Tuesday, July 14, Bakey will serve all-day breakfast, lunch, freshly rendered baked goods, especially its famous chocolate babka (also in a multitude of flavors), sourdough breads, rolls, challah, cakes, Burekas, croissants, premium coffee, salads, sandwiches, and more.
Housed in the former Kosher Bagel Cove space, the first South Florida Bakey (with two more already in the works) will offer a warm, inviting space where guests can stop in for a quick coffee and pastry; grab a freshly made salad, sandwich, snack for later or sit and linger over freshly baked pastries, delicious breakfast plates and expertly crafted coffee in a welcoming neighborhood atmosphere. In keeping with the space’s history, this Bakey location will also be kosher.
First launched in Massachusetts in 2021, Bakey comes from legendary baker and culinary craftsman Chef Uri Scheft, internationally recognized for elevating babka from a traditional Eastern European pastry into a modern culinary menu staple. Also known as the founder of Lehamim Bakery in Tel Aviv, Scheft, who was raised in Israel and Denmark, spent decades refining his craft through training and extensive travels throughout Europe, where he immersed himself in classical baking and pâtisserie techniques. Scheft then returned to Israel and launched his own acclaimed concept, Lehamim Bakery (“breads” in Hebrew). He later brought his vision to New York City, where he co-founded Breads Bakery, helping establish it as a renowned Manhattan institution. His distinctive approach earned national recognition, including appearances on Martha Stewart's television program, and culminated in the publication of his James Beard-nominated cookbook, Breaking Breads. Scheft now continues to shape the future of babka and baking through the Bakey concept with five – soon to be seven – locations in Boston and the first of several in South Florida in partnership with fellow bakery industry scion Amir Vadash. Vadash is a generational baker himself; his family owned and operated Vadash Bakery for more than 60 years in Israel.
Everything at Bakey is made in-house with fresh ingredients. Since a central edict of the Bakey concept is that “the oven is always on,” the team is constantly baking fresh breads and pastries throughout the day. Their approach to kosher baking focuses on healthy eating and clean, simple ingredients, including unbleached flour, natural sourdough, resulting in products that are both fresh and delicious.
The curated menu will be sweet and savory, with its well-known Chocolate Babka & Almond Babka with high-end German Marzipan at the center, where guests can purchase loaves or slices. Other menu standouts include cheese burekas, cheese sticks, goat cheese croissants, chocolate croissants, rugalach and plain croissants, along with larger items like potato burekas (24") and spinach burekas (24"). The selection also features challah loaves in plain, sesame, poppy, and festive varieties, as well as muesli rolls and sourdough bread. Bakey will also continue making fresh-baked New York bagels.
The bakery offers wholesale services, an expanded catering and special events menu, and seasonal food and drink offerings for Jewish holidays and the holiday season. Guests can also choose from catering packages for groups of all sizes or order Bakey for delivery or pickup through Uber Eats and DoorDash.
Complementing Bakey’s offering is an exceptional premium coffee program featuring beans sourced from Umbria, Italy. The coffee is expertly roasted off-site and freshly ground in-house, ensuring exceptional flavor and aroma in every sip of coffee.
Formerly home to Kosher Bagel Cove, the space has been transformed by designer Alona Eliasi into a modern, light-filled bakery accented by warm tones, minimalist décor, and lush greenery. The bakery seats 50 guests indoors and an additional 70 outdoors.
Upon entering, guests are greeted by grab-and-go offerings and display cases showcasing jewel-like pastries, freshly baked breads, and other house-made specialties. Every element has been carefully considered, from the presentation of the baked goods to the curated China plateware.
Bakey is continuing to grow in South Florida, with locations in Fort Lauderdale and Aventura currently in development. More details are forthcoming.
Image of Chef Uri Scheft courtesy of Bakey
