Bellingham restaurants have an emphasis
on local and a bias for flavor.

LaFiamma (1/2 block)

La Fiamma serves great thin crust pizza, panini, pasta, and salads in a beautiful building with a wraparound deck. In the heart of downtown, just half a block from Hotel Leo, La Fiamma's woodfired pizzas are some of the best you'll find in Bellingham. Dining in, you'll enjoy their cool aesthetic and vibrant atmosphere. You can enjoy take-out in your Hotel Leo room, in our social lounge, or deck. And if you get a craving for a late-night bite and the restaurant is closed, no problem: Fiamma's Pye Hole slice window serves until late.

Boundary Bay Brewery (1 block)

Known as Bellingham's backyard, Boundary is the city's oldest brewpub, restored from an old timbered warehouse. You can spend an entire afternoon and evening comfortably here in the taproom or dining room, on the deck, or in the outdoor beer garden. Meet casual Bellinghamhamsters here in their natural habitat: the watering hole. Much of the year there are events and concerts to entertain while you drink some of the finest beers in the PNW. The food is delicious pub fare - with recipes honed over the years - to satisfy any appetite. If there's one business that IS Bellingham, it's this one, and you'll pick up the flavor here.

Bayou on Bay (2 blocks)

At the center of the downtown scene, Bayou on Bay serves up Cajun, Creole, and Southern cuisine in up and downstairs dining rooms, bar areas, with extensive outdoor seating. Their menu has items you'd expect from a quality Cajun place: prawn gumbo, etouffee, jambalaya, shrimp and grits (with or without gator), bbq pork ribs, bourbon chicken, blackened catfish...and cornbread (duh!). Their outside seating faces south for the best summer light and is on the most pedestrian-hopping, fun-time, people-watching, restaurant/bar-laden corner in Bellingham.

Carnal (2 blocks)

Brooklyn ‘meats’ Bellingham. Carnal has culinary sensibilities that are at once New York but with a casual Bellingham vibe. We’ve now tried everything on the menu and a carnivore cannot go wrong here. Some of the dishes are so well flavored diners often oooh and ahh and give each other meaningful looks after each bite. The short rib, roasted hanger steak, and butter- poached halibut are an excellent center around which small plates such as duck fat potatoes, hamichi crudo, and fried chicken wings can be set. Seriously considered craft cocktails round out the experience. Pleasantly decorated indoor and outdoor dining here.

Cosmos (2 blocks)

Cosmos is a standout. Chef Cinnamon Berg is talented, innovative, with a proven vision for serving fresh, delicious, and local food. Breakfasts, lunches, happy hour, and dinners are all reliably good, from the top of the menu to the bottom. Bacon Nation and Vegetation Nation hashes are a great way to start any morning; the Nicoise salad with its seared tuna and blue cheese is a stellar and flavorful lunch. Any of the burgers or delightful entrees (with plenty of good gluten-free, vegetarian, and some vegan options) are a great way to finish the day. Note: Try the Elvis NW burger (maple peanut butter, bacon, apples, arugula). No cocktails, but plenty of other good drink options.

Bantam 46 (2 blocks)

Bantam 46 specializes in chicken and southern cooking, and craft cocktails Both its upstairs bar area and downstairs dining room provide great atmosphere, for couples, family or groups of friends. The fried chicken, roasted chicken, and chicken sandwiches are some of the best you'll find anywhere - Fortune magazine said: "It’s unlikely you’ll find any other chicken so impeccably fried this side of the Louisiana state line." The apps and sides are deliciously creative, and vegetarian fare with flare is served as well. Owner Ben Sholtz knocked it out of the park with his Mallard Ice Cream shop next door, and his attention to detail, dedication to flavor, and excellent staff shows in Bantam 46. Winner winner, chicken dinner.

Rock and Rye Oyster House (2 blocks)

For years, we've directed diners looking for an excellent Pacific Northwest seafood restaurant to Rock and Rye. Since they opened in 2014, their combination of airy classic/modern atmosphere, pleasant deck dining, and stellar regional cuisine has delighted visitors and locals alike. Oysters and seafood are a specialty, but their menu is diverse and each dish is cooked and plated with intention. They have a full bar with craft cocktails, many beers on tap, and good wine list. Situated in the old brick-walled press room of the Bellingham Herald, the two-level restaurant has an excellent feel about it, and the food and service to match.

Storia Cucina (3 blocks)

If you are looking to be wowed by your dining experience we recommend Storia Cucina. Owner Jonathon Ciccotti is a San Juan Island-born, Italian family raised, experienced San Francisco restauranteur. We recommend you arrive hungry and splurge on a wide array of anti pasti, contorni, pizza, pastas, cocktails, and appertifs. But save room for the chocolate panna cotta or affogato. Then come back to the Hotel Leo for a good lie down and camomile tea.

D’Annas (3 blocks)

For the discerning diner, anything but fresh pasta is a travesty. D'Anna's handmade pasta, gnocchi, and ravioli are fresh, flavorful, and filling. D'Anna's has been so successful they have expanded several times, making way for more diners who savor made-from-scratch sauces, fresh breads and salads, and a small but well-stocked bar.

Aslan (4 blocks)

If you choose only one brewery to visit in Bellingham (though why would you?), try Aslan. Their whole operation - beer, food, atmosphere - is exquisite. From their Batch 15 IPA, to their poutine, kale caesar salad, and bison burgers, Aslan satisfies any appetite or occasion. While its bright, clean and lively restaurant has plentiful seating, Aslan's deserved popularity makes this worth squeezing into one of their long indoor tables or summertime outdoor seating. The food and diverse menu has been stellar from the beginning, and their commitment to organic beers is unique. We're big, big fans.

Bellingham Cider Company (4 blocks)

Though their rotating cider selection is outstanding, they also offer stellar food, full bar, outdoor seating, water views, and a great location in the same building as the Sylvia Center for the Arts. We recommended the Bellingham Bay Cider Company to nearly every guest we host, and those that go come back happy. Close your eyes and point to the menu and see what happens. It's all good!

Ovn (3 miles)

Ovn serves excellent Neapolitan-style pizza baked in a huge woodfired pizza oven at 800 degrees, cooking off their pizzas in two minutes. They make their dough from naturally leavened unenriched flours and hand-stretch their mozzarellas every day (we basically ripped this info from their website, because we were trying to figure out why their pizza is so unusually good, and this must explain it). Their toppings are creatively delicious. We recently went to one of their once-a-month all-you-can-eat dinners where you can sample every one of their pizzas. It was a taste sensation and enlightening overview. Ovn also serves salads, flatbreads, and sandwiches in their lovely dining room and on their summertime patio. Cocktails are available, as well as local beers, ciders, and other beverages. Ovn is well situated in Fairhaven, right by the South Bay Trail and the Village Green, with peekaboo views of the bay.

Black Cat (3 miles)

Situated on the third floor of a classic 1890s brick building in Historic Fairhaven, The Black Cat's atmosphere is remarkable. Most tables have a window to the west, the ceilings are high, and the bar and dining room feel so comfortable, dark, and elegant you can settle in for a long evening of great food and conversation. The menu has many excellent seafood dishes; the caesar salad, burgers and steak are always a go-to; and were such old favorites as the fondue, french onion soup and pot roast taken from the menu, a riot would ensue among long-time patrons. Whether for sunset drinks and appetizers, candle-lit special occasion dinner, or late-night whiskey, the Black Cat has been bringing locals in year after year.

The Fork at Agate Bay (8 miles)

The Fork at Agate Bay is well outside the central Bellingham core, but we include it because it's worth the drive. Plus, in uber-casual Bellingham, it's one of the few examples we have of fine dining. The Fork features a well-served, delicious seasonal PNW menu with craft beers, an extensive wine list, and a lovely dining room. The drive around Lake Whatcom is enjoyable, and breakfast, lunch, or dinner at the Fork can be combined with a walk along the North Lake Whatcom Hertz Trail, which winds languidly along the lakeshore. Seasonal outside seating.

Oyster Bar (13 miles)

Bellingham has a vast array of excellent casual dining, but our fine dining options are limited. Fortunately, we have the Oyster Bar on famed Chuckanut Drive. It is a well-regarded restaurant featuring fresh seafood, steak, and vegetarian dishes, and a notable, award-wining wine list. Perched on the edge of the Chuckanut Coast and nestled in the madrona, fir, and cedar, their elegant dining room and deck look out over Samish Bay and the islands beyond. Reservations a must most nights.