CGNW Recommends: The Birch Door Cafe

If you haven’t yet been to the Birch Door Cafe on Meridian, you’re missing out on what just might be the best breakfast experience in Bellingham, if the 953 reviews on Google and 447 on Yelp are any indication.

As a longtime resident of Bellingham, I’m surprised that I’d never crossed the threshold prior to this morning. Owned by a family of restaurateurs, the name follows tradition - the family owns an Oak Table Cafe in Sequim and Silverdale, and a Maple Counter Cafe in Walla Walla. 

The entryway has a somewhat Middle Earth-esque feel to it that delighted this Tolkien fan. And as my colleague Margaret puts it, when you walk in “it just smells like breakfast.” 

I was seated in a cozy booth for two, with cognac tufted leather seats and pendant lighting.  Soul songs from Ray Charles and Stevie Wonder played over the speakers. The setting was perfect for journaling musings on Isabelle Boulay’s “Fin Octobre, Debut Novembre” (because that’s what people do when they go out for a solo gourmet breakfast, right?)  Both the front host and the server were attentive, and I overheard friendly banter with a lively table of older adults nearby. 

Margaret recommends the Viennese coffee (the espresso whipped cream is delicious) and her favorite dish is the Northwestern Eggs Benedict - it’s served with wild caught Pacific salmon. 

I chose the Apple Pancake and while I knew it would be amazing  - it’s the “pride of the kitchen” - I didn’t expect the weighty plateful covered with a sugar sauce still bubbling from the oven. A souffle-style dish filled with apples that are peeled and sliced right there in the kitchen, and served with a side of apple syrup, this was Pacific Northwest decadence on a plate. 

The Birch Door is a perfect breakfast date location or as a place to take out-of-town guests (get there early to avoid the longer wait times!).