Miami One has become quite the foodie hub of late. Back in December, the centre welcomed Broken Hearts Burger Club, and now, Palm Beach’s Well Bread & Pastry has opened its doors. For the uninitiated, the artisan bakery is the handiwork of husband-and-wife duo Stefan and Michelle Van Der Hoven, who opened their first French-style pastry emporium in July 2021, quickly winning over the local populace with sensational sourdough, pastries, pies and perfectly brewed coffee. While opening a second, smaller location somewhere on the Gold Coast was always part of the plan, it happened sooner than either of them thought. When they were approached by the Miami One management team, they quickly realised there was a gap in the local scene for their specific breed of baked goods. “There is no one like us doing what we do in the immediate vicinity and so we saw the gap and grabbed it,” Michelle says. The pastry-loving pair are hoping to replicate some of Palm Beach’s success by creating a sense of community and forging relationships with regulars. “We look forward to having friendly regulars to chat to on a daily basis. If we can leave customers feeling better off than when they walked in, then we’ve done our job!”

With a smaller footprint than its flagship, the Miami satellite offers a slightly reduced selection of favourites that are baked daily at the Palm Beach location. Aesthetically, the same olive-green hues and timber creates a sense of familiarity, while breakfast bar-style seating underscores the expansive window, providing the perfect perch to indulge in a spot of people-watching over a pastry. There are a couple of small table settings along the footpath outside, but mostly the site is envisaged for the grab-and-go crowd. A cabinet brimming with Portuguese tarts, glazed-strawberry-topped fruit danishes, croissants, scrolls and cookies takes pride of place on the front counter while those in the mood for something a little heartier can make their way over to the handmade sausage rolls and pies, which are definitely not your servo variety. The bread is undoubtedly the hero here, with a rotating selection of loaves ranging from spelt to dark rye lining the back shelves. Stefan uses traditional stoneground and roller mill methods to preserve the flavour, essential enzymes and nutrients of the wholegrain flour. The bread contains only four ingredients – flour, salt, water and a live culture – so there’s no chemicals or added preservatives whatsoever and it undergoes a slow fermentation from 18 to 36 hours. The result is lighter and better for your gut than regular bread. What would baked goods be without coffee? Thankfully, you needn’t worry because the beans are supplied by the Gold Coast’s own Paradox Coffee Roasters.

Well Bread & Pastry Miami is now open! Head to our Stumble Guide for opening times.