On our way down the 5 from Vancouver one early morning, our hungry bellies needed some sustenation. He, being a veggie, and me, on the search for bacon, researched some reviews near Bellingham for breakfast. The Old Town Cafe is definitely a townie joint. The staff are sweet, dedicated and definitely have formed relationships with the locals. It's not that large, and sometimes the staff may be stretched thin (read: you may not want to go here when you're in a hurry), but the food is just right. All of the menu items are of a healthy fare and plenty of veggie/vegan options. I walked out of there feeling filled, and not stuffed. I stuck to a simple sunny side up dish with bacon of course, and a whole wheat sprouted english muffin. Also, the raspberry jam I slathered on the remainder at the last tid bit was delicious. I wish I had known sooner how tasty that would be! It's really about the atmosphere and relationships between the customers and establishment. The food isn't extraordinary, but it's a very comforting place to start your day. It's breakfast, they aren't recreating the wheel here in terms of scrambles or toast. Wooden booths, local publications to browse and fresh squeezed OJ make my day. They also know how to cook some eggs, so you really can't make a mistake going here. read more

Going to this restaurant reminds me of how much of an introvert I am. Old Town Cafe is a very social restaurant filled with people and live music. There's a community table, where, if there's room, you can plop yourself down at. I'm not one for a community table but its a nice feature for others. The #9 is my favorite dish at Old Town. It is a breakfast similar to eggs benedict but a biscuit replaces the English muffin, tomato replaces the ham, and cheese sauce replaces the hollandaise. They serve it with your choice of potatoes or black beans and I think you can opt for fruit as well. The coffee at Old Town is good. All of the wait staff take turns walking around and filling up mugs of coffee. The water is self serve. I don't think there's a time that I dined at Old Town where we weren't serenaded. There's always someone sitting at the lower level of the restaurant playing/singing. Sometimes the music is good. Sometimes the music is bad. There's one thing you should know when you visit for the first time. The restaurant is always busy so bear in mind you will have a wait before you're seated. Once you're seated, you'll see the staff is efficient and will be served in a timely fashion. read more

BUSY BUSY BUSY! I was blown away by how much traffic this cafe gets on a Friday at 11:30 am! We waited for about 20 minutes and then snagged seats at the communal table. Once sitting the service was pretty good. Food was pretty standard brunch fare. They have vegan options so I'll be back again! read more

Great breakfast place. Friendly staff. Greek omelette was excellent. Great Americano. Speedy service. Enjoyed the outdoor seating. Highly recommend. read more

I live in Los Angeles now and I miss this place like hell. I used to come here for the delicious healthy tofu scrambles, the nom coffee, and the wheat toast covered in the communal strawberry freezer jam on the table. You can sit family style or wait a bit longer for a table for your party. All the ingredients are fresh, and healthy. The eggs benny is heaven, but I've never found a tofu scramble quite as good as what they have here. I really miss this place and it's a gem in the foodie world. I wish it were in L.A. read more

The seating was small but the service was satisfying. Great tasting food with a view of the Bay. Also reportedly a haunted location.

I jokingly call this the best breakfast in all of Seattle because the food here beats anything offered in Seattle hands down. There is a wait but it doesn't take long to move through so don't let that stop you. The food is often local and organic, fresh and delicious and the portions are good and not overly large. Trick is you don't need to feed people 8 lbs of potatoes if you make what you do serve them delicious. It's nice to be able to have a slice of bacon and know that it was raised and slaughtered correctly. To be able to do that with some organic eggs and other local treats is amazing. To do this for cheap is just insane. Yet another place I want to pack up and move to Seattle though I suspect it'd be ruined here. read more

There's not much better in my book, my "food" book that is, than a local restaurant serving up great breakfasts with local ingredients...and I found it! Old Town Cafe is a funky, local spot, catering to its community with delicious, carefully made, comfort food, and supports its community by sourcing ingredients as locally as its possible in the pacific northwest. Our pre-ferry breakfast was delicious and the hot coffee was limitless - yahoo! Loved it that locals were strolling in, and chatting with the staff...that there were local newspapers to peruse, and that the ambiance was warm. If there's not a line waiting for your seat, sit back and relax! read more

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This is easily my favorite place to go for breakfast. The tofu scrambles are amazing! It's definitely, in my experience, one of the most plant-based friendly cafes in town. read more

I love Old Town Cafe, been eating breakfast here for years now. If you don't go there between 9-11am on a weekend you'll be fine with the wait. Just don't go during rush or you're asking for it. The service is great, the food is awesome (i love the option of organic eggs), the coffee is good (they even do lattes, etc..) and the atmosphere is comfortable. They have tons of veggie options, but plenty of meat for the carnivores. They also have a great selection of tofu scrambles. My favorite is the mushroom-tahini gravy and biscuits, which used to be a special and I am so happy it's permanently on the menu. The specials are usually great too. The bread is local. This is as local as it gets. If there's no space, or you come alone, feel free to join the community table in the front. It's for anyone and you don't have to wait for it even if there's a waiting list as long as there are chairs open. read more

The breakfast at the Old Town Cafe is to die for. It was quite a wait but well worth it. My partner got the french toast special and it was quite yummy. I got the biscuit and gravy with half home fries and half black beans. It was one of the best breakfasts I have had since moving to Washington from California 2 years ago. Don't worry about the wait, it is worth it. read more

So good! We waited 30 minutes on a Monday morning, but it was NYE, so I don't know if that's the norm or not. I had a simple meal of eggs and toast and veggie chili. I have had better veggie chili, but overall everything was great. My friend said her black beans were delicious. The fresh squeezed OJ is so good! I love that they serve organic. They are family friendly with a whole play area for the kids while you wait. I'm without kids, but thought that was good info for people who aren't. Too bad it would be a 90 minute commute for breakfast on a regular basis. See you next time I'm up north! read more

I would love to give this place a 4 but based on taste alone I just can't being myself to do it. The atmosphere is a hybrid between a cozy diner and a college cafe. Someone was playing on a harp like instrument around lunch time on a Monday which made this a unique dining experience. He was an amazing musician with a beautiful voice...thought I was in the Shire! My friend ordered the halibut taco special and the fish didn't taste fresh. It came on a bed of bland raw cabbage. Sauce was okay but the corn tortillas were too hard. My carrot soup was tasty, the veggie burger was really healthy but a bit too salty. I'd go back for a quick bite or for the music but don't think it's my go to place for really good food. read more

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Very fast service! Loved the local vibe and set up of this place! It was very good food and everyone was so friendly! The mimosa was really fresh and good! We enjoyed our breakfast with friends here! Would highly recommend this place! read more

Lots of choices and customization options on the menu. Live acoustic guitar music this morning at least ... Very pleasant! A little loud ... read more

First timers. Saturday morning, 9:30am. We were seated in about 5 minutes. Great menu with lots of options for vegetarians and carnivores alike. Prices average. Staff friendly. Fresh OJ was delicious. Average wait time for food. Would have liked a little more salt on the food, but it was tasty. Will definitely be back to try something different! read more

After a morning of depressing apartment hunting, I was feeling a bit hangry. The server recommended the jalapeño tuna melt. YUM!!! Coupled with the corn/potato soup, my hanger has dissipated into culinary bliss. Tasty!!! read more

Oh, Old Town Cafe, how I have missed you! I have been living out of Bellingham for over 10 years, and finally got to come back to my favorite breakfast spot. Hilariously, in 10 years, not a damn thing has changed. For a vegetarian without a sweet tooth, OTC offers the best selection in town of meat free egg/tofu breakfast options. The menu is creative and usually has a few interesting specials going if you are interested in switching up your regular. Reunited and it feels so good! read more

I came to visit my best friend for a couple of weeks and she had raved about how great this place is!!! We came right before closing on a Saturday and wow I can't say enough good things!! All the people working here are so friendly and sweet!! My mouth fell the floor after I tasted my first sip of my iced vanilla latte w/ oat milk!! Holy moly!! Amazing!! The food also to die for I got the simple deluxe sandwich and my friend got the greek tofu scramble!! So many wonderful vegan and vegetarian options!! All very local and lovely!! One of my new found favorite breakfast places in the world!!! *chef's kiss* read more

We have heard such great things about Old Town and have been there 4 times now. I'm having a really hard time finding something I like on the menu and have tried something different every time. Sometimes I feel like I should have just stayed home and cooked something. I really appreciate the play area for the kids. it's hard to get the little ones to sit still and wait for their food. They could have 2 more tables there (especially since it fills up so fast) but instead they have the play area. This is a big reason why we go there. read more

Good but expensive. I'm a bit torn on this one the first time I visited I fell in love with the special pancakes and the chesse sauce on the benedict. Their breakfast potatoes are exceptional. Since then its been prohibitively crowded everytime I've considered returning and when I did visit again I was dissappointed. There's a $1 (!) upcharge per organic egg and I really couldn't stand to pay that this time around, especially since the base price of the meal was already $12+ I assumed that I'd at least be served non organic but fresh, whole eggs but what I got had that weird chemical twang that you get with premixed liquid egg. Just not worth the price. The atmosphere is more trendy and loud than comfortable and imtimate. Maybe I'll come back during off hours. read more

Stopped here based on other reviews and had a great breakfast. Plentiful coffee. Eggs Benedict was delicious. Staff was very nice. Super cute place and lots of options! read more

Nice old time ambiance - from the pictures on the wall this place has been around a long time in B'Ham. But the breakfasts are great! Fresh, organic ingredients and nice breakfast combinations. Good coffee, too. You may have to wait for a table, but it's worth it, definitely. read more

Reaonably priced, satisfactory food but marginal service. Had breakfast for four on a busy weekday morning. Waitress was slow to set up table and messed up one order. We had to fetch our own water refills and take out container. ...could use another couple of staff. read more

Great coffee, great atmosphere. My wife ordered a custom omelette and it was fabulous. read more

We were visiting Bellingham for a wedding over this weekend, and a friend suggested Old Town Cafe to us for breakfast. As with all breakfast places, we had to wait for about 20 minutes, but that didn't bother us. Our waitress was friendly and we ordered fresh grapefruit mimosas as soon as we sat down. They were a perfect way to start the wedding weekend celebration early! I enjoyed the #6 1/2, the Garden Egg Tortilla. I ordered it with egg whites and a whole wheat tortilla, and it tasted fresh and delicious. The best part of the dish was by far the chipotle pepper sauce. I would definitely recommend visiting here if you are in the Bellingham area and looking for a funky and relaxed breakfast spot. read more

Gluten and dairy free options. Great place for breakfast. Atmosphere is casual and a lid back with great service. Menu consists of many local purveyors and the food is prepared fresh. read more

Old Town Cafe - Fresh squeezed OJ and delicious coffee. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Bellingham, Washington

I was excited to try this place because of the vegan options. I ordered a tofu scramble ($9) plus vegan sausage ($3 for one piece) and they wanted to charge me a dollar for three tiny pieces of green pepper. So the price of the plain tofu was $9 and there was only a few pieces. I just think that the prices were crazy for the very small amount of food we all got. My husband's chicken sandwich barely had any chicken on it. My latte and my sister's mocha were both so plain. She couldn't even taste any chocolate and had to put sugar in hers. We also waited for over half an hour before we were able to order. The food tasted good, but the portions were small, prices were high, and service wasn't great. read more

Vegan options. Organic options. Authentic, caring staff. Community table. Kid's play area. Live music. Everything about this place screams, "Bellingham" in the best, possible way. Did I mention that the food is delicious? read more

Think we're done trying to make this place work. I don't know if we always go at the wrong time or what. It's ten times worse now that we have kiddos too. Don't even feel like writing everything from our experience, I'm still pretty irritated. Gave it two stars since the drip coffee was above par. read more

loved the home fries and my tofu tortilla had the best flavor!!! only complaint is how small the cups for the self serve water are haha! read more

Old Town Cafe - tofu tortilla with home fries - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Bellingham, Washington

I had lunch there for the first time in about 20 years. I think my long absence was because I don't like to wait in line to get a table. My bad. There was a line today but I found out that there is a community table and there was room. I had the soup and salad, enjoyed the company and was very pleased with the food. Still a bit too crowded for my liking but if you haven't been there you should go. It's a Bellingham Landmark that I loved when I first discovered it in 1979. I'll be back and this time a bit sooner. read more

We came to Bellingham for a day trip from Vancouver. We were hungry and we came upon the Old Town Cafe good reviews and wanted to give it a try plus we prefer to support local restaurants instead of going to restaurant chain. Well, it must be a place where outsiders are not welcomed. The servers acted if they were better than us and we were being an intrusion to their day. My friend ordered a omelette with cheese, mushrooms, chicken sausages and avocados. When it arrived she thought the chicken sausages was not in the omelette as the cheese, mushroom and sausage were all the same colour in the omelette. The waitress used her finger and pointed and said "there's the chicken sausage". Then my friend said but there's no avocado in omelette. The waitress said she would bring some. About 10 minutes later, she plunked a side plate of avocado with no 'I'm sorry that I forgot your avocado in your omelette order'. When we got the check, it was clearly the server did not write avocado on the order as on the bill it had an extra add on of $1.25 for the avocado. It's not about the $1.25, it's about the customer service. Maybe the staff here should watch the YouTube video 'Give em the pickle' by Bob Farrell. It's about customer service. With so many up and coming and funky little cafes/restaurant in Bellingham downtown, we definitely won't be coming back here next time. read more

I went here a couple times years ago when visiting friends, and I remembered it being good. But when I came to town last week on an overnight for my girlfriend's birthday and we decided to stop in for lunch, it was a joke. In fact, we left. The staff were unfriendly and never offered menus. My gf ordered coffee, and the waitress never brought it. We found some menus and figured out what to order, but the waitress never bothered to return, and we decided to leave. There are lots of other cafes and restaurants in town, so there's no point in bothering with this one. read more

The best breakfast in Bham! I dream about the Number 9. The falafels are also great! Home fries for life! The staff is always easy going and polite (since I sit there over the menu for 20 minutes debating what to engorge). It has many Vegetarian/Vegan options. If you love natural, whole food you will love Old Town. Plus, an excellent view of the Bay. And the live acoustic music is perfect. read more

Old Town has the best breakfast in Bellingham. Their tofu is perfectly seasoned and cooked. I was addicted to their tofu scrambles, but recently realized I can get the tofu on the side so I can have granola or oatmeal and still get my vegetarian protein fix. The granola is perfect, not too sweet, neither raw nor too crunchy, with a healthy dose of vanilla. The oatmeal is steel cut I believe, so it has a chewier texture than regular mushy oatmeal like you probably remember from your childhood. I don't eat eggs but my girlfriend says the omelettes are great. I don't care for the lunch menu other than the black bean and feta burrito which is amazing. As far as service, if you don't like to wait then you need to get there early, at least by 9 on the weekends. And for the person complaining about getting their own water, you're supposed to get your own from the water cooler. read more

They have many vegan and vegetarian options, but also the usual lunch and breaky option for my non-vegan husband. Both times I have been there I had the falafel wrap cuz it is so good. the lemon tahini dressing is yummy. Comes with a tasty mixed salad. Hubby had the tuna melt with salad and loved it. They also have several tofu scrambles, Vegetarian Chili, black beans, etc. Knocked a point because of the long wait, but worth it. read more

This is my go to spot for breakfast/brunch. And the best place in town to take out of town guests. Organic mimosa? Yes, please! I love the ambiance, the local art & the hipster wait staff. Very kid friendly with a nice play area. I've tried almost everything on the menu and favorites are the #9 and the tofu scramble. But you really can't go wrong with trying something a little obscure like the biscuits and tahini/mushroom gravy. It's all high quality food. Great vegan/veggie/GF options without leaving out the meat, etc from the menu. I enjoy supporting a quaint local restaurant that supports local farmers and vendors. It gets bustling on the weekends so be prepared to wait. It's worth it! read more

The waiting line was pretty long with not much waiting space. We stood waiting for nearly an hour and kept seeing people seated that came in after us. When I went and asked about our status, I was told our names hadn't been called yet, even though I could see about 10 people crossed off the waiting list that came in after us. We were finally seated and then had to wait a while for food. I was excited because of the amount of vegetarian and vegan items on the menu, but when the food was delivered it was just mediocre. Some of my fried potatoes were still hard and slightly crunchy. Kudos for a diverse menu, but I think the execution could use some improvement. read more

Really good and sincere people work here. Beautiful, natural atmosphere. Kiddo toy and book section. A community table option. Last but not least great food. I've been judging the quality of breakfast places first most on the potatoes. These potatoes are delicately seasoned with fresh herbs and unlike many other places, NOT cooked in old oil. Old Town is a Bellingham shining star that's been delighting customers for many years. read more