Wandering the Fresh Foodie Scene in Bellingham, Washington

Bellingham, located in Washington State’s northwest corner and an hour south of the Canadian border, is known as a scenic college town with a thriving beer scene. But on a recent trip to explore the area’s food offerings I came away with some exciting new Bellingham foodie finds in addition to their well-known craft beer and pub grub. Bellingham is a popular outdoor adventure town but there is a side of Bellingham that isn’t quite as well known: its fresh foodie scene! You may have heard of the restaurant on Lummi Island where it is difficult to secure a reservation. The New York Times named The Willows Inn on Lummi Island one of “10 Restaurants Worth a Plane Ride.” The Willows Inn is known for locally sourced cuisine at its best. Their award-winning head chef Blaine Wetzel describes his approach to food as a “story about the land.” They take pride in a menu that is both seasonal and local… fished, foraged, and farmed daily. While The Willows Inn is on my foodie bucket list, I wasn’t able to get there on this visit to Bellingham. Read full story here.

We acknowledge that Whatcom County is located on the unceded territory of the Coast Salish Peoples. They cared for the lands that included what we’d call the Puget Sound region, Vancouver Island and British Columbia since time immemorial. This gives us the great obligation and opportunity to learn how to care for our surrounding areas and all the natural and human resources we require to live. We express our deepest respect and gratitude for our indigenous neighbors, the Lummi Nation and Nooksack Tribe, for their enduring care and protection of our shared lands and waterways.