First & First Southern Baking Company

Delicious pastries, blue velvet cake, red velvet cake, the big ass burger was succulent and juicy you can taste the spices. Savannah crabcakes were tasty.

First & First Bakery is now closed… :\

Rare Unilocal letdown. A brunch place that serves no fresh juice? Egad. Décor is unforgivable, terrible lighting, service not good, food nothing to write home about.

First time Unilocal has led me wrong…
Stopped by for lunch today after reading the great reviews. First off, they were pretty much out of everything we tried to order. No iced coffee, no beer, no chicken & waffles, and no soup.
Ended up ordering the chicken & dumplings — serious let down. The dumplings were pureed and it was more of a soup consistency. We also had the buffalo chicken sandwich with blue cheese dressing — which for $ 11.95, tasted like something you’d get at Wendy’s.
The best thing we had was a strawaberry milkshake — unfortunately though I’d ordered the strawberry FRUIT shake… Needless to say, service was lacking.
We left kind of sad, regretting our choice in coming here and wanting the space back in our tummies to eat elsewhere.

How cool is it to have homestyle American cooking in immigrant dominated Miami? ?? Way cool!
Really like this place. American cooking served with love. Very friendly staff and reminds me of all my favorites up north.
Looking forward to trying their breakfast!
Recommended. (Interior could use an overhaul though)

Chicken and waffles; BBQ chicken sandwich; Bread pudding; MAC & CHEESE?! OH WOW!
Good food, and service. I enjoyed very much the meals I got. Especially the mac & cheese.
There is one small thing and it’s the appearance in the inside. Although the front store — outside — looks so cute and charming place, when you go inside, it’s kind of small and narrow. Almost claustrophobic. Actually it reminded me of the Cuban cafeterias.
That fortunately, didn’t diminish the taste of the food and the service. I’ll go back again and for sure I’ll recommend the place to my friends, many of which LOVE Southern food.

OK, the closest I have come to Southern fried food is at the Cracker Barrel. There are NOT that many places in South Florida that specialize in Southern fried food. We learned of First & First Southern Baking Company through VOICE Deal of the Day. When the daily deal was listed, we quickly went on Unilocal and checked out their reviews. Most people raved about this place, so we got the deal: $ 10 for $ 20. I decided to take my hubby here for a birthday breakfast. Boy, I’m so glad we did! First of all, if you live in Downtown, you must walk to this place. i say that because after consuming all those calories, you should definitely do some walking back home. We are in North Brickell and it took us about 10 minutes walking there. The place looks like nothing out of this world; very old fashioned mom & pop style restaurant. They have a few outdoor seating tables, but with the summer heat, I definitely recommend sitting inside. The front of the establishment is a bakery where they display their delicious pastries – from Coca Cola and Jack Daniels cupcakes to Blue Velvet and Pineapple Upside Down cakes. The back of the establishment has many tables. As you pass the kitchen, you can smell the aromas of Southern food! WOW!
So we sat down and I ordered their Southern Iced Coffee. I tell you that it’s one of the best iced coffees I’ve ever had. Not sure what they put in it, but it was damn good! We ordered a Pastelito de Carne to start off. We had no idea that we would be eating the best pastelito de carne we’ve ever tasted – soft, moist, lots of meat, and full of deliciousness! Made to perfection. Then, our main dishes came out – Grandma Stella’s Chicken Salad with a side of Tater Tots and Fried Chicken with Waffles and Fried Apples. Both dishes were amazing! It was so much food, we took about half of it home!
We can’t wait to come back!

What a place! Food is inexpensive and awesome. Homemade food, deserts and pastries. Breakfast was great and I can’t wait to come back for lunch.
Southern food has landed in miami!

The only thing I regret about my visit to this restaurant is that I didn’t get dessert because I was too full from everything else I ate.
First you have to try one of the fruit drinks that is homemade there, they are refreshing, delicious and worth it!
My friend had the paula deen inspired ham sandwich oh dios Mio! the bread is made in their premises and I ordered the sloppy joe which was bombastic.
The best thing are the side dishes, we ordered tater tots, fried apple slices, corn soufflé and mac& cheese. Each item, was delicious, hit the spot and felt like comfort food.
The service is excellent, their menu has a large variety and youre going to have a lot of choices, and this business has been positively reviewed by the new times which was how I had read about First and First.

I live next door to this little café so I’ve tried my share of the items on the menu. They’re good, not amazing and to die for… just good. I think its better for breakfast than it would be for any other meal yet everyone works different. The cupcakes are the first thing you see when you walk in, and with reason. they’re probably the best thing they offer. I had the pepperoni burger (Bad Ass Burger) and yes it was pretty badass. The service needs to improve as its the only reason I am not such an avid consumer of them.
I called for delivery one day and was kinda upset when they told me they couldnt charge my card because the phone line they use for it is the business line therefore my order could not be completed. Mind you, I only found out 20 minutes after I placed my order when I called to check why it hasnt arrived yet (I literally live directly next door, its a 20 second walk).
Sometimes I will deal with poor service when it comes to good food, but we’re in Miami and theres plenty of competition so they need to either vamp up or ship out. Im not saying I would never come here again but I always think twice before I go.

First and First is a cute little Southern café, nestled among the larger buildings downtown. Not exactly what you would expect to find tucked away there, you enter to find a large display of cakes, cookies and cupcakes, and then a small dining area in the back. The first time I went, I had just finish lunch with a friend and we were craving something sweet. She recommended we try First and First, so we made our way over and illegally parked so we could each run in (there wasn’t any parking available nearby). I perused the case and ended up going with a new twist on a Southern classic, the blue velvet cake. Shockingly smurf blue, they gave me a slice big enough for 3 people. It was moist and the frosting was creamy. My friend got a cupcake, and I tried some of hers and was disappointed to discover that the cupcake was the complete opposite of my choice… rock-​hard and a bit stale.
I went back on another day for brunch and grabbed a seat at one of the tables in the back. The décor is cute, and kind of hints what you are in for with pictures of celebrity chefs like Paula Deen for inspiration. I went with the papas potato pancakes, the corn soufflé for my side and the raspberry infused lemonade. The potato pancakes were completely nontraditional, more of a mashed potato that had been seared on two sides to give them a bit of crunch. Apart from that though they were garlicky and very tasty. The corn soufflé was ok, but nothing I’d rush back for again. The lemonade was refreshing and sweetened just right. I also gave the cupcakes another chance, hoping they would be fresher earlier in the day, and went for the Coca Cola. It was a little better than the first time, but still not as good as other places’ cupcakes.
On my way out I also picked up some cookies to surprise my boyfriend (he loves chocolate chip cookies), and the woman behind the counter even threw in an extra one for me. He absolutely loved them, chewy and delicious, even a day later.
In summation it is a cute lunch or brunch spot (they are closed on Sundays though) if you’re looking for less-​healthy but modern takes on Southern specialties. If you want dessert though, stick with the cookies and cakes rather than the cupcakes.

My husband and I tried this place out (based on the great Unilocal reviews!) and we really enjoyed it. We had the same first impression as others — what is this place? They could definitely work on creating a better atmosphere. I felt like I was in some sterilized room, stuffed away in a corner. We would have sat at one of the few tables outside, but it was raining.
The prices were very affordable. My husband ordered the Chicken Casserole and loved it! It came with a side of cranberries (delicious) and corn soufflé (even better), as well as a salad (letter, tomatoes and a delicious, sweet dressing).
I ordered the chicken salad sandwich, which was also very good. It came with one side so I chose a fruit cup (which consisted of fresh strawberries, applies and blackberries).
Since we were so full, we decided to order a small red velvet cupcake for dessert. It tasted like just your average cupcake, but I never understood the hype with cupcakes anyway.
I would definitely try this place again. Maybe I’ll try some of the other desserts the next time!

Had lunch here today…
OMG, scrumptious!
Had…
Tuna sandwich on the black olive foccacia freshly baked bread… it was AMAZING… and I don’t even like tuna all that much!
Raspberry Iced Tea… homemade, LOVED IT
Mac & Cheese, was perfect!
and…
the BLUE VELVET cake I have been waiting to try… it was everything i imagined… don’t discriminate and go for plain old red velvet when you can have blue velvet. it’s worth it!

Pretty great little eatery in downtown. All the sweets are great with great flavors an quality ingredients. But everything is very sweet and rich, so dont over order.
The food is good although I was still hungry after the sandwich. I guess they want you to eat the desserts.
Nice outside seating on nice days makes for a great place to walk your dog to and have a snack

When you first walk into First and First, you can’t really tell it’s a sit-​down restaurant with waiter service. It looks like a bakery and has really bright lights that could use a tad bit of dimming. Conveniently located off 1^st ave and 1^st street in downtown, it’s easy to walk to from any downtown location.
The menu has a variety of southern specialties, salads, sandwiches and some daily specials. I went with the grilled cheese sandwich that comes with bacon and tomato (delicious!) and the mac and cheese. My girlfriend had their Waldorf salad but she wasn’t wowed by it. The place doesn’t really cater much to healthy eaters (one of the chef’s inspirations is Paula Deen if that says anything!) but all others will relish in the yumminess that is First and First.
Coincidentally, my best friend ordered a red velvet cake from here for a birthday party this weekend and it was to die for. I swear it was so good I was thinking about it the next day! I can’t wait to come back!

Being a «Baking Company» I’ve had First & First’s dessert twice now, I refuse to try their chalkboard sandwich and food items though cause I go here for sweets. Miami needs more strictly dessert and pie places.
The first time I tried their bread pudding and it was delish. The second time, not so much, with the addition of raisins.
With the super-​friendly owners help (not so much the young cashier who has difficulty understanding you and your order), I also ordered the recommended pumpkin loaf. The best I have ever had, with moisty icing coated decadence, mmmm… and Starbucks has a pretty good one during the holiday season but can’t at all compare. I also really enjoyed their birthday cake ice cream that comes with the bread pudding — similar to the Coldstone and Winn-​Dixie brand creations, but much sweeter.
The place is oddly shaped, more diner-​like than café like than I had hoped, and not too appealing in the comfy cozy hangout kind of way. But the yummy sugary stuff is worth atleast a take-​out order, if not more.

First & First is a relative newcomer to the Downtown dining scene. They are both a restaurant (breakfast and lunch) and a bakery. As the proprietor will tell you, all their dishes are inspired from the Carolinas, as well as from all your favorite Food Network stars.
The menu ranges from salads and sandwiches to entrees such as chicken and dumplings, to daily specials taken directly from the recipes of those Food Network chefs whose photos are hung all over the dining room (and whose faces you’ll see on the flat-​screen tvs permanently tuned to that channel). Everything is made fresh, and the baked goods are usually made daily (especially the amazing cupcakes).
I’ve enjoyed lunch at First & First several times now, dining on a different delicious option every time, and I’ve not been disappointed. On my first visit I had the awesome chicken salad sandwich with a freshly made strawberry lemonade. After one bite of the sandwich (and one sip of the lemonade), I knew this place was a winner in my book!
The second time around, I decided to try the day’s special — a Bobby Flay buffalo chicken sandwich, with bleu cheese dressing on top. Soooo good! It was quite messy to eat, but it didn’t matter cause it was ridiculously tasty. I also got to sample a cupcake on that visit, and it definitely blows most Miami cupcakes out of the water. Moist cake with creamy (not crunchy) frosting makes these cupcakes outstanding.
On my next (and most recent) visit, I brought 3 co-​workers along, and we all opted for the daily special of a thinnly-​pounded chicken breast, with an ultra crispy crust, atop a nice bed of greens, with some lemon wedges for a little kick of tang, inspired by Giada de Laurentiis. Sounds simple, but it was outta control good. The chicken was juicy, the salad was fresh — the perfect lunch time fare! Three of us ended our meal with red velvet cupcakes, which are my personal favorite, and First & First totally delivered.
I will keep coming back to sample the awesome homemade fare, and hopefully will continue to have room to sample some more of their awesome-​looking cakes & cupcakes in the future. Oh yeah, don’t forget to get one of their dining punch-​cards — you get a free cupcake on your next visit, and after 10 visits, you get a free lunch!

Just had lunch here for the first time and I have to say it was an exceptional experience from beginning to end. From the moment we walked in, we received a warm greeting and were immediately seated. Ray (owner) personally came over and went over the menu with us which features something for every palate.
Started off with their homemade raspberry infused lemonade (refreshing and not too sweet). I ordered the Bubba’s chicken club sandwich and boy was it delicious. Warm baked baguette with chicken and roasted red peppers simply mouthwatering. And the crowd pleaser was their warm bread pudding (not like abuela’s) crossiants and Krispy Kreme Doughnuts baked together with a scoop of pecan ice cream… DELICIOUS!!!
Definitely will be returning soon.

An American restaurant in Downtown Miami? I think hell has frozen over. I am rather happy that they are here and I am even more happy that they have replaced the restaurant that used to be located here. I am not going to go too much into what I have had solely due to the fact that I asked for breakfast after they had already switched to lunch. They were kind enough to give me that, so I will be going back to try other items while trying their breakfast during breakfast hours. Below is a snippet of what I have tried here:
Cheese pastry — Small, cheap, and tasted good.
Guava pastry — Doesn’t taste like the guava I am used to, but it still tasted good. At 90 cents, I have no complaints.
Chocolate cake — The chocolate cake was good.
French Toast — Flavor was good, but they were not cooked all the way through.
Chicken Dumplings — A tad over-​spiced and I couldn’t find any dumplings.
Hen house eggs — The best non-​dessert I have tried here. The eggs were cooked perfectly.
I will be trying more of the fare at this establishment. I hope to upgrade their rating as I try more and find that dish they excel at. They have the price, location, and food style going for them in my mind already.

ok so I bumped into this place a couple of days back, and I decided to give it a try today, after speaking with Greg who was one of the two owners, the place has only been open for about 3 months, a nice little shop, brand new and pretty clean, and the bake most of their stuff in house.
The staff were all very friendly but the wait for the food took a little while (I think I just caught them off guard, it looked like they weren’t expecting any more orders at 6pm and I think they close at 7)
I ordered «Bubba’s club sandwich» and the «Dark Chocolate Milk Shake» (I’m a fat boy :-P)
While waiting for the sandwich Greg made my milkshake, and I gotta tell you… as a chocolate lover, i almost hit the floor, probably the best milkshake I’ve ever had!
The sandwich came with a side of potato salad, which is one of many sides you can choose from with your main dish, next time i’ll go with something else as i really wasn’t a fan of the potato salad at all.
The club sandwich was fantastic though, very fresh, large cuts of chicken breast, bacon, fresh tomato, and for presentation served with some strawberries and oranges on the side. GOOD STUFF :-D
I’ll do my best to come here a lot since its a block from my apartment (UFN) I encourage everyone to go and check out this neighborhood shop.