Bite the Bagel for breakfast or lunch
Photos by Becky Stinehour
Bite the Bagel in Harker Heights offers 15 kinds of bagels and 14 different cream cheese spreads. It also offers an assortment of muffins, rolls, bread, fresh roasted coffee, desserts, sandwiches and assorted soft drinks. All baked goods are made from scratch and the coffee is fresh roasted from a coffeemaker in San Antonio.
A selection of breakfast and lunch sandwiches are listed on a wall menu mostly served on a bagel of your choice or on one of their homemade Italian rolls.
Bite the Bagel is one of three eateries owned by Sara and James Januszka. James is a retired 26-year veteran of the U.S. Army and Sara is a competitive body builder. They have five children ranging in age from 9 to 21.
Sara and James met at a bagel shop he owned with his sister in their hometown Grand Haven, Michigan. The met, fell in love and eventually married in 1993. From the beginning they talked about opening a bagel shop. Today they offer a variety of baked goods including the occasional chocolate chip, jalapeño, and seasonal pumpkin bagel. Their best seller is lox and bagels.
“We are the only shop that offers grand lox, cured with sugar, salt and dill. Not smoked salmon,” she said.
Fresh Italian bread is made daily, but you have to ask for it. Bite the Bagel offers a variety of soft drinks including Italian sodas, juices, water, and a chocolate drink.
The Januszkas opened the bagel shop five years ago and eventually added its Clear Creek location that includes an adjacent pizza parlor. They import their pizza ingredients from the East Coast.
Weekends are busy, Januszka said, with people ordering everything from breakfast, lunch, and catering orders. In addition to bagels, sandwiches and desserts, Bite the Bagel also offers an artichoke mushroom salad. They shared their recipe with us and it serves a large gathering. Reduce ingredients as needed for your family.
Bite the Bagel
480 E. FM 2410, Suite 300
Harker Heights, Texas 76548
254-699-1502
Hours of operation:
6 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday-Friday
7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday
8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday
Artichoke Mushroom Salad
24 ounces fresh whole mushrooms, quartered
33.5 ounces whole artichoke hearts, halved
6 cloves fresh garlic, minced
¾ cup red wine vinegar
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1.5 teaspoons oregano
Combine all ingredients in a bowl, cover and marinate in refrigerator for 12 hours before serving.
Serve cold.
