Baking bagels with care: Bacon St. Bagels

Bacon St. Bagels has grown into a staple breakfast spot within the Lynchburg community since its creation almost four years ago. The restaurant has two locations, one at 306 Rivermont Ave. and the other at 16145 Forest Road. With a variety of freshly baked bagels and espresso drinks, Bacon St. Bagels is a must-try in Lynchburg.

After working in the food and service industry for over a decade, founder Jordan Hawkins felt Lynchburg was missing a breakfast location that was fresh and authentic but also quick and easy for those on the go. Hawkins met his business partner, Jordan Nickerson, who also founded Rookie’s, and the two began the journey of creating Bacon St. Bagels. 

“We both thought there was a hole in the market here,” Hawkins said. “We were missing a good, quality breakfast product that was also quick. Lynchburg really only had fast-food and sit-down options at that point.”

As a native Northerner himself, Hawkins decided that bagels were the quintessential breakfast option for both people on the go and those who want to sit and stay a while. The restaurant doors opened in November of 2020. Although the coronavirus pandemic presented extra hurdles to jump over at that time, it was a blessing in disguise for the new business. 

“I think if we had opened sooner, it would have been a nail in the coffin,” Hawkins said. “Originally, we were supposed to open in February 2020, and then we would have had to close for who knows how long. Pushing back our opening provided us with extra time to make sure we knew what we were doing.”

Making the bagels requires almost 24 hours of preparation. The process begins by simply mixing the dough and letting it ferment in the fridge overnight. The next morning, employees fire up the kettle to boil the bagels and then transfer them to the oven to bake. 

“The benefit of the kettle boil is a couple of different things, but mainly for the texture,” Hawkins said. “First, it allows the bagel to bake without the moisture escaping. It keeps the inside of the bagel dense and chewy, but the outside forms more of a crust.”

Alongside offering traditional New York-style bagels, Bacon St. provides customers with a wide variety of bagel flavors and coffee options. “The Lenora” is a bagel with mozzarella, pesto, tomato and a balsamic glaze, and it was named after Hawkins’ grandmother. Other popular items include the “Avocado BLT,” the “Lox N Loaded” and signature lattes.

The business is a labor of love. The heart of the shop is for the people. Bacon St. Bagels strives to provide the community with not only delicious food and coffees, but also with the warmth and kindness that Hawkins felt was lacking in his previous experiences in the food and service industry. 

A motto that Hawkins lives by is “It is bigger than bagels.” Bacon St. Bagels values the Lynchburg community and often donates leftover bagels to local nonprofits and ministries for those in need. The restaurant also donates gift cards and coupons to businesses such as Free Clinic of Central Virginia and Freedom 4/24. 

Bacon St. is open daily from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. at both locations.

Long is a lifestyle reporter for the Liberty Champion.