Line-by-Line Guide: Exploring the WTA's Route 1

The Basics

Route 1 is the WTA's most-direct transit connection between Bellingham Station and Fairhaven and provides a quick and scenic bus trip via State Street and The Boulevard along the bluffs overlooking Bellingham Bay, generally following the path of a former streetcar line. 

While Route 1 connects two major activity hubs in Bellingham — the State Street corridor in Downtown Bellingham and Fairhaven's historic commercial core — it's an especially useful transit connection for visitors traveling to and from Bellingham via intercity Amtrak Cascades trains and buses, which serve the Port of Bellingham's Fairhaven Transportation Center (401 Harris Avenue at 4th Street). The nearby Bellingham Cruise Terminal (355 Harris Avenue near 4th Street) is the terminus for the Alaska Marine Highway ferry service to Ketchikan and points north in Alaska.

Route 1 Schedule and Span of Service

Although Route 1 was previously part of the WTA's Red GO Line corridor (decommissioned in a 2017 WTA bus service restructuring) and had more frequent service, the WTA currently runs three buses per hour weekdays 6 a.m.–6 p.m. and two buses per hour weekday evenings, 6–10 p.m. From Bellingham Station, the last weekday departure is 10:10 p.m.; from Fairhaven Transportation Center, the last weekday departure to Downtown Bellingham is at 10:21 p.m. 

On Saturdays and Sundays, the WTA runs two buses per hour on Route 1. From Bellingham Station, Route 1's first departure is at 8:10 a.m. on Saturdays and 7:40 a.m. on Sundays. From Fairhaven Transportation Center, Route 1's first departure is at 8:21 a.m. on Saturdays and 7:51 a.m. on Sundays.  

On weekday evenings and on Sundays, the WTA extends Routes 14 and 105 to the Fairhaven Transportation Center, supplementing Route 1 service along Harris Avenue and 10th Street, offering alternate, albeit indirect, ways of reaching Downtown Bellingham from the Amtrak station in Fairhaven.

• Check out the WTA's Route 1 schedule for more information.

Points of Interest Along Route 1

Bellingham Farmers Market: Every Saturday (April–December) and every third Saturday (January-March), farmers, purveyors, and other vendors from Whatcom and Skagit counties and points beyond gather at Depot Market Square (1100 Railroad Avenue at E. Maple Street).   

Check the Bellingham Farmers Market website for schedule, vendor, and other market information. Some of our favorites: Everson's Cloud Mountain Farm Center & Nursery whose certified organic orchards grow 150 types of fruit, including heritage varieties; Foothills Farm and Cabrera Farms from Skagit County; Bellingham-based Cascadia Mushroom, which has an impressive spread of fungi; Buu Chan, a Bellingham-based vendor that sells delicious chili crisp and other tasty products; and Holmquist Hazelnut Orchards. 

Don't want to venture down to the Bellingham Dockside Market down in the waterfront transit desert to buy fish? Ferndale's Lummi Seafood Market and Sitka, Alaska's Sea to Shore Seafood Co. are regular vendors at the Bellingham Farmers Market. 

• How to Get There: The Fairhaven-bound Route 1 bus serves a conveniently located stop on N. State Street, just south of E. Chestnut Street, adjacent to the Herald Building's parking lot, a short trek from the market.

Boulevard Park, Taylor Dock, and the South Bay Trail: Some of Bellingham's most scenic waterside views can be enjoyed by walking, bicycling, or rolling through a string of public parks, overwater boardwalks, and walk-and-bike trails connecting Downtown Bellingham and Fairhaven adjacent to the BNSF railroad tracks along the bay.

Boulevard Park, Taylor Dock, and the South Bay Trail that connects them are both local and regional attractions for strolling, peoplewatching, and boatspotting, especially when the weather is pleasant and the sunsets are stunning. 

At Taylor Dock, don't be surprised to stumble upon people jumping into water at all times of the year, silent disco sunset gatherings, and musicians. Don't miss the Tin Slag Rock, which is the remains of tin slag cast off into the bay from the salmon-canning process. The Woods Coffee location in Boulevard Park is a busy spot and provides a nice pit stop if you're walking or biking between Downtown Bellingham and Fairhaven. The City of Bellingham has public restrooms located in Boulevard Park adjacent to Woods Coffee, the top of Taylor Dock, and at the Fairhaven Village Green. 

How to Get There: The roughly 2.5-mile walk between Downtown Bellingham and Fairhaven along the South Bay Trail via Boulevard Park makes the Route 1 bus incredibly useful for those who only want to hoof it one way. 

• The WTA's Route 1 provides access to Taylor Dock from bus stops at 11th Street & Taylor Avenue (northbound) and 11th Street & Bennett Avenue (southbound). 
• Route 1 bus stops in Fairhaven, including 12th Street & Mill Avenue and 9th Street & Harris Avenue, are within a short walk of the South Bay Trail's southern terminus at 10th Street & Mill Avenue, opposite the Fairhaven Village Green.
• For Boulevard Park, Route 1's bus stops at S. State Street & 12th Street are near Bayview Drive, which leads downhill into the park.

Community Boating Center (555 Harris Avenue near the Fairhaven Transportation Center): There's transit-oriented kayaking in Bellingham! Located adjacent to the Fairhaven Transportation Center and Bellingham's Amtrak Cascades station, the Community Boating Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit with a mission to "foster small-watercraft education, access, safe recreation, and marine stewardship on Bellingham Bay," and rents sailboats and human-powered watercraft, including sea kayaks and paddleboards to the public. No membership required. 

• How to Get There: Take the Fairhaven-bound Route 1 bus to the end of the line at the Fairhaven Transportation Center, walk northeast, and cross the BNSF railroad tracks to the CBC.  

Chinese Deadline Marker: Near where Harris Avenue crosses Padden Creek near 8th Street, a small stone marker embedded in the ground marks the location of what was Fairhaven's "Chinese Deadline," a line that Chinese immigrants who lived on the low-lying tidal flats adjacent to Padden Creek were prohibited crossing east of, into Fairhaven's commercial core. There's a marker along the nearby Lower Padden Creek trail, near 6th Street, where a Chinese boarding house once stood. In 2011, Bellingham Mayor Dan Pike formally apologized to the Chinese community. 

• How to Get There: To find the Chinese Deadline marker, take the Fairhaven-bound Route 1 bus to Harris Avenue & 9th Street, and walk approximately one block west along the Padden Creek estuary. 

Fairhaven: Founded as a separate city that later consolidated with neighboring New Whatcom into the City of Bellingham in 1903, Fairhaven, once home to the world's largest salmon cannery, is a major destination for regional tourism, shopping, dining, and neighborhood life in Bellingham. The neighborhood is centered on a handful of historic commercial blocks with buildings dating to the 1890s and early 1900s and saw revitalization efforts starting in the 1970s following the "Hippie invasion" of Bellingham's Southside in the late 1960s. In the 21st century, mixed-use construction designed to fit it with the late 19th and early 20th century architecture rose on adjacent blocks and on parcels where older buildings had been torn down generations earlier. In December 2023, a fire destroyed the 135-year-old Terminal Building at Harris Avenue & 11th Street, and with it, Harris Avenue Cafe and Old Independent Coffee House, which traced its roots to the much beloved Tony's Coffee Roastery that started in Fairhaven in 1971 and is available in local grocery stores.

While the Fairhaven Village Green, at 10th Street & Mill Avenue, might be Fairhaven's most prominent public gathering space (including its summer outdoor cinema series), the adjacent Village Books and Paper Dreams, at 11th Street & Mill Avenue, is Fairhaven's most important community crossroads. The large bookstore, with in-store Evolve Chocolate + Cafe, writer's corner, and plenty of public programming, is a local cultural treasure, deservedly so. Next door is Colophone Cafe (1208 11th Street), which has patio seating facing the Village Green, adjacent to the statue of "Dirty" Dan Harris, the area's first white settler and founder of Fairhaven. 

This part of Fairhaven also has a series of mid-block pedestrian-only alleyways, with some shops, galleries, and restaurants, including Skylarks (1308 11th Street), facing out into these quiet car-free passageways. If you're into gaming, McKenzie Alley is home to Cardhaven Games (1111 McKenzie Avenue) and adjacent 1-Up Lounge and arcade (1151 McKenzie Avenue).

At 12th Street & Harris Avenue, rise two large brick buildings: The Richardsonian Romanesque Sycamore Square building (1200 Harris Avenue) was built in 1890 as the Mason Block. Inside, the building includes a large three-level atrium surrounded by balconies and staircases that's home to a few restaurants restaurants (including The Black Cat and Mambo Italiano) and small businesses (including Heron's Nest Gallery & Art Market, Allegro Strings Violin Shop, and 12th Street Shoes).

The building across the street, with the corner clocktower, was built in 2020 on the site of the former Fairhaven Hotel, an opulent Flemish Revival building constructed in 1890 in Fairhaven's headstrong boomtown days — when there were hopes that Fairhaven would be chosen as the terminus of a transcontinental railroad — before languishing as a yogurt sanitarium, having its ornate tower removed along with decorative exterior brick and stonework, and burning down in the 1950s. The new mixed-use building's corner clocktower, while not a replica of the old hotel's elegant turret, echoes what previously stood there and is an important landmark for orienting yourself within Fairhaven.     

• How to Get There: The WTA's Route 1 serves a handful of stops in the heart of Fairhaven on Harris Avenue (at 9th Street), 10th Street (at McKenzie Avenue), 12th Street (at McKenzie Avenue) and Finnegan Way (at Mill Avenue). The northbound bus stop at 12th Street & McKenzie Avenue, in front of the Haggen grocery store, is an important transfer point between Route 1 and Route 14 to Happy Valley and Western Washington University. 

Fairhaven Park, Hundred Acre Wood, Interurban Trail, and Lower Padden Creek Trail: While Route 1 doesn't directly serve some of Bellingham's notable parks and greenspaces southeast of Fairhaven, it does stop adjacent to the start of the Interurban Trail at 10th Street & Donovan Avenue, which runs east along Padden Creek, to the north of two large adjacent greenspaces, Fairhaven Park and the Hundred Acre Wood, which has a web of hilly forest trails. Farther east, the Interurban Trail turns south toward Arroyo Park and various trailheads for Chuckanut Mountain, destinations that are likely too far for most casual strolls out of Fairhaven. But wandering out to Hoag's Pond via the Interurban Trail and/or Hundred Acre Wood from Fairhaven may be a perfect way to enjoy some nearby forests and parkland.      

• How to Get There: From Route 1's stops at 10th Street & McKenzie Avenue, Fairhaven Park is about a 10–15 minute walk along the Interurban Trail, with the Hundred Acre Woods a bit farther and is accessible via 18th Street. The Lower Padden Creek Trail follows the creek northwest from 10th Street & Donovan Avenue.  

Firehouse Arts & Events Center (1314 Harris Avenue at 14th Street): Inhabiting a space formerly used as a Bellingham fire station, the Firehouse Arts & Events Center is a neighborhood hub with a small coffeeshop and peaceful backyard anchored by a large oriental plane tree. Check out the Firehouse Arts & Events Center calendar for upcoming programming and website for classes. 

• How to Get There: From the WTA's Route 1 stops at 12th Street & McKenzie Avenue, head north to Harris Avenue and make a right, proceeding east uphill to 14th Street. The Downtown-bound Route 14 bus stops in front of the Firehouse Arts & Events Center for service to Happy Valley and Western Washington University via the WTA's Blue GO Line corridor.

Herald Building (1155 N. State Street at Chestnut Street): One of the very few "tall" buildings on Bellingham's skyline, the Herald Building, a Late Gothic six-story building built in 1926 formerly home to The Bellingham Herald, is hard to miss thanks to its large rooftop neon "HERALD" sign. The Herald Building is home to three restaurants, Ono Kitchen & Bar (Hawaiian), Bry's Filipino Cuisine (Filipino), and Rock & Rye Oyster House (New American, seafood, and cocktails). After sunset, keep an eye out for vivid digital projections on the building's south-facing facade. 

• How to Get There: The WTA's Route 1 has stops near The Herald Building, northbound at N. Forest Street & E. Chestnut Street, and southbound on N. State Street adjacent to the Herald Building's parking lot. Bellingham Station, served by most other WTA bus routes, is about a 5-minute trek north.

Marine Park (100 Harris Avenue): Owned by the Port of Bellingham, Marine Park is a 1.9-acre green oasis and beach wedged between the BNSF railroad tracks and the Fairhaven Shipyard and offers beautiful views of Bellingham Bay and Lummi Island. The park is a good spot to watch paddleboarders, kayakers, and open-water swimmers, or get in the water yourself.  

• How to Get There: Take the Fairhaven-bound Route 1 bus to the end of the line at the Fairhaven Transportation Center and walk west along Harris Avenue, over the BNSF railroad tracks to an access road along the tracks to the park.  

Post Point Heron Colony: Tucked behind a wastewater treatment plant near the BNSF railroad tracks, the western end of the Lower Padden Creek Trail is home to the largest heron colony within the city limits. In recent years, the City of Bellingham has purchased adjacent parcels of land to protect the Post Point heron nests, which can be enjoyed from the trail behind the wastewater treatment plant.

• How to Get There: Take the Fairhaven-bound Route 1 bus to the end of the line at the Fairhaven Transportation Center and walk south along 4th Street to the Lower Padden Creek Trail. Head west through the off-leash dog park and follow the trail toward Bellingham Bay.

State Street Solar System: Just north of the roundabout where N. State Street meets The Boulevard, N. Forest Street, and Wharf Street is the start of a 1.5-mile public art installation that is a 1 to 1,826,770,000 scale model of the solar system. Look for the yellow sphere, representing the Sun. According to the Cascadia Daily News, "the entire solar system is laid out in a straight line, scaled to the real average distances. Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars and Jupiter can be found on the east side of State Street as you head north and Saturn, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto are on the west side, past the York Street crosswalk."

• How to Get There: While the State Street Solar System is best enjoyed on foot, take Route 1 southbound to Boulevard & Wharf Street or northbound to State Street & Forest Street, and walk north from the traffic roundabout to start your local journey through the Solar System.

20th Century Bowl (1411 N. State Street, between E. Magnolia and E. Champion Streets): In addition to transit-oriented kayaking opportunities along Route 1, thanks to the Community Boating Center in Fairhaven, Bellingham has excellent also transit-oriented bowling thanks to 20th Century Bowl, family owned since 1956 and located around the block from Bellingham Station, served by Route 1 and nearly all other WTA bus routes. Bowling leagues may limit lane availability so check before heading there.     

• How to Get There: Take Route 1, or pretty much any other WTA bus route, to Bellingham Station, and walk east toward N. State Street & E. Magnolia Streets, and make a left. 20th Century Bowl's neon sign is hard to miss! 

Breweries, Taphouses, and Taprooms

In a city known for its craftbrewing culture, there's a good selection of breweries, taphouses, and taprooms on or near the Route 1 corridor between Downtown Bellingham and Fairhaven. If Route 1 continued north into the Sunnyland neighborhood — where many other local breweries are based — and Fairhaven had an additional neighborhood brewery or two, it'd be among the strongest transit-oriented beer bus routes in the state of Washington. But there are many reasons to love Route 1 if you like beer.

Starting from the area around Bellingham Station and going south to Fairhaven ...

• Although northbound Route 1 buses, along with other WTA bus routes serving the Blue and Plum GO Lines, pass by Aslan Brewing (1330 N. Forest Street at E. Magnolia Street) on their way to Bellingham Station, there is no stop immediately at one of Bellingham's most recognized brewery destinations. But Aslan is only two blocks, slightly uphill, from the Bellingham Station, where more than a dozen WTA routes terminate, making it one of Bellingham's most transit-accessible breweries. Aslan can be packed on evenings and weekends, but its sibling Aslan Depot: Barrels & Brewing (1322 N. State Street) is close by, offering a good selection of Aslan's organic brews and artisan beers, cider, wine, and cocktails (plus food from Aslan's kitchen on N. Forest Street). The Depot, which once served as Bellingham's interurban terminal, doubles as an event space and features musicians on some nights, and a large patio area.

• Structures Brewing has two locations within walking distance of Route 1's terminus at Bellingham Station. Its cozy original location on N. State Street (1420 N. State Street near E. Champion Street) is a short walk from the station. Structures' larger second location (601 W. Holly Street), where Whatcom Creek meets Bellingham Bay in Old Town in what was previously Chuckanut Brewing, is about a 10-minute walk from Bellingham Station, and features a scenic view of the waterfront, the downtown skyline and Sehome Hill, especially around sunset.
• One block from Bellingham Station is Schweinhaus Beirgarten (1330 N. State Street at E. Magnolia Street), an all-seasons outdoor beer garden featuring an array of local and regional beers, pretzels, and sausages. 
• Toward the south end of Downtown Bellingham and across the street from the Bellingham Farmers Market is Boundary Bay Brewery (1107 Railroad Avenue near E. Maple Street), which opened 1995 and features a restaurant and terraced beer garden. Around the corner is Gruff Brewing (104 E. Maple Street near Railroad Avenue) which features a small food menu and terraced patio. Time & Materials Taphouse & Restaurant (954 N. State Street at Laurel Street) offers a nice selection of local and regional beers, plus Mediterranean bites. 

• While most of Bellingham's breweries are located Downtown or in Sunnyland, there's only one brewery in all of Bellingham's Southside, making Fairhaven Stones Throw Brewery (1009 Larrabee Avenue near 11th Street), an important destination for this end of the city and county. This funky location features a small taproom surrounded by a collection of outdoor spaces (heated in the wet, colder months), a guesthouse rented through Airbnb, darts, community events, and food truck. Stones Throw is also a good destination following venturing out along the Interurban Trail and/or into Fairhaven Park and the Hundred Acre Wood, or renting a kayak at the Community Boating Center.  
• Also in Fairhaven is Corner Tap House (1125 Finnegan Way at Mill Avenue), which is conveniently located at Route 1's stops at 12th Street & Mill Avenue and offers a tap list from local and regional breweries. 

Cocktails, Dive Bars, and Pubs

There are many spots to get a cocktail along the Route 1 corridor. Starting in Downtown Bellingham and moving south into Fairhaven ...

• Closest to Bellingham Station, Bantam Kitchen & Bar (1327 Railroad Avenue) features a seasonal and classic cocktail list and well curated liquor selection in its bar. The Orion's adjoining Odd Fellows Temple Room (311 E. Holly Street near N. State Street), located in a former YMCA gymnasium turned meeting space for local International Order of Odd Fellows members, is an eclectic spot to enjoy a cocktail or other adult beverage. Aslan Depot (1322 N. State Street near E. Magnolia Street), among its wider offering of beers, wines, ciders, and non-alcoholic drinks, also has a great classic cocktail list. Tropical drinks and cocktails can be found at RedRum Tiki Bar (113 E. Magnolia Street, near Railroad Avenue); Ono Kitchen & Bar (210 E. Chestnut Street between Railroad Avenue and N. State Street); and L&L Libations (1107 N. State Street near E. Maple Street). Well-curated cocktail lists can be found among the drink offerings at Carnal (1234 N. State Street near E. Magnolia Street) and Rock & Rye Oyster House in the Herald Building (1145 N. State Street near E. Chestnut Street), conveniently located by a Fairhaven-bound Route 1 bus stop. The Back Door (1119 Railroad Avenue) is a cocktail bar attached to Rumors Cabaret, a LGBTQ+ club.

• No-frills dive bar beer and cocktails can be found near Bellingham Station at the Horseshoe Cafe & Bar's Ranch Room Bar (113 E. Holly St, near Railroad Avenue); the Beaver Inn next door (115 E. Holly Street near Railroad Avenue); Cap Hansen's (209 E. Chestnut Street, between Railroad Avenue & N. State Street), a location that's been a bar for more than 100 years; and The Shakedown and Racket Bar & Pinball Lounge (1212 N. State Street, near E. Chestnut Street). 

• In Fairhaven, the best cocktails can be found at Galloways Cocktail Bar (1200 10th Street), Southside Bar (1323 11th Street near McKenzie Avenue), and restaurants like the Black Cat (1200 Harris Street), on the third level of the Sycamore Square building, a space that was once an exclusive mens social club that hosted Mark Twain and President William Howard Taft; and at Estelle (1147 11th Street at Mill Avenue), the Southside bistro from the team from Downtown Bellingham's Carnal.
• Archers Ale House (1212 10th Street at Harris Avenue), tucked away in the basement of a historic Fairhaven commercial building, offers a traditional pub atmosphere with a good beer selection, including local drafts, imports, and a wide variety of bourbon, rye, scotch, and whiskey.

Coffee & Tea

There's no shortage of transit-oriented opportunities for coffee and tea along or within a block or two of Route 1. From north to south, starting at Bellingham Station and ending at the Fairhaven Transportation Center terminus ... 

• Within a short walk of Bellingham Station are Avellino Coffeehouse (1329 Railroad Avenue) and Caffe Adagio (1435 Railroad Avenue at E. Champion Street). Two blocks slightly uphill, at N. Forest & E. Magnolia Streets, is Hammerhead Coffee Roasters, across from the Community Food Co-Op's downtown location.

• Near Route 1's stops at E. Chestnut Street are Makeworth Coffee Roasters (1201 N. State Street at E. Chestnut Street), and Woods Coffee's Downtown Bellingham location (1135 Railroad Avenue at E. Chestnut Street), both of which are good spots to grab a coffee or tea to kill some time if you missed the Route 1 bus. Makeworth's space, in particular, is well suited for working remotely, studying, writing, and drawing with its numerous large tables and other seating on its main level and mezzanines.  

• Within a short walk of Route 1's stops near the traffic roundabout where N. State Street meets N. Forest Street, The Boulevard, and Wharf Street, is 11th Hour Tea & Coffee Bar (833 N. State Street at Berry Street).  
• The Woods Coffee location in Boulevard Park (470 Bayview Drive) is less than a 5-minute walk from Route 1's stops at S. State Street & 12th Street, and is a convenient pit stop on walks along the South Bay Trail between Downtown Bellingham and Fairhaven. Given its scenic waterside location, this Woods outpost is popular with tourists and locals alike.
• In the heart of Fairhaven, there's Cafe Blue (1390 11th Street), Evolve Chocolate + Cafe in Village Books (1200 11th Street) with the adjoining Writer's Corner space, and the Tea Room at CreativiTea (1312 11th Street). Uphill, at Harris Avenue & 14th Street, is the FireHouse Cafe at the FireHouse Arts & Events Center (1314 Harris Avenue), located in a former fire station that has a lovely backyard area adjacent to a massive oriental plane tree. 
• Located inside the Fairhaven Transportation Center is Fairhaven Coffee (401 Harris Avenue), a convenient place to grab some coffee before catching an Amtrak Cascades train or bus or wandering over to the Post Point heron colony or Marine Park.  

Groceries, Convenience Stores & Pharmacy Access

Grocery Stores: There are three grocery stores that are located directly along or within a short walk of the WTA's Route 1.

• Community Food Co-op, at N. Forest Street & E. Holly Street, traces its roots to a volunteer-run food-buying club in Fairhaven in the early 1970s, and grew into much-loved consumer food co-op and Bellingham crossroads. Downtown Bellingham and the adjoining Sehome neighborhood uphill are fortunate to have the Co-Op — and all those great bulk bins for beans, grains, flours, and spices — within walking distance. Given that it's only 3–4 minutes on-foot trek from Bellingham Station, the Co-Op is among the most transit accessible grocery stores in all of Whatcom County. Northbound Route 1 buses go right by the store along N. Forest Street at E. Chestnut Street; there's a southbound Route 1 bus stop one block west on N. State Street, just south of E. Chestnut Street. Additionally all Downtown-bound buses that serve the Blue Go Line corridor from Western Washington University (Routes 14, 105, 107, 108, 190 196, 197) and the Plum Go Line corridor (Routes 512, 525, 533, 540) from Lakeway Drive, stop across the street from the Co-Op, at E. Holly & N. Forest Streets.      
• Grocery Outlet is a discount grocery chain, at Ellis & York Streets. Although it's not located directly along Route 1, it is less than a 10-minute walk from Bellingham Station. 
• Haggen's Fairhaven location, at 12th Street & McKenzie Avenue, is a busy community crossroads on Bellingham's Southside and among the city's transit accessible grocery stores. 

Pharmacies: Following the closure of Downtown Bellingham's Rite Aid location in September 2023, the only pharmacy access along Route 1 is Haggen's Fairhaven location.  

Convenience Stores: Bellingham, generally, lacks convenience stores in transit-accessible locations. That is mostly true for Route 1.

• There are two small convenience stores in the southern end of Downtown Bellingham on or near Route 1, Maple Market (200 E. Maple Street near Railroad Avenue) across the street from the Bellingham Farmers Market; and N. State Street Market (902 N. State Street). 
• Besides Haggen, the only convenience store in Fairhaven is the 76 gas station (1602 12th Street at Donovan Avenue and Old Fairhaven Parkway).

Dining Along Route 1

While I'm planning on putting together a more detailed BhamByBus dining guide for Downtown Bellingham — all of which is within walking distance of the WTA's Bellingham Station bus hub at Railroad Avenue & E. Magnolia Street — for a rundown of dining along Route 1, I'm going to mostly focus on Railroad Avenue, N. State Street and N. Forest Street where Downtown Bellingham transitions into the adjoining Sehome neighborhood, plus the rest of the route south into Fairhaven. 

• For breakfast adjacent to Route 1's terminus at Bellingham Station, check out The Coffee Shop by Hammerhead Coffee Roasters (405 E. Holly Street at N. Forest Street) for biscuits and biscuit sandwiches; Avenue Bread's Downtown Bellingham location (1313 Railroad Avenue) for "eggenue" creations; Little Cheerful Cafe (133 E. Holly Street at Railroad Avenue) for great breakfast specials and the classics; and The Bagelry (1319 Railroad Avenue), which has been making bagels since 1984. Nearby crêperies include Sweet As Waffles (122 E. Magnolia at Railroad Avenue) and AB Crêpes (1311 Railroad Avenue between E. Holly and E. Magnolia Streets).    
• Carnal (1234 N. State Street near E. Magnolia Street), a refined dinner spot that specializes in live-fire cooking and creatively using local, seasonal ingredients, started as a food tent in Brooklyn, N.Y., before relocating in 2020 to a brick-and-mortar space in Bellingham. Jason Zamory, one of Carnal's chef-partners, told Texas Monthly barbecue editor Daniel Vaughn that the restaurant "blurs the line between fine dining and barbecue.” Besides its culinary bonafides, Carnal has also been recognized for its DIY restaurant art, which reuses animal bones, blood, and food scraps. (Route 1 connects Carnal with its Southside sibling Estelle in Fairhaven.)
• Looking for transit-oriented chicken options near Bellingham Station? Bantam Bar & Kitchen (1327 Railroad Avenue) offers fried and rotisserie chicken, plus Southern-style sides and cocktails; KPOP Chicken & Beer (202 E. Holly Street at Railroad Avenue) specializes in Korean-style fried chicken; and Accomplice (1232 N. State Street) has chicken sandwiches and burgers.
• Mexican food options near Bellingham Station include Ay Chihuahua Cantina (1415 Railroad Avenue) opposite Bellingham Station and Tadeo's Mexican Restaurant (207 E. Holly Street near Railroad Avenue).
• Other restaurants near Bellingham Station include D'Anna's Cafe Italiano (1319 N. State Street); Fiamma Pizza (200 E. Chestnut St. at Railroad Avenue) and its sibling restaurant, Fiamma Burger (1309 Railroad Avenue near E. Holly Street), is about a block away.

• Aslan Brewing Co. (1330 N. Forest Street at E. Magnolia Street) and Boundary Bay Brewing (1107 Railroad Avenue near E. Maple Street) are good choices for transit-oriented brewpub fare on or near the Route 1 corridor in Downtown Bellingham. If you're in search of great poutine to go with great beer, Aslan should be a top destination. Boundary Bay Brewing's terraced outdoor dining area off Railroad Avenue, however, is much quieter compared to Aslan's noisy and busy corner.

• Sitdown cafes, delis, and restaurants on or near N. State Street include Ambo Ethiopian Cuisine (902 N. State Street near E. Rose Street), the only Ethiopian restaurant in Bellingham; Bry's Filipino Cuisine (1151 N. State Street near E. Chestnut Street), a food truck and Bellingham Farmers Market mainstay that opened up a brick and mortar restaurant in the Herald Building in 2024; Cafe Rumba (1140 N. State Street near E. Chestnut Street), a Peruvian cafe and sangucheria with next-door bakery; Naan and Brew (200 E. Maple Street at Railroad Avenue), one of the few spots for Indian food in Downtown Bellingham; Old World Deli (1228 N. State Street between E. Holly and E. Chestnut Streets), an Italian specialty market and deli counter; Pel Meni (1211 N. State Street between E. Holly and E. Chestnut Streets) for Russian-style dumplings; Leaf & Ladle (1113 N. State Street near E. Maple Street), specializes in salads, soups, and sandwiches; Pepper Sisters (1055 N. State Street near E. Maple Street) for New Mexican food; Just Poké (201 E. Chestnut Street at Railroad Avenue) for fast-casual poke bowls; Rock and Rye Oyster House (1145 N. State Street near E. Chestnut Street), for oysters, seafood, and small plates; and Time and Materials (954 N. State Street at E. Laurel Street), a spot for Mediterranean small plates, local and regional beer, and cocktails. Seattle's Red Star Taco Bar (1327 N. State Street near E. Magnolia Street) is planning to open a Bellingham outpost close to Bellingham Station, right along Route 1.

Heading south on Route 1 from the traffic circle along Boulevard and S. State Street, there are no restaurants, cafes, delis or other spots for food until Fairhaven. Of Bellingham's restaurants with prime views of Bellingham Bay, Keenans on the Pier (804 10th Street at Taylor Avenue) at the The Chrysalis Inn & Spa enjoys one of the best waterside views, overlooking Taylor Dock and the South Bay Trail.

All of Fairhaven's restaurants, bakeries, cafes, and pubs — nearly 20 — are clustered within a short walk of Route 1's jug-handle pathway through the historic neighborhood, along 10th Street, 12th Street, and Harris Avenue. There is something missing in the heart of the neighborhood: Many Bellinghamsters are still mourning the deadly December 2023 fire that destroyed the 135-year-old Terminal Building at 11th Street & Harris Avenue and with it, Harris Avenue Cafe and Old Independent Coffee House. Despite those major community losses, there's still plenty to love in the neighborhood.

• Fairhaven Poke (1102 Harris Avenue near 11th Street), which serves Hawaiian-style poke and spam musubi, is one of my favorite lunch spots in Fairhaven and perhaps all of Bellingham. While open for dinner, Fairhaven Poke may have limited offerings later in the day depending on availability. Some favorites, when available: Limu kukui, drunken scallops, miso cucumbers, and The Boss seaweed salad. 

• Breakfast and brunch spots in Fairhaven include Magdalena's Bistro and Crêperie (1200 10th Street opposite the Fairhaven Village Green), home to savory and sweet crêpes, pierogis, and Central and Eastern European inspired dishes and Mount Bakery's Fairhaven location (1217 Harris Avenue at 13th Street), which is known for their Belgian-inspired pastries. For other walk-up pastries, don't be surprised if there's a queue forming outside the Iron Rooster Bakery (1208 10th Street near Harris Avenue).  
• In the historic Sycamore Square building (1200 Harris Avenue at 12th Street) are two sit-down restaurants: The Black Cat offers brunch, lunch, dinner, and cocktails offers great sunset views from its third-floor perch overlooking the heart of Fairhaven and Bellingham Bay in the space that was once home to the exclusive mens-only Cascade Club. If you're craving a creamy indulgent entree: the gouda chicken and jalapeno chicken dishes should satisfy. The Black Cat is often packed, but squeezing into a spot curvy bar can be a great perch to watch one of Fairhaven's busiest restaurants. Down at street level, with seating in the building's atrium, is Mambo Italiano Cafe which serves pizza and classic Italian dishes. There's also Fujisan Sushi (1217 Harris Avenue), which only offers take-out service.
• Estelle (1147 11th Street at Mill Avenue) is the Southside French bistro from the team at Downtown Bellingham's Carnal and offers seasonal comfort food, Recognized by Esquire magazine in 2023 as one of America's best new restaurants, available seats at Estelle can sometimes be hard to come by — but the bar seats are also a great spot to enjoy some hanger steak frites or duck confit.

• Besides the aforementioned Mambo Italiano Cafe, the only other pizza currently in Fairhaven is at Övn Wood Fired Pizza (1148 10th Street near Mill Avenue).
• Skylark's (1308 11th Street), which started in its tiny alley-facing "hidden cafe" space before expanding into an adjacent storefront facing 11th Street, offers  a variety of burgers, sandwiches, salads, pasta dishes, seasonal specialties, and other favorites, including fish and chipas and clam chowder. Syklark's back patio area is an especially quiet brunch spot if you want to avoid the noise from cars on adjacent streets looking for street parking.
• Fairhaven has two sit-down Asian restaurants: Maikham (1125 Finnegan Way at Mill Avenue), which features Thai and Lao dishes, and the Fairhaven location of On Rice (1224 Harris Avenue, near 13th Street), which has an expansive array of Thai favorites, noodle soups, and curries.
• J's Kitchen (1307 11th Street, near Harris Avenue) specializes in Puerto Rican dishes, including mofongo, pernil sandwiches, and pollo guisado. There are two outposts of local Mexican restaurant chains in the heart of the neighborhood: El Agave (1111 Harris Avenue near 12th Street) and Jalapenos (1007 Harris Avenue near 10th Street). Fairhaven Village Tacos, stationed up the converted vintage double-decker bus at the corner of 11th Street & Harris Avenue, offers Mexican and Brazilian fusion tacos and burritos.
• In a city full of brewpub food, the menu at Archers Ale House (1212 10th Street at Harris Avenue) has some standouts burgers and sandwiches, plus shepherd's pie, manila clams from Taylor Shellfish Farms, salmon, and season spaetzle dish. 
• Besides the fish and chips at Skylark's and the Black Cat, the southern end of Route 1 has two additional spots if you're craving fried fish: The Galley2Go food truck is often stationed next door to Fairhaven Stones Throw Brewing at 11th Street & Larrabee Avenue. Also, Port Fairhaven Fish and Chips (355 Harris Street) in the Bellingham Cruise Terminal is also good spot to seek out a beer-battered cod, halibut, or salmon basket, plus clam chowder and whiskey crab soup.