Kent residents won’t have to leave their homes for New-York style bagels. Starting March 9, Flash Bagel Co, the first delivery-only virtual restaurant in Kent, will bring hot bagels to front porches on weekday mornings. 

Flash Bagel Co will operate out of  Wild Goats Cafe. Virtual restaurants provide community members a delivery-only experience, different from the typical dine-in customers are used to. 

Wild Goats receives most of its business for weekend breakfast. Flash Bagel Co will help makeup for Wild Goats lack of business on weekdays. Times have changed and most people want something quick for breakfast while they’re on the go, said owner Charles Ciborek. 

“We have more business than we can handle on the weekends and more capacity to do more business on the weekdays,” Ciborek said. “The virtual concept gives us the opportunity, one, to use that capacity and two, to offer a wider variety of different product sets.” 

Flash Bagel Co will be open Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Besides their eight classic New York-style  bagels, Flash Bagel Co will offer an assortment of specialty “Bolt-Bagels”. Flavors include churro, garlic cheddar and apple pie. Bagel sandwiches, yogurt parfaits and a variety of spreads will also be featured on the menu.  

“The core of the menu is genuine New York City bagels. They are being handled and boiled and baked for us in Queens and shipped to us that very same day,” Ciborek said. 

Flash Bagel has partnered with Bent Tree for a special Thunder Dark & Bold Blend coffee, designed to “slap you in the face,” Ciborek said. 

The COVID-19 pandemic has created a greater demand for food delivery services.  According to Quick Service Restaurant Magazine, 6 in 10 adults are more likely to have their food delivered than they were before the pandemic.  

The WG group, the group of restaurants partnered with Wild Goats Cafe, plans to open its sister kitchen, Front Door Burger, in early April.

Emma MacNiven is a reporter. Contact her at [email protected].