Town Favorite Fettle + Fare To Close Café In Westfield

WESTFIELD, NJ — After finally reopening the beloved gluten and dairy free restaurant in Westfield after struggles during the pandemic, owner Amanda Vargas took to Facebook on Thursday to announce the cafe's official closing

"To all our Fettle Family, I want you to hear it from me first..." Vargas wrote. "After 5 1/2 years, we are closing Fettle + Fare for daily operations."

Vargas said Fettle will still continue to offer meal prep and pre-orders for Mondays only via their website, but Friday Oct. 28 will be the last day of cafe service.

In a letter to the community, Vargas shared that she first signed a lease in 2016 because of her dream to make "healthier food more accessible to as many people as possible."

"The food biz is one of the hardest professions someone can choose, and I didn’t just open a generic eatery/concept that’s been done a million times," Vargas wrote. "I created something unique and exciting. No one does what we do, and it was always my mission to stand out. My mom always told me, 'be a leader, don’t be a follower.' I think I’ve accomplished that over and over during my time with Fettle, and I am beyond proud."

Fettle + Fare is unique in the sense that all of its products are 100 percent gluten and dairy free. Most known for its soups and bone broths, the cafe has also branched out to offer vegan mac and cheese, a gluten and dairy free chicken parmesan pizza, vegan mozzarella sticks and much more.

Vargas said the reason for closing is a combination of prolonged staffing issues, raising costs of doing business and a changing landscape for mom and pop specialty eateries.

"We compete with the dynamic infrastructure of companies who can afford to provide top notch convenience and consistency," Vargas explained. "People often forget we are a small family business, not a corporation, yet we are often held to even higher standards than they are. That’s okay for me to accept because I know I always did my best, especially with having multiple disabilities. "

When Vargas was battling COVID-19 in January of this year, which forced her to close the store for three weeks, she shared with Patch that she also suffers from Multiple Sclerosis — a degenerative neurological disease. Vargas is also legally blind and only has about 10 percent of her vision left.

Read more: Westfield Restaurant Owner Battling COVID Needs Community's Help

"I’ve often said, people don’t always appreciate Fettle until you need Fettle, and for those of us who truly need her, she will still be here," Vargas wrote.

Going forward, Vargas said the restaurant will continue to offer meal prep and some of the regular menu through online ordering only on Mondays.

She said all orders must be placed over the weekend for Monday pick up/delivery. Bone broth will also be available at this time, and Vargas said if customers are on a broth package, the restaurant staff will make sure people receive their remaining jugs over the next few months.

Vargas added that customers can use any remaining gift cards for meal prep, catering or Bone Broth purchases.

"We are doing this because I still want to help those who need us most, and we have the staff and capability to handle this model," Vargas said.

Fettle will also still provide Thanksgiving catering, and the menu will be out Nov. 1. Orders will be taken until Nov. 18.

Vargas concluded the letter by announcing she has taken a position as Vice President of of Business Development for NIMA Partners — a company that provides sensors that detect gluten in food.

"This position allows me to help people all over the world lead healthier and happier lives!" she wrote.

"And please, please PLEASE do not tell me how sorry you are about this," Vargas said. "I am the happiest I have been in years and we are not closing because it didn't work out...it's just time for my wife and I to move forward, put our health first and kick ass in other ways. "

You can check out Fettle + Fare's website here.