Knaus Berry Farm is finally open. But are the cinnamon rolls as good as before?

They arrived long before the light, from Kendall and Miami Beach, Hialeah and Broward and beyond, following GPS instructions to Krome Avenue and the farmland under the flapping strawberry flag.

Armed with folding chairs and umbrellas, they dutifully lined up to stake out their spots. The most determined had already claimed the coveted places at the front of the line, spending the night dozing in their cars, renouncing beds and pillows for hard reclining seats and hungry patience.

And the wait, they say, was worth it, because the iconic Knaus Berry Farm, home of strawberry shakes, cinnamon rolls and heartfelt Miami tradition, is back.

The iconic market, first opened by Ray and Russell Knaus in Homestead in 1956, entered a new era Monday, when it reopened at a new location at 16790 SW 177th Ave. Thousands of customers lined up throughout the morning, parking up to half a mile away along 168th Street for a shot at being among the first to bite into warm, sticky sweetness.

What shocked co-owner and general manager Joel White, who owns Knaus with several other investors, was the sheer number of Knaus fanatics lining the roads and waiting for hours for the bakery and milkshake stand to start selling.

“It exceeds my expectations,” he said. “The amount of cars here and the people — it’s incredible. The local passion for this brand is amazing. Wherever I went, it was always: ‘When are you opening?’ I’m happy not to have to answer the questions about opening anymore. It is so good to say, ‘We’re open now.’ ”

The customers are happy about that part, too.

Tatiana Marquez from Hialeah and Janiyah Penas from Kendall were second and third in line, arriving at Knaus around 10 Sunday night. They left chairs to mark their spots in line and retreated to Marquez’s Toyota to try and get a little sleep (only about two hours, according to Penas).

Marquez, who was leaving with three dozen cinnamon rolls, says she spends opening night at the stand every year. Her family relies on her: She’s the one who toughs it out to buy for everyone.

“I’d rather wait overnight than spend my day in the heat,” she said as she left a little after 8 a.m. Monday. “I waited 10 hours, but people got here at 5 a.m. and will be here till 11.”

Joann Jackson of Dania Beach and Pamela Griffin from Sunrise, who has been coming to Knaus since she was 8, arrived at 4 a.m. from Broward, eyes on the prize (cinnamon rolls and some freshly baked bread and rolls). They were among the first 20 in line.

Both praised the new Knaus set-up, which includes restrooms and a bigger parking lot and — finally! — accepts credit cards. It’s also more conveniently located off a major road than its predecessor, the women agreed.

“It’s easier to get to,” said Jackson, who plans to return next week with her sister, who’s visiting from out of town.

Griffin glanced around at the sprawling line behind her, which had blossomed into what Knaus employees estimated was a six-hour wait.

“The parking lot looked big when we got here, but you see all those cars now...” she mused, her voice trailing off.

Larry and Karen Wray, who live just south of the new Knaus, rode their bikes over and arrived just after the bakery opened. Surveying the long lines ahead of them, they decided to go home and come back when the frenzy slows.

“We knew some of the Knauses, they’re friends,” Larry Wray said. “We wanted to see what it would be like. We’ll come back when it calms down a little.”

The question leading up to the opening, one repeated around Miami and the rest of South Florida, was simple: What would the rolls taste like? Would they evoke the glow of nostalgia? Would they taste like sweet memories? How could they possibly be the same?

White, who said he and his team will use Monday’s opening as a guide to improve the lines and keep people safe while walking to and from the market, reminds customers that longtime Knaus bakery manager Thomas Blocher remains as a kitchen consultant, ensuring that the cinnamon rolls you eat today taste exactly like the ones you’ve loved for decades.

“It’s the same recipe and same ingredients, even the same oven,” he said. “We have over 100 years of Knaus Berry Farm baking experience in the kitchen. All but one person has worked for us before, so they know what they’re doing. Everyone who has tried the products say they’re exactly the same.”

And dear reader, he’s right: Gooey sticky, with that delightfully sugary center you are most definitely supposed to eat last, the cinnamon rolls taste as good as ever. Maybe better, because we’ve waited so long. Knaus usually throws open its doors at the end of October, but the move delayed the opening as well as the U pick fields, which will not be ready for this season. This does not mean you can’t order strawberry shakes: The Knaus menu is identical to last year’s.

Knaus Berry Farm will remain open through the holidays, including Monday, Dec. 29, but after the first of the year will revert to its six-day a week schedule and close on Mondays.

Knaus Berry Farm

Where: 16790 SW 177th Ave., the Redland in South Miami-Dade

Hours: 8 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Tuesday-Sunday; closed Monday except for Dec. 22 and Dec. 29

More information: @KnausBerryFarm

This story was originally published December 22, 2025 at 2:26 PM.