11 Best Restaurants in Bellingham, Washington Cascade Mountains and Valleys

At this convivial two-level downtown tavern with exposed brick walls and tall windows, boldly flavored Southern fare—prominently featuring rotisserie or fried (buttermilk or spicy-hot) chicken—rules the day. The chicken dishes come with a variety of sauces and sides and in several different formats, from chicken and waffles to fried chicken thigh sandwiches with Tabasco mayo.

With a dining room and spacious terrace overlooking the downtown's Waterfront District and Bellingham Bay, this spacious craft cider taproom is an inviting, family-friendly place to sample the rotating selection of small-batch sippers. This is a legit dining option, too, with a kitchen that turns out well-crafted contemporary Northwest fare, from pan-roasted diver scallops with gnocchi to pork tenderloin with rosemary spaetzle and a mustard cream sauce. There's also an impressive selection of beer, wine, and cocktails. 

Equal parts artisan coffee roaster and casual-chic brunch room, this airy café on a busy downtown corner stands out for both the quality and creativity of its food and drink. Highlights on the food side include the toast with balsamic rainbow beets and Humboldt Fog goat cheese; notable sippers range from a ginger-turmeric latte to local-blueberry mimosas.

Reasonably priced pastas and pizzas with local and seasonal ingredients, expertly crafted cocktails, a large covered sidewalk seating area, and a convenient downtown location are the hallmarks of this casually hip trattoria. Menu highlights include squid ink mezze maniche pasta (a ridged, tube-shape pasta) with shrimp, clams, pancetta, and chiles in white wine sauce, and the starter of house-made pork-beef meatballs with focaccia. 

It's all about the fresh and flavorful tacos at this hip little tavern with exposed brick walls, a white tile and varnished wood bar, and a light-filled upstairs seating annex—oh, and the deftly poured cocktails. The hand-pressed soft tacos are available in about 10 flavors, both meat and veggie, and are served with house-made salsas. 

It's a scenic 20-minute drive east from downtown to reach this intimate but lively contemporary bistro near the north shore of Lake Whatcom, where the chefs emphasize local, seasonal ingredients. In the evening, you might start with Cajun-style shrimp and three-cheese grits or mac and cheese with tasso ham, before moving on to Low Country–style bouillabaisse or seared duck breast with a cherry reduction. Breakfast and lunch are served on weekends—try the eggs Benedict with pork belly, accompanied by a Bellini cocktail. The owners also run a similarly good sister restaurant in La Conner, the Fork at Skagit Bay.

Occupying a light-filled, cheerfully painted late-Victorian building a few blocks from the port and train station in Fairhaven, this hugely popular breakfast and lunch spot adjoins an inviting little coffeehouse called Tony's, which is a nice option for lighter snacking and fueling up on espresso. In the main café, you can kick off a day of exploring with a filling Sitka omelet (smoked salmon, feta, roasted garlic, tomatoes, and pesto), or dig into one of the lunch options, such as the Matterhorn Burger, topped with mushrooms and Swiss cheese. The café closes at 2, but Tony's remains open till 6 pm.

Before ordering dessert from whichever Bellingham restaurant you're dining in, keep in mind that this stellar artisan ice-cream parlor is open until 10 or 11 every night, and the thick, creamy concoctions here are seriously superb. The team has come up with literally hundreds of rotating flavors over the years, from coconut latte to burned sugar to black currant–mulled wine.

Epicureans flock to this bustling, high-ceilinged deli and specialty market in the heart of downtown for delicious  sandwiches, salads, and charcuterie and cheese plates featuring the best goods from Portland's famed Olympia Provisions and Seattle's vaunted Salumi. The muffaletta sandwich with pistachio-flecked mortadella, salami, ham, provolone, and olive salad, served on a baguette from renowned Bread Farm bakery, is a favorite. The shelves lining the dining room are stocked with hard-to-find imported and regional wines, plus fine sauces and chocolates.

Above the shore on a steep, wooded bluff in the northern reaches of Bow, this intimate restaurant is famous for having one of the best marine views of any Washington restaurant. People come here to dine on refined seafood, wild game, and steaks while watching the sun disappear behind the San Juan Islands to the west or the full moon reflect off the waters of Samish Bay.