Restaurants in Bellingham

Eager to share the culinary traditions of both their culture and their family with fellow Vancouverites, Joanna and Nick Cruciat opened Transylvania Flavour in 2004. They have since been lauded by the Globe and Mail for creating “rib-sticking fare” and fostering a “cozy Old World charm” within their homey space. Upholding this dedication to authentic Eastern European eats are the restaurant's chef and European chef consultant, who join their culinary powers and Dracula figurine collections to forge traditional Transylvanian specialties including roasted beets, cabbage rolls, and perogies. Affable servers whisk these homemade masterpieces from the kitchen into the yellow and red dining room, setting steaming bowls and plates to rest on top of crisp white tablecloths.

Executive chef Michael de Grazia and his kitchen staff at Regional Tasting Lounge are masters of plate geography. Drawing from their menu of contemporary world cuisine, they map out pairings of house-smoked duck and Italian-style burrata salad and duck confit glazed with bitter marmalade. Seafood flavours abound on the Thai green-curry mussels and the Cajun crab-and-prawn cakes, which guests can complement with the eatery's cocktails, carefully selected wines, specialty coffees, and house-made lemon aperitif. Occasionally, the staff hosts events, such as a wine-and-cheese night and scotch night, a reasonable compromise to the recently discontinued "Take Your Scotch to Work Day."

Starting at 11 a.m. each day and continuing through the early hours of the next morning, The Dunbar Public House keeps mouths happily munching away at globally influenced fare washed down by local brews. Televisions broadcast the day’s sporting events as the wait staff lays down plates of yellowfin-tuna bites with wasabi ginger, or nachos piled with jalapenos and guacamole. A Snake Bite beer cocktail—a mix of lager, cider, and blackcurrant—pairs well with the signature Dunbar burger, housemade from either beef, chicken, or fish and topped with up to seven fixings, such as sauteed mushrooms or swiss cheese. Weekends greet brunch seekers with eggs and Harvey Wall Banger cocktails, which melt away workweek tension caused by stressful jobs or offspring whose names are difficult to pronounce.

Only minutes from Rogers Arena, Hub Restaurant and Lounge soothes taste buds in need of solace with sophisticated comfort fare. After noshing on appetizers and salads, visitors can feast upon expertly seared steak, fresh seafood entrees, heaping portions of pasta, and a trio of desserts delivered in a cast-iron pan. Early birds can energize themselves for the day with weekend brunch, and carnivores can chow down on a prime rib dinner every Sunday and Monday. Hub Restaurant and Lounge surrounds its cozy booths with original exposed wood beams and brick walls, as well as a plenitude of HD televisions broadcasting the latest sporting contests and men’s deodorant commercials.

The nearer a food’s origins, the fresher it’s likely to be when served. The Beaver & Mullet takes that basic culinary truth to heart by only serving meats, vegetables, and dairy foods that are produced locally. But it’s not merely in food that this eatery intertwines itself with the business of area merchants; the bar procures microbrews, wines, and spirits from local producers, such as the Squamish-produced Howe Sound Rail Ale nut brown. These locally acquired staples join fresh-baked bread and organic produce. The kitchen features skilled chefs but no deep fryers; lunches, dinners, and brunches are baked instead of batter sizzled. They prepare a chicken ranch wrap with a garlic-pesto tortilla wrapped around spicy Cajun chicken with bacon and swiss, as well as a spinach-and-goat-cheese quiche.

The Beaver & Mullet combines those local brews with health-conscious bistro fare in a quirky dichotomy of an atmosphere that's part sports bar, part art studio. Groups gather to watch games on one of the flat-screen TVs that used to be '90s-style, boxy big screens until they encountered a steamroller. During Canucks and Oilers games, fans even get discounted all-you-can-eat wings. But next to those TVs, red and khaki walls and chalkboard menus surround guests, along with a dark hardwood floor from which massive windows extend to the exposed-duct-and-beam ceiling. Those fixtures unite with colourful canvas paintings to evoke the ambience of an urban art emporium. Guests can shirk the trappings of the interior altogether, though, and opt to sit on the outdoor patio.

At The Libra Room, if the bartender asks, "What's your sign?", it usually results in a cocktail, not a detailed presentation of your moon signs, relationship compatibility, and chances of dying in a coffee-grinding accident. The astrologically inspired restaurant creates martinis and cocktails designed specifically for each astrological sign—such as cognac and Grand Marnier for the sensitive and open Pisces and espresso vodka and white-chocolate martinis for discriminating Virgos. But The Libra Room is more than just a bar with cosmic libations. With live music seven nights a week, the music lounge and restaurant supports the local music scene, booking both budding musicians and Vancouver jazz greats such as John Korsrud, Wes Mackey, and Bruno Hubert. It also hosts major musical events, including the Vancouver Jazz Festival and New Music West festival.

Along with specialty cocktails and select wines, The Libra Room serves a menu packed with burgers, pizza, and other great bites for sharing, such as mussels and cheese platters. The colourful space combines the rustic charm of exposed-brick walls and wooden tables with the eclectic charm of large lava lamps and prismatic lights that illuminate the bar.