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We've compiled the best of the best in Bellingham - browse our top choices for the top things to see or do during your stay.
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.
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.
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.
