Zak the Baker Gets a Spring Refresh

If you tried dropping in on Zak the Baker this past week, you'd have noticed a sign on the door. The beloved Wynwood bakery, nominated for a James Beard award, closed during Passover. The kosher bakery observes Shabbat on Saturdays and all major Jewish holidays. Owner Zak Stern observes Passover each year by closing his bakery for the entire eight days. "Closing for eight straight days leaves a real dent in the April numbers," admits Stern, but there's something more important to the baker. "It does give us an opportunity each year for rest and repair."

That means that, instead of spending all his time at the beach, Stern spent those eight days doing some refurbishment and repairs to the bakery. "Normally, we focus on painting, sanding, and deep cleaning," he tells New Times. This year, he decided to give the team's break area a facelift and do some preventative maintenance on the baking equipment.

In addition, Stern did a very specific renovation to the bakery as a response to the bakery's recent FDA inspection. "We were asked to enclose the bakery production to prevent service dogs from roaming into production areas," he shares. Don't worry, customers will still be able to watch the bakers at work. "The production will still be visible, which has always been important to me for transparency, but there will be floor-to-ceiling glass separating the dining room from the production areas."

The dining room also will have new tables made with locally grown Cuban mahogany wood that was sustainably harvested right here in Miami. Stern describes them as "dense, dark wood with a beautiful grain." Stern says the new tables fit into the bakery's entire concept. "Local cuisine is made from local food and local ingredients. This concept can be extended in any direction, including the wood we use to make our tables."

Closing for a week means trying out new recipes. Starting today, the bakery will offer guava y queso pastelitos and a new spinach and artichoke boureka. Both items will be baked twice daily at 7 a.m. and again at noon, so you can plan on arriving to get them fresh from the oven.

The bakery is also transitioning its savory menu from the winter growing season of mainly vegetables and greens to the lush tropical fruits of summer, so expect to see more mango and lychee on the menu.

In the coming weeks, expect more new menu items, including local fruit sodas with flavors like sapodilla and hoja santa, a local mamey lassi, and sourdough waffles. You'll also see some plated desserts on the dine-in menu such as profiteroles and a refreshing local mango granita.

Finally, Stern addressed the ever-changing neighborhood where his bakery resides. Thanks to development, the bakery, which used to be a few blocks off the beaten path, is now in the center of Wynwood's busiest areas. Zak the Baker will soon have a new neighbor when Pastis opens at the end of April. Stern says that when he first came to Wynwood eight years ago, there was a movement of local independent craftsmen and small businesses. He says there's been an incredible growth spurt in the past few years. "As a consequence, the neighborhood hasn't had a chance to establish a solid identity yet."

Stern predicts it might take another decade for Wynwood to come into its own. "Until then, we're not going anywhere. We're here, heads down, focused on our mission, trying to move the ball forward one day at a time."

Zak the Baker. 295 NW 26th St., Miami; 786-294-0876; zakthebaker.com.