At Simply Mike’s in Brunswick, a French Pastry Chef Makes 500 Cinnamon Scrolls a Day

Simply Mike’s, the new Sydney Road location for French baker Mike Ying, is a product of reinvention.

Formerly known as Cinnabuns, the business was forced into a name change after a legal dispute with a major American chain with a similar name. Rather than fight it, Ying chose to pivot. The rebrand coincided with a long-awaited move from Albion to Brunswick, swapping a cramped, standing-room-only shopfront for a 200-square-metre venue with indoor seating. What could have been a setback instead became a turning point. Community members rallied behind the small business and, after a social media callout late last year, even chose its new name. “What came out of all of this is something bigger and better,” Ying says.

Ying’s path to pastry began in his native France. A year-10 work experience placement with his pastry chef cousin first sparked his interest, but it was only after finishing school that he pursued it seriously. He trained at L’Ecole de Boulangerie et de Patisserie in Paris, spending several years developing skills across pastry, chocolate and bread. He’s since worked under a Meilleur Ouvrier de France-winning baker and at the famed Laduree on the Champs-Elysees, where the scale was large and expectations even larger. “If it didn’t look perfect, it didn’t go out,” Ying says. That discipline continues to shape how he works today.

At Simply Mike’s, cinnamon scrolls are the main event, with each one produced over four days, entirely in-house. The dough is made with a Japanese technique called yudane, mixing the flour with boiling water to increase moisture and softness. From there, it’s built gradually over multiple stages: rested, then rolled, filled, baked and finished. The result is a soft, tender scroll that’s become the bakery’s signature. Flavours include cinnamon, coffee, Biscoff, pistachio and carrot cake (the latter started as a February special but proved so popular it earned a permanent place on the menu).

On weekends, the team produces between 500 and 650 scrolls a day, with weekday numbers sitting closer to 200. Pre-ordering is strongly encouraged, particularly for customers travelling from further afield, as sellouts are common.

While scrolls remain the hero, the offering extends to sourdough loaves, sandwiches and a rotating selection of pastries, bringing the total range to around 18 items and reflecting Ying’s broader ambitions for the space. The drinks menu has the same signature touch, including a cinnamon scroll-inspired iced latte with crème, cinnamon and salted caramel – and a matcha version, by popular demand.

Simply Mike’s
871 Sydney Road, Brunswick

Hours
Mon to Fri 7am–2pm
Sat & Sun 8am–3.30pm

simplymikes.com.au
@simplymikesau