On the first and third Wednesday of each month from now on, I’ll be writing about some of my favorite places in my hometown. Being back after college for an indefinite period of time has made it really difficult to see the things that I do still love about my hometown of Bellingham, Washington. This month, my top three favorite places for food and coffee.

Best Breakfast: Old Town Cafe

Old Town is definitely my favorite place to go for breakfast/brunch, in part because most of the menu is vegetarian and local but also because of the vibe of the cafe. The food is simple and delicious and many of their vendors come from the Bellingham/Whatcom area. Musicians occassionally fill the cafe with great background music (but aren’t loud enough to overpower any conversation). The wait (especially on the weekends) can be long but with antique and thrift stores next store, the wait is never boring.

Best Sandwich: Avenue Bread

Avenue Bread has three locations in the Bellingham area but by far my favorite is the one in Fairhaven (mostly because of the people working there). The menu is filled with amazing food, including breakfast sandwiches (called eggenues), wraps, grilled sandwiches, cold sandwiches, salads, soup, pastries, and coffee. Each cafe is also filled with amazing art and the bakers occasionally make amazing art pieces from bread. (One thanksgiving, they made a turkey out out bread, which I found much too hilarious.)

Best Coffee: Black Drop Coffee House and Tony’s Coffee

I honestly could not decide between my favorite place for coffee so this has ended up being a tie between my favorites. Black Drop is in downtown Bellingham, offering the usual coffeehouse menu and their own unique espresso drinks. Plus, I actually just found out that the Black Drop is an employee owned cooperative, making it even more special for me. Tony’s, on the other hand, is in Fairhaven and still offers that local and old spirit I remember of the neighborhood that seems to be fading as the city develops. The coffee there is really great and has a really great atmosphere for hanging out and getting some writing done.