Bakey, the bakery brand created by Israeli baker and cookbook author Uri Scheft, has opened its first South Florida location in Hallandale Beach as it looks to expand beyond its Boston-area base and reach a market with a large Jewish and Israeli community.
The bakery location is kosher, continuing the identity of the previous tenant and positioning Bakey for customers seeking kosher baked goods, breakfast and lunch options in Broward County.
The company operates five locations in the Boston area and said it is also developing sites in Fort Lauderdale and Aventura.
Scheft is best known in Israel as the founder of Lehamim Bakery in Tel Aviv and in the United States as a co-founder of Breads Bakery in New York, which helped bring Israeli-style babka to a wider American audience. He is also the author of “Breaking Breads,” a James Beard Award-nominated cookbook.Raised in Israel and Denmark, Scheft spent decades refining his craft through training in Denmark and extensive travels throughout Europe, where he immersed himself in classical baking and pâtisserie techniques.
The South Florida expansion is being carried out with Amir Vadash, whose family operated Vadash Jacob’s Bakery in Israel for decades. The partnership gives Bakey a local growth plan tied closely to Israeli baking traditions, from babka and bourekas to challah and sourdough.
Uri Scheft, Amir Vadash and Hallandale Mayor Joy Cooper at the opening of Bakey
(Photo: Adir Avivi)
The Hallandale Beach menu includes chocolate and almond babka, cheese bourekas, goat cheese croissants, rugelach, challah, sourdough breads, bagels, salads, sandwiches and coffee. The bakery also plans to offer catering, wholesale service and holiday menus, including items for Jewish holidays.
The company said its products are made in-house, with an emphasis on fresh baking throughout the day. It uses ingredients such as unbleached flour and natural sourdough, according to company materials.
The opening comes as South Florida continues to attract Israeli food businesses and kosher dining concepts, particularly in areas such as Hallandale Beach, Aventura and Hollywood, where Jewish and Israeli communities have helped support demand for bakeries, cafes and specialty food shops.