Pinecrest Bakery Through the Eyes of a True Miamian

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Pinecrest Bakery Online

Some people discover us through a pastelito. Others, like Burger Beast, have been with us since before Pinecrest Bakery even had its name on the door.

In a heartfelt post titled "Pinecrest Bakery in Westchester and Everywhere", Burger Beast takes readers all the way back to 2010, when he first fell in love with the pastelitos at a small spot called Pastelmania run by none other than our own Joel Rodriguez, before Pinecrest Bakery was even born.

“Buttery, flaky, and loaded with guava—boom, I was hooked.”

That single pastelito led to more visits, more memories, and eventually, more bakeries.

A Story That Starts with Sabor

As Burger Beast tells it, his introduction to our flavors was unintentional but unforgettable. While dining at La Camaronera in Little Havana, the owner David nudged him to try the guava pastelito across the street.

“The next day, I skipped La Camaronera entirely and headed straight for the pastelitos.”

It became a running joke between the two of them, both caught “sneaking” pastelitos on their lunch breaks. It’s those kinds of stories that show how deeply tied Pinecrest Bakery is to the community. We’re not just a stop on someone’s food tour, we're part of people’s routines, their inside jokes, their family cravings.

From One Shop to Over 25

The blog post also reflects on our journey: how Joel Rodriguez moved from Pastelmania to a new space, started experimenting with croquetas, and eventually partnered with Efrain Valdes to open what was originally meant to be just a one-off bakery in Pinecrest.

“But the people wanted more. A lot more.”

And so it grew. One store became five, then ten, and now over 25 locations across South Florida, with our newest one right in Westchester, the neighborhood Burger Beast grew up in.

A Homegrown Milestone

For us, this feature isn’t just a piece of media, it’s a full-circle moment. Burger Beast was there at the start, when Pinecrest Bakery was still finding its name. He’s watched us grow, location by location, and still finds joy in our flaky pastelitos and signature croquetas.

His support is proof of what we’ve always believed: when something is made with real sabor and heart, people remember it. They come back for it. They bring others to try it too.

Thank you, Burger Beast, for not only being part of our history, but for telling it with so much heart. And thank you to every local who’s been with us since the early days, or who just discovered us last week. You’re the reason we’ve come this far.

Pinecrest Bakery is more than a business. It’s a community story baked fresh every day.