11 OctOber 16-22, 2025 miaminewtimes.com | browardpalmbeach.com NEW TIMES | CONTENTS | LETTERS | NEWS | NIGHT+DAY | CULTURE | CAFE | MUSIC | MONTH XX–MONTH XX, 2008 miaminewtimes.com MIAMI NEW TIMES | CONTENTS | LETTERS | RIPTIDE | METRO | NIGHT+DAY | STAGE | ART | FILM | CAFE | MUSIC | Wicked Good A Plantation bakery’s iced cinnamon bread goes viral. BY BURGER BEAST B efore there was Wicked Bread Co., there were Eddie and Betty Diaz, two Miami-Dade educa- tors who never imagined they’d be running one of South Florida’s most talked-about bakeries. What began as a homemade cinnamon bread Betty baked for her grandmother eventually snowballed into a side hustle that refused to stay small. Their first public test came at a 2019 Friendsgiving. One loaf turned into a conver- sation starter, then a revelation. By early 2020, they had launched a booth at the Yel- low Green Farmers Market in Hollywood, where the air around them smelled of butter, sugar, and excitement. The pandemic shut that down fast, but it didn’t stop them. The Diazes continued to bake from home, rising before dawn to hand- deliver loaves across Miami. It was an old- school, door-to-door operation built on hustle and word of mouth, and it worked. People didn’t just want Wicked Bread; they needed it. By the time the world reopened, they’d built a devoted following that stretched from Homestead to Palm Beach. In 2024, they moved their operation to a full-blown storefront in Plantation. It’s hard to miss. The smell of cinnamon hits you be- fore the sign does. Inside, Wicked Bread Co. embraces its name with charm: think cozy witch’s cottage meets Halloween pop culture. A fireplace mantle stacked with faux spell books, vines creeping across the walls, murals of movie witches, and an oversized tree an- choring the room. It’s playful, nostalgic, and unmistakably them. But décor is just the bait. The real draw is the bread. The “Classic” is the backbone, a warm, soft loaf with a swirl of cinnamon and butter that’s finished with velvety cream cheese icing made from scratch. It’s indulgent without being overbearing, the kind of com- fort food that disappears faster than you can stop yourself. From there, things get more fiendish. The “6 Degrees of Maple Bacon” cinnamon bread strikes a balance be- tween sweetness and smoky crunch. The “Swine in a Sweater,” a smoked sausage wrapped in flaky pas- try and drizzled with maple glaze icing, pushes sweet and sa- vory into new terri- tory. Add in empanadas (beef, chicken, ham and cheese, spinach, or pizza) and pastelitos (guava, guava and cheese, cheese, or meat), and you’ve got a menu that reads like a great- est hits album of South Florida comfort food. Everything’s baked daily. When they sell out, and they often do, that’s it. No shortcuts, no second batch. The dough takes hours to prepare, and the Diazes refuse to compromise. Comparisons to other South Florida cin- namon staples are inevitable, but Wicked Bread plays its own game. Where others go dense and sticky, Betty’s loaves are lighter, softer, and more balanced. One bite doesn’t leave you feeling like you’ve hit a sugar wall; it leaves you wanting more. This isn’t a roll you tear into with a fork; it’s bread you can share, toast, or eat straight out of the box while it’s still warm. The icing complements rather than overpowers. There’s restraint here, which makes it all the more addictive. And unlike the seasonal bakeries that shut- ter when the weather changes, Wicked Bread keeps the ovens running year-round. Planta- tion locals have adopted it as their go-to week- end ritual, while out-of-towners plan detours off I-595 to grab a loaf before they sell out. What makes Wicked Bread Co. special isn’t just the flavor, it’s the persistence behind it. The Diazes built this business through early mornings, long nights, and a level of dedication that would make most current professional bakers flinch. They could have given up after that pandemic shutdown. In- stead, they doubled down. Now that they’ve expanded, the goal isn’t to franchise or flood the market. It’s to stay con- sistent, experiment with monthly “Wicked Specials,” and keep that local connection alive. Recent creations, such as “The Silence of the Pecans” or “The Bananastein,” show that they can have fun without losing focus. There’s no gimmick here, and no influ- encer-engineered hype. Just a husband-and- wife team who turned a family recipe into something genuinely worth the drive. Wicked Bread Co. isn’t trying to dethrone anyone. It’s carving out its own space in South Florida’s ether, one loaf at a time… maybe two, because one isn’t enough. Wicked Bread Co. 1263 S. Pine Island Rd., Plantation; 305-912-7323; wickedbread.com. [email protected] ▼ Café Café Photo by Leslie Diaz of @TreatYoselfAnywhere A Plantation bakery has an enormous South Florida following after its buttery, mouth- watering, iced cinnamon bread went viral. THERE’S NO GIMMICK HERE, AND NO INFLUENCER- ENGINEERED HYPE. ▼ DADELAND SHORTY’S, WE HARDLY KNEW YE After nearly 75 years of serving smoked meats doused in sticky sauces, Shorty’s Bar-B-Q will be closing its flagship Dadeland location at 9200 S. Dixie Hwy. The South Florida staple, which has won a whopping ten New Times Best of Awards (most recently in 2019 for Best Bar- becue in Miami), confirmed the news on Tues- day, September 30, exclusively with New Times, adding that there is no official closing date, but it will share the news with guests when it is confirmed. “We are so honored to have been part of this community for nearly 75 years, and we’re deeply grateful for all the memories we’ve shared with our guests,” says Mark Vasturo, CEO of Shorty’s Bar-B-Q, in a statement. “This isn’t goodbye, it’s the start of a new chapter and an opportunity to make even more memories together. We’ll con- tinue serving our guests at the Dadeland loca- tion for about another year, and we look forward to seeing you soon.” The news of Shorty’s Bar-B-Q closure first broke in 2022 when South Florida Business Jour- nal reported that real estate developers Florida Value Partners and Atlantic Pacific Companies purchased the land Shorty’s sits on for $14.5 mil- lion, as well as the adjacent property at 9180 S. Dixie Hwy. At the time, Vasturo told New Times that Shorty’s Bar-B-Q was here to stay because the restaurant had a lease and that the develop- ers were “big Shorty’s fans.” It almost seemed like whatever was being planned for the lot, Shorty’s was part of the plan. It’s unclear if that is still the case. In the announcement of the closure, Shorty’s says it is ready to welcome its Dadeland patrons to its locations in West Miami and Davie, which will continue to serve the comforting food it has been known for. Founded in 1951 by E.L. “Shorty” Allen, Shorty’s Bar-B-Q is a Miami landmark known for its log-cabin charm, communal picnic tables, and timeless Southern hospitality. Despite fires and hurricanes over the decades, Shorty’s has stayed true to its roots, serving up hickory-smoked ribs, chicken, creamy coleslaw, and housemade sides just as it did over 70 years ago. The original structure burned down and was replaced in 1971. Although the restaurant was sold in 1980, it remained a fixture in Miami. In 2013, Shorty Allen died at the age of 104. While there are locations in West Miami and Davie, the South Dixie location will always be the original. More than just a restaurant, this South Dixie restaurant has been a living slice of South Florida history where generations have gathered for delicious barbecue and a taste of old Miami. Craving barbecue in Miami? Check out New Times’ list of the best new barbecue spots in Miami. Shorty’s Bar-B-Q South Dixie. 9200 S. Dixie Hwy., Miami; 305-670-7732; shortys.com. Closing in late 2026, while its West Miami and Davie loca- tions will continue operating. JOSE D. DURAN ▼ SOUTH BEACH ONE DISH 2.0 After opening in Coconut Grove in 2024, Miami’s first restaurant to serve only one main dish (Ital- ian pan-fried veal) gained so much popularity in its first year that it’s already opening a second location. Cotoletta, winner of New Times’ Best Restau- rant in Coconut Grove 2025, will open a | TASTE TEST | >> 12
