When passing by Muffins on Main, as I’m sure many Westford residents have, you will see a white building that looks more like a home than a business, and a striking red door showcasing the entrance. Once you enter, Muffins on Main welcomes you in from the brisk morning like a warm embrace.
Its small cozy atmosphere, accented by wood, art, and the smell of fresh baked goods wafting throughout the store, instills a sense of comfort within its diners. The natural light from large windows brought a refreshing brightness to the inside.
Muffins on Main’s location on 40 Main Street makes it a proud part of Westford’s town center. The establishment stands on the side of the road, just down the street from JV Fletcher Library and on the edge of the town green. However, as charming as the placement is, it does lack parking spots, leaving customers to park on the side of the road, an ordeal that can be difficult in such a high traffic area.
Instead of servers, customers walk up to a counter located directly in front of the door where an employee, affectionately called a “muffineer”, is standing to take their order.
The menu of Muffins on Main pretty much follows a typical breakfast and dessert menu, complete with scones, brownies and cookies, even fruit bars, all made the day of.
On the drink side, there are a variety of coffees and cold brews, matchas, teas. Colder, refreshing drinks like lemonade and Arnold Palmers, called a “Kitty Jenny” in-store, and sparkling water with flavored syrups which change depending on season are available.
The hours reflect their menu options, opening early at 6:30 a.m. on weekdays, and 7:30 a.m. on weekends, and closing every day at 2:30 p.m. They are also closed the whole day on Mondays. The early closing time makes it more difficult for students to go to the establishment on weekdays, since the Westford middle and high schools end at 1:55 p.m.
Staying true to its name, Muffins on Main produces and showcases a variety of different muffin flavors, even having a part of both their in-store and online menus dedicated to the unique muffin flavors available.
The whole store is also proud to be completely nut free, and signs hung up offer a variety of food accommodations such as no sugar in certain drinks, and soy and oat milk alternatives, at the customer’s request.
I ordered a blueberry lemon muffin, along with a large cup of their hot chocolate, which I got with one of their homemade marshmallows.
The muffin was warm when I got it, and it was exactly what it claimed to be. There wasn’t an overpowering taste of blueberries, and the lemon taste complimented the overall flavor. The hot chocolate wasn’t anything extraordinary, but it was warm, chocolatey, smooth, and was decent overall. It was a little powdery, and its consistency was on the thinner side. What made it better though, was the homemade marshmallow, which brought a unique sweetness to the hot chocolate that I especially enjoyed.
I came with my sister, who ordered chamomile tea and a chocolate chip scone. The tea was also served hot, and the scone wasn’t warm, but it was still soft.
I was happy to find that it only took 4 minutes for both my sister and my own orders to be done. The total price of both our orders came out to an affordable price of $12.15. Lemon Blueberry muffin ($2.95), chocolate chip scone ($2.95), large hot chocolate ($3.50) and the homemade marshmallow ($0.75), and chamomile tea ($2.00).
Around 10:30 a.m. on Sunday, a large influx of people began filing into the store, some just dropping in to order and leaving, but by 10:40 a.m. there were friends and families sitting at all the tables available.
The establishment is rather small, and with only four group seating areas, it can become crowded easily. Although, they do have small outdoor seating areas, they are not very helpful in colder months.
However, what makes Muffins on Main is the experience of dining there. From the little flower bouquets put on each table, to the wooden rulers paired with pens open for any and all customers to add their heights, to the children’s books and toys they have available on a shelf for free use, all these little details make customers feel a sense of community when they enter.
Although the no-wifi situation they have would usually be a downside to a casual eating establishment, at Muffins on Main, it seems more purposeful, as it breeds more interaction between their customers, which is a goal of Muffins on Main’s.
If there’s one thing that is clearly a part of Muffin on Main’s mission it’s this: New England pride. The inside of Muffins on Main is an ode to the history of Westford, and a treasure trove of New England made products.
The establishment showcases local businesses, like Hudson Hives, a honey making business not more than 30 minutes from the store itself, and Wicked Joe Coffee, a Maine-grown coffee business.
Some of the other highlights in the store include the “West Wall”, a wall inside the bakery that showcases local New England artists and even WA artists. There is also a map illustration of Westford in 1886, and a whole collection of postcards made by a Westford born and raised citizen. These are all some of the things showing the store’s Westford and New England pride and commitment to the community.
The store is also decorated with lots of old timey, black-and-white pictures of Muffins on Main, way back to when it was Wright and Fletcher: Groceries and Dry Goods, instead of the beloved bakery it is today. Although, the Wright and Fletcher sign still hangs proudly above the store.
Despite the building being around for decades, Muffins on Main was only established in 2016, by the owners: Pam Sulka and Ellen Harde.
Sulka, who lives right across the street from Muffins on Main, was the first Muffins on Main employee, and on its opening day managed to sell out of muffins by 10:15 a.m.
Since that opening day, the store has grown immensely, and now has a significant population of loyal customers. Although hours make taking a trip slightly harder on weekdays, the convenient location, environment, and variety of food definitely make going to Muffins on Main a a necessary experience for Westford residents.
9.5/10
