Highest-rated Restaurants in Bellingham by Diners

Dreamer Company // Shutterstock

Highest-rated restaurants in Bellingham by diners

Humans are creatures of habit. We tend to stick to our morning routines, rewatch movies we've seen time and time again, and hit up the same tried-and-true restaurants when going out for a meal. In fact, 35% of Americans say they rarely or never try a new restaurant they haven't been to before, according to a from TouchBistro.

But those numbers look quite different when you focus on younger generations—67% of Gen Zers and 40% of millennials in the U.S. say they visit new restaurants once a month or more. When it comes to deciding which new restaurant to try, younger generations are also more likely to rely on social media or online restaurant reviews, through sites like Yelp or Google. The TouchBistro survey found that 52% of Gen Zers have opted to try a new restaurant due to positive feedback on social media, and 67% of millennials have gone to a new dining spot solely because of favorable reviews online.

New restaurants in particular tend to garner a lot of online attention. About 50,000 new restaurants open each year in the U.S., and that number continues to rise. An analysis by Yelp published in June 2024 found that from May 2023 to April 2024. But some of the best restaurants in your neck of the woods might be those established eateries that customers have been visiting for decades.

To help you determine which spots—both new and long-standing—to try out, compiled a list of the highest-rated restaurants in Bellingham, according to reviews from diners as of January 2025. Only restaurants with at least 20 reviews and a 3.0 rating were considered. Read on to find some inspiration for the next time you dine out.

You may also like: Where people in Bellingham are looking to buy homes

#30. Carnal

- Rating: 4.5/5 (275 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1234 North State St. Bellingham, Washington
- Categories: New American, Cocktail Bars
-

#29. Thai Maison

- Rating: 4.5/5 (167 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2430 James St. Bellingham, Washington
- Categories: Thai, Salad, Noodles
-

#28. New Public Vegan Food Truck

- Rating: 4.5/5 (43 reviews)
- Address: 700 Harris Ave. Bellingham, Washington
- Categories: Gluten-Free, Vegan, Food Trucks
-

#27. Slice of Heaven

- Rating: 4.5/5 (37 reviews)
- Address: 300 North Samish Way Bellingham, Washington
- Categories: Bakeries, Breakfast & Brunch, Comfort Food
-

#26. Fujisan Sushi Restaurant

- Rating: 4.5/5 (101 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1216 Harris Ave. Bellingham, Washington
- Categories: Japanese, Sushi Bars
-

You may also like: Highest-rated cheap eats in Bellingham by diners

#25. El Capitán's

- Rating: 4.5/5 (82 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1201 Cornwall Ave. Unit 101 Bellingham, Washington
- Categories: Hot Dogs, Pretzels, American
-

#24. Netos Market & Bakery

- Rating: 4.6/5 (105 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2612 West Maplewood Ave. Bellingham, Washington
- Categories: Bakeries, Grocery, Mexican
-

#23. The Sandwich Odyssey

- Rating: 4.6/5 (188 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2001 Cornwall Ave. Bellingham, Washington
- Categories: Sandwiches, Salad, Delis
-

#22. Bar Cicotti

- Rating: 4.6/5 (33 reviews)
- Address: 202 Grand Ave. Bellingham, Washington
- Categories: Cafes, Wine Bars, Italian
-

#21. El Suenito Brewing Company

- Rating: 4.6/5 (74 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1926 Humboldt St. Bellingham, Washington
- Categories: Breweries, Mexican
-

You may also like: Closest national parks to Bellingham

#20. Chuckanut Bay Distillery

- Rating: 4.6/5 (82 reviews)
- Address: 1309 Cornwall Ave. Bellingham, Washington
- Categories: Cocktail Bars, New American
-

#19. Banter

- Rating: 4.6/5 (56 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 114 Prospect St. Bellingham, Washington
- Categories: Breakfast & Brunch, Cocktail Bars, Coffee & Tea
-

#18. Dumpling Girls

- Rating: 4.6/5 (79 reviews)
- Address: 2620 Northwest Ave. Bellingham, Washington
- Categories: Food Trucks, Asian Fusion, Chinese
-

#17. Sweet As Waffles

- Rating: 4.6/5 (64 reviews)
- Address: 122 East Magnolia St. Bellingham, Washington
- Categories: Food Trucks, Waffles
-

#16. Burnt Side Down

- Rating: 4.6/5 (26 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2039 Moore St. Bellingham, Washington
- Categories: Food Trucks, Desserts, Sandwiches
-

You may also like: How gas prices have changed in Bellingham in the last week

#15. New Mexico Tamale

- Rating: 4.6/5 (264 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 4151 Meridian St. Ste 106 Bellingham, Washington
- Categories: New Mexican Cuisine
-

#14. Ambo Ethiopian Cuisine

- Rating: 4.6/5 (73 reviews)
- Address: 902 North State St. Ste 104 Bellingham, Washington
- Categories: Ethiopian
-

#13. NEKO: A Cat Café

- Rating: 4.7/5 (45 reviews)
- Address: 1130 Cornwall Ave. Bellingham, Washington
- Categories: Cafes, Animal Shelters
-

#12. El Morazan

- Rating: 4.7/5 (48 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 410 West Bakerview Road Ste 108 Bellingham, Washington
- Categories: Salvadoran
-

#11. Locus

- Rating: 4.7/5 (105 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 120 West Holly St. Bellingham, Washington
- Categories: Cafes, Coffee & Tea, Wine Bars
-

You may also like: Bellingham's 2025 housing market year in review

#10. Jt's Smokin BBQ

- Rating: 4.7/5 (43 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2228 James St. Bellingham, Washington
- Categories: Food Trucks, Barbecue, Caterers
-

#9. Red Ginger Asian Cuisine

- Rating: 4.7/5 (47 reviews)
- Address: 1208 East Maple St. Bellingham, Washington
- Categories: Asian Fusion
-

#8. J's Kitchen

- Rating: 4.7/5 (33 reviews)
- Address: 1307 11th St. Bellingham, Washington
- Categories: Salad, Puerto Rican, Sandwiches
-

#7. COF&

- Rating: 4.7/5 (68 reviews)
- Address: 1209 Cornwall Ave. Bellingham, Washington
- Categories: Cafes
-

#6. El Maná

- Rating: 4.8/5 (36 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1538 Birchwood Ave. Ste B Bellingham, Washington
- Categories: Latin American, Bakeries, Caribbean
-

You may also like: Highest-rated restaurants for tacos in the Bellingham area by diners

#5. Otherlands Beer

- Rating: 4.8/5 (100 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2121 Humboldt St. Bellingham, Washington
- Categories: Breweries, Modern European
-

#4. Hollys Meat Pies

- Rating: 4.8/5 (70 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 4073 Hannegan Road Ste J Bellingham, Washington
- Categories: New American, Desserts, Italian
-