Look inside new Myrtle Beach bakery. It’s set to open this weekend with fresh bread daily
It was Valentine’s Day and Gus Pena is preparing to share his love for baking with Myrtle Beach.
Pena offered The Sun News a sneak peek Wednesday of the new Le Manna Bread International Bakery and Café, ahead of its weekend opening.
The bakery is the newest addition to the city’s Arts & Innovation District and will have a ribbon cutting Thursday, followed by a grand opening at 9 a.m. Feb. 17.
The long-awaited bakery, located at 507 Ninth Ave. North, will offer paninis, empanadas, soups, salads, pastries and espresso. Customers can order food from the menu or pick up fresh bread for the day, such as various French and Italian breads like focaccia, ciabatta, baguettes, brioche and croissants.
Pena and his business partner Frank Rodriguez have been working on the bakery for three years, Pena said. The bakery fills the space of the former Myrtle Beach Bakery, which was located in the spot about 75 years ago, he said.
It is the first bakery for Pena, who has 22 years of baking experience, including working at Panera Bread.
In addition to the many bakery offerings, the restaurant is a short walk to the beach.
The bakery will be open from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily. Pena’s family, which are from Venezuela, are heavily involved in the bakery.
Pena’s sister, Maria Pena, is sitting at the front of the bakery painting. Her artwork, along with Pena’s daughter’s, adorn the bakery walls. Most are imitations of famous paintings, such as the Mona Lisa and Van Gogh’s “The Starry Night,” all with a bread theme, of course. The paintings will be for sale.
“We are so excited,” Pena said. He added that it was a good thing that the city is working to improve the downtown area, which is known as the Arts & Innovation District, not to mention that there are no other bakeries nearby.
This story was originally published February 15, 2024 at 5:00 AM.
