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If you’re looking for a bagel fix, check out Comfort Bagel. They bake fresh sourdough bagels every day as well as house-made spreads and sandwiches. In addition, they offer an exclusive Comfort Bagel blend coffee crafted by Monsoon Roastery.
Comfort Bagel has two locations, one in Westfield, MA at 64 Main St. and the other in Holyoke at 92 Race St. Their menu changes regularly with over 50 flavors in rotation every two weeks. Popular favorites such as Asiago Parmesan, everything, plain, sesame and salted rosemary are a staple. Then they’ll throw in combinations like carrot and golden raisin, apple and cheddar, sour cream and onion, and sundried tomato and basil.
Owner Janet Blake explained, “Comfort Bagel is the only bagel shop in the area making sourdough bagels. Our bagels are made using a natural sourdough starter and a long fermentation process. This slower fermentation helps break down gluten, reduce phytic acid and make nutrients easier for the body to absorb.”
She went on to say, “Because of this process, sourdough bagels are often easier to digest and more supportive of gut health. The result is a bagel with deeper flavor, better texture, and improved digestibility compared to standard bagels.”
Blake dedicates herself to this business, working 14 to 16 hours a day whether she’s in the shop baking or at home planning. She also credits her husband, Bill, for the success of Comfort Bagel as he is involved in creating the look and running their social media.
“He’s a very important presence in the business,” Blake said “I honestly could not do any of this without his help and support.”
Growing up in upstate New York, Blake loves bagels. When the pandemic occurred in 2020, businesses and restaurants were shut down and leaving everyone mostly in their homes. As a way to connect and form community, Blake started Comfort Bagel as a residential cottage bakery doing weekly bagel deliveries. She told Go Local, “We were making bagels and delivering them ourselves to people during COVID. We were selling out at that point up to three months in advance. That’s when we realized this is a business, we should take to a retail location so people can come to us.”
In July 2021, Comfort Bagel expanded and opened its doors at 1 Open Square Way in Holyoke in Mill #1 adjacent to Lyman Street offering in-store dining, takeout and pre-order bagels and spreads for pickup. In 2024, they relocated to a new custom-built space in Westfield, but Blake never forgot how the Holyoke community was great to her while she was there and as soon as she could reopened another location back in Holyoke. “Our focus is really about making great bagels and creating a great environment for our customers,” Blake explained. “We want to create an environment that makes people feel welcomed and comfortable. You’re always going to be met with a smiling face.”
Kayla Cornelius from Westfield knew about Comfort Bagel because of their first shop they had. Her favorite flavor is a close race between either chocolate chip, cinnamon crunch or Asiago.
“They have absolutely delicious food,” she said. “Their flavors never fail to amaze you. They come up with fun ideas for special occasions and make sure that everything is perfect.” Cornelius continued, “Comfort Bagel truly loves their community. They teamed up with my son’s charity Maverick’s Miracles and together we gathered many winter coats, hats, scarves and gloves for our community. Along with multiple other businesses in Westfield. They are one business who truly cares about this community and will have our support for a long time.”
Andrew McNamara from Chicopee first heard about Comfort Bagel on Facebook when he lived in Holyoke. He tasted one and was hooked. “Love at first bite,” as he described it. His favorite flavors are cheddar chive, garlic Parmesan and their sour cream and onion bagel. When they moved to Westfield, McNamara was sad to see them go, but knew it was best for the business so he regularly drove 30 minutes to their Westfield location. He’s very happy to have them be back in Holyoke and only five minutes away now.
McNamara said, “They make everyone feel welcome right when you walk in and will say hi with your name once they get to know you. They have brought a thriving business to both Westfield and Holyoke.”
Continuing forward, Blake wants to focus on developing a solid team of staff members. She wants to get better at what Comfort Bagel does, have a more balanced menu that serves both breakfast and lunch and continued focus on making the two locations she has great.
“I created something that makes other people happy,” said Blake. “That validation is hard to find. I can be proud of the fact that there are people that love what we do and it started from something small out of my kitchen to now over 20 employees.” She continued, “It’s so hard right now to be in food service. We came up through COVID and persevered and we have no intention of stopping. We’re still here and we’re bringing in new customers, and we will continue to do so.”
Comfort Bagel’s hours in Westfield are Monday through Sunday from 7 a.m.-2 p.m. Their hours in Holyoke are Wednesday through Sunday from 7:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Visit their website at comfortbagel.com. Follow them on Facebook and Instagram.