104 June 27- July 3, 2024 miaminewtimes.com | browardpalmbeach.com New Times b e s T o f m i a m i ® 2 0 2 4 Amanda Pizarro and Andy Rodriguez quickly turned into a multimillion-dollar business with brick-and-mortar locations across the country. Its 24-hour brioche signature doughnuts have a distinctive and delightful texture, and the fla- vors never disappoint, like the Miami-appro- priate white chocolate tres leches or the seemingly simple brown butter and salt. The menu has expanded since it first opened back in 2014, but its high-quality ingredients and adorable aesthetic continue to draw hungry lines of sweet tooths. BEST DESSERTS Fireman Derek’s Bake Shop 3 area locations, including: 2545 N. Miami Avenue, Bay 1 Miami, 33127 786-703-3623 firemandereks.com Few bakery origin stories are as heartwarming as that of Fireman Derek’s Bake Shop. A fire- fighter became a bake-shop owner as a way to honor the memory of a former colleague. Derek Kaplan started baking as a teenager, and one of the first pies that he taught himself was key lime. Still one of his favorites to this day, it’s a worthy bestseller in his shops. Step inside the Wynwood, Coconut Grove, or Fort Lauderdale locations, and you’re instantly hit with the sweet scent of chocolate, sugar, butter, and pure happiness. The treats don’t come cheap, but they’re worth every penny. Every single order is a winner. There’s the moist and celebratory birthday cake, coconut cream pie that some- how tastes better with each bite, and the Cookie Monster pie with a chocolate chip cookie base, crushed Oreo cookies, cheesecake filling, topped with whipped cream. These are the kind of desserts that, despite their large size, you’ll find really hard to share. BEST KEY LIME PIE Publix Supermarket multiple area locations, including: 9050 Biscayne Boulevard Miami Shores, 33138 305-751-4075 publix.com Hear us out. Publix’s original key lime pie is the tastiest store-bought key lime pie in Miami. Made with authentic key limes, the filling is light yet lush with just the right amount of tart- ness. It’s also nestled in a crumbly, buttery gra- ham cracker crust. Although it says it serves about eight or nine people, who are we kidding — dig in with a spoon all by your damn self. Any pie is a single-serving pie if you put your heart into it. While there are better options for au- thentic key lime pie all the way down the Flor- ida Keys, Publix has truly mastered the perfect local pie. BEST ICE CREAM Cry Baby Creamery 17389 S. Dixie Highway Palmetto Bay, 33157 305-563-6814 crybabycreamery.com Cry Baby Creamery is a total misnomer. If any- thing, this shop will have you weeping with sugar-induced joy or demanding ice cream like, well, a big crybaby. With locations in Palmetto Bay and inside Thorn on Bird Road, this ice cream shop and bakery serves up Miami-in- spired goodness like the viva pastelito cream cheese and mascarpone ice cream with guava swirls and caramelized puff pastry. There’s also the espumita boss flavor with Per’La coffee cold brew. The brownies and cookies feature an- other local favorite, Exquisito Chocolates. Re- gardless of your craving, there’s seriously no way to leave Cry Baby Creamery with anything other than a smile. BEST BAKERY Madruga Bakery 1430 S. Dixie Highway, Suite 117 Coral Gables, 33146 305-262-6130 madrugaorders.square.site It’s in Miami native Naomi Harris’ DNA to run a successful South Florida restaurant. She’s Pollo Tropical royalty, for God’s sake. Her fa- ther and uncle founded the Miami institution in the late ’80s, and her grandfather owned and operated Red Road Food Market in South Mi- ami. Following in their footsteps, Harris pur- sued her passion for bread-making and baking, opening Madruga Bakery in 2017. It quickly be- came the kind of place where people line up for the scrumptious fresh baguettes, savory onion poppy rolls, sweet monkey bread, and more. Madruga’s breakfast and lunch sandwiches are also swoon-worthy. For her work in the Coral Gables bakery, Harris was nominated as a semi- finalist for the 2019 James Beard Award for Outstanding Baker.
