Pink Love Donuts & More Will Offer Its Creative Treats in Miami Beach

Last year, as food businesses across the nation were shutting down amid the pandemic, entrepreneur Diego Macedo passed his time baking goods for his sons Thiago, 9, and Martin, 7, experimenting with simple recipes like pão de queijo, lemon cookies, and pound cakes. One day, he thought of doughnuts, and his imagination took off.

"I looked at my wife and said, 'I want to make doughnuts with hibiscus,' and that started everything," Macedo tells New Times. "The idea for a doughnut shop with a focus on wild flavors came next."

The self-taught baker set out on a road trip with his wife Jacqueline and sons, a 12-day journey that covered more than 20 doughnut shops from Orlando to the Carolinas and Philadelphia. Together, the family gathered ideas, recipes, and knowledge.

After six months spent searching for the ideal location, the family debuted Pink Love Donuts & More in Oakland Park.
"We initially had our eyes set on Miami but opted for starting with an American-based clientele in a small location, with low overhead," Macedo explains.

Pink Love rotates a roster of more than 80 doughnuts, from traditional options such as strawberry frosting and raspberry jelly ($1.75 each) to vegan versions and more unusual offerings like sweet-savory bacon sriracha ($3.25 each).

The shop also sells drunken doughnuts, which come with miniature pipettes of Malibu rum, Baileys Irish Cream, or Kahlúa for guests to inject into the core of the treat ($4.95 each), and letter-shaped doughnuts can be customized to spell out messages like "Happy Birthday" and "I Love You" ($3 each).

The offerings proved a hit with customers and the shop became a local favorite over the course of six months. According to Macedo, his daily doughnut sales are up to 800 units. He expanded the initial 900-square-foot shop into the space next door, doubling in size. Rainbow-colored décor and pop art fill the walls of what is, in essence, a grab-and-go spot, with only six seats lining the counter and ten seats in the main room.

Macedo begins the baking process at 10 p.m. and cooks the doughnuts himself, a process that takes around three hours. His staff assists with the filling and decorating of the treats, while he moves on to the making of traditional and vegan croissants, all manner of empanadas, and other baked goods. The bakery opens at 7 a.m. and in is operation until 4 p.m. or until sold out of confections.

The family is now preparing to open a Miami Beach location in January. The new outpost will be situated on 67th Street and Collins Avenue and accommodate seating for up to 50 people. Along with the current offerings, the shop will showcase sandwich and salad options.

Other Florida locations, including Aventura and Orlando, are in the works, along with a franchising model, Macedo says.

Pink Love Donuts and More. 827 E Oakland Park Blvd., Oakland Park; pinklovedonutsandmore.com, A location at 222 67th St. in Miami Beach is slated to open in January 2022.