Expensive but good food. Large tossed salad with very little on it is $10. It wasn't even that large. For Bellingham/fairhaven prices should be lowered a couple bucks read more

We ordered the colophon sandwich and a soup sampler which consist of African peanut, Jamaican bean and ham, and clam chowder. The bread was a bit dry, Jamaican soup was spicy, other than that the rest was good and fresh. Jamaican soup was delish. if you have time, try the free olive oil and balsamic tasting room upstairs, so many different flavors. read more

Y'all have some amazing servers the food was delicious and came so fast! Y'all had no problem splitting our sandwich and letting one of us have sprouts and tomato even though my partner didn't want any. Thank you for your amazing effort and time!!! read more

The drip coffee here is great (carefull or you might end up drinking way more than you planned), and has one of the best outdoor seating areas available in Fairhaven. Plenty of bike parking available really close by. P.S. Always something new to try, but the pot pies never fail to disappoint! read more

As others have said, great African peanut soup. The sandwich, chicken avocado was also great. I sat outside on the terrace on a warm Spring day, it is off a small park which is very quiet and peaceful. The people who served were warm and friendly and attentive. Just a very, very nice place to be. It was a bit late for lunch, so it was not crowded, but I don't know if it ever is. For my sake, and the next time I come back, I hope not. For theirs, I hope so--they deserve it. read more

10 years ago this place was a great place to eat nowadays the management has changed and nothing is the same as it used to be even though the food is decent still in the service is not what it used to be it still acceptable I'm really miss the old way this place used to be read more

A bit cool inside, but the service and food was excellent! Smoked salmon bagel and club croissant were amazing. Interesting place and fun stores up the stairs. We will return for certain! read more

Ordered small caesar salad ($8), with side of smoked salmon ($3), and a vanilla latte ($3?). I opted for the baguette over the other choice, some kind of bun. The salad arrived with both the smoked salmon and the "baguette" on top of it. (I say "baguette" because what I got was a slice off a baguette). Since there was no place to put my bread, I used the saucer for my coffee. Speaking of the coffee: the waitress "forgot" the vanilla and had to bring it separately. It's kind of funny, no one asked me "How's it tasting?" --- an irritating interruption, usually. But curious for my situation because I would have told them: ---what little dressing there was, had very little of the "taste" I expected from a caesar, ---the smoked salmon was dry and woody. ---and one end of the "baguette" was dry the way bread is when it's been cut ahead of time and left out. I had to ask for more dressing and when it came, was disappointed to find it watery. I barely used any, as had I used enough to taste, each bite would have been dripping all over. (A better dressing would instead cling to the lettuce). Over all, very disappointed. I live in Bellingham and have often suggested The Colophon Cafe to visitors. Luckily, on those occasions we went somewhere else. I would have been mortified on this day had I been with guests. read more

This was my first time to this restaurant today. There were six of us that had lunch and our waitress was Erica. The soup of the day was potato with bacon and it was the worst potato soup I've ever had. It was grainy with pulverized potatoes. Erica our waitress took our order, delivered our coffee and water, and we never saw her again until the meal arrived 25 minutes later. We had to get up and get our own coffee twice. Another waitress saw my brother getting coffee for us and never even asked why. Even after delivering our food she never asked if we wanted anything else or refills she just left. I had a Southwest club which was actually very good but extremely overpriced for just a sandwich and some potato chips, I believe it was around $14. There were not that many people in the restaurant, the section we were in had about 12 or so tables and only three of them had people at them. Erica had zero personality and should not be waitressing. The rest of the meals were OK and the consensus was the same. We will not be back. read more

Dropped in with hubby for lunch on Friday afternoon for the first time. Quite liked the atmosphere and service was good UNTIL an entire container of raspberry salad dressing was spilled all over my husbands entire right side leg down to the inside of his shoes. The waitress was sorry and gave a bar mop and directed him to the restroom . After that the waitress avoided us for the entire meal till she handed the bill to us. Now we thought okay they surely will give us a deal for our troubles as no one even offered a free dessert or a Sorry from a manager. To our shock Nothing, maybe because we didn't freak out and kept it classy so they thought handing us a rag was compensation enough? So I decided this was crazy because where we are from you are treated a 100 times better and should never have to ask for a manager for compensation. So I called for a manager and she said so should we comp a salad since it was salad dressing? NO give it a break as you are lucky you aren't paying a dry cleaning bill. So eventually I said take $10 off and they agreed and no goodbye. Will most likely not return read more

Nice wait staff - they seemed like college kids (not very professional, but eager and friendly - e.g. we had to ask for cream with the coffee and then they brought just one spoon between the two of us and I had to ask for a second one). The clam chowder was fine, but I would definitely not recommend the burgers. They had a very firm, chewy texture and seemed to have been made from frozen patties. The meat was dry and not at all flavorful - a real disappointment considering the prices. The restrooms were clean and the interior was comfortable for a leisurely chat. Would not eat there again. read more

Never had food here but the molasses cookies are fantastic (although not as good as my home-baked ones which I never seem to have time to bake). read more

The location and menu were promising, but I ended up being disappointed with both the food and service. I ordered a cesear salad, turkey avocado sandwich and white chocolate cheesecake. The salad was soggy and the dressing was watery and tasteless. The sandwich was a decent size but lacked flavor as well, it was just bland. The white chocolate cheesecake would've been delicious but was served to us half frozen and seemed to come straight from a box, which is odd because I thought all their desserts were made in-house. As far as the service, it was bad. Our waitress took our order and dropped off our food, but never checked on us once. Later, someone else had to retrieve our bill and when we went up front to pay, the young man at the cashier register was extremely rude and acted as if he had better things to be doing. If this was my business I would give him the boot asap. Overall, I don't think this place is worth seeking out, I won't be returning. read more

I've been here twice. The only nice thing I can say is their house red is surprisingly good. Like flies buzzing around while you eat? Me neither. Like high prices and poor service? I thought not. Like missing work for two days with wretching, heaving food poisoning? I didn't either -- and neither did my boss. read more

The Greek salad was an overpriced disappointment-the menu said chicken, I sure didn't see any. My friends chicken salad sandwich was good but only a pickle for the price. We had to ask for our order to be taken. Will not go again. read more

It's really funny that so many people dislike this place, as it has some of my favorite Bellingham food! They have some really outstanding fresh sandwiches, and their African peanut soup is INCREDIBLE. I really have admiration for their soup and sandwiches. It's a little dark in the restaurant area, but there's some great people that work their. They have really lovely desserts too. Austen is a friendly waiter, if you like to converse with people. read more

I love the Colophon Cafe! Yes it is a little more expensive than some other restaurants in Fairhaven, but only because they keep everything so local. The ice cream is from Cascade Ice Cream, the bread is Bellingham's Avenue Bread, the bagels are from Bellingham's Bagelry, the seafood frod VIS seafood in, you guessed it, BELLINGHAM. These are small companies and that makes the product more expensive to purchase. I would rather spend more and support not only the local Colophon and its fabulous employees (some of the nicest people I've ever had serve me, they are all so quirky and upbeat!) but the local companies they utilize all in one fell swoop! The more people that support local ingredients, the cheaper it could be one day. The African Peanut Soup is amazing with the homemade french bread or roll, as is the Split Pea and many of the daily specials I've checked out. I personally think the clam chowder isn't great though, I recommend avoiding that one, there is just way too much potato. The sandwiches are HUGE and ends up being plenty of food without a side, although maybe they should contemplate serving more than just the burgers with a side to change it up. Oh, and all the quiches, pastries, and desserts are HOME MADE CONSTANTLY ALL DAY. Dirty Dan's across the street or Bob's burgers charges like seven bucks for a piece of clearly frozen cheesecake while here you can have a better, home made piece for $4.95 with way better service and waitstaff. Come and check out the Colophon, support great people and local companies. read more

What happened to this place? It used to be great, a little spendy but worth it for the amount and quality of food you were given. Now, however, it seems that they have cut their portions in half but kept the prices the same, and the quality of food has definitely taken a nosedive. Everything that I've tried recently has ranged from mediocre to terrible. The wait staff is pretty nice, but it's not worth it for the quality of the food. read more

I happened upon the Colophon Café by accident on a cold, rainy Monday this week. I was very hungry and being from Louisiana, freezing to death and just looking for a warm meal and place to sit. The service was prompt and extremely helpful and friendly. I had the Clam Chowder with bread and Cheese and Caesar salad with a wonderful cup of coffee. The Clam Chowder was thick, very warm and delicious. The bread and cheese were delicious and a perfect compliment to the soup. I absolutely enjoyed everything I ate that day and the server was so attentive and friendly that I felt as if I had known her for a long time. Traveling to this area for business, I will make this a regular stop each time I come to town. As a matter of fact, I am returning there this weekend before I leave the area! I highly recommend this restaurant. read more

Avoid the burgers. What they did for the meat to be gray is beyond me. The clam chowder is delicious though.

Colophon Cafe was recommended to me as a must-go post hike destination and I have to say I'm glad I did. The entrance to the cafe is through a charming tasting room where you walk down some stairs to the quiet, soberly lit restaurant. Additionally, the Village Books store can be entered from within the cafe! The waitress was friendly and polite and we decided to begin by ordering two drinks -the spiced apple cider and the hot honey lemonade. Both were fantastic - warming you up and also so refreshing. The black bean burger tastes great as does the african peanut soup (reported by my boyfriend as I don't eat meat). The garlic potato wedges, unfortunately, we the only part of the meal I didn't enjoy as there seemed a little undercooked and also lacking in salt. The meal was on the expensive side (food and drinks for two came to $40) but the generous portions and tasty food make it worth it! read more

Location is nice. You'd expect better food and more local business for a place like this. Unfortunately quaintness can only take you so far. Not a great value for the money. read more

We've been here twice and both times were very happy. It is not cheap, as it is not a fancy place, but it was tasty. I ordered the French Dip, which I thought was excellent. If you can sit outside, do so, as I think this is part of why we like going here so much as the vibe is so nice. read more

A really fun place to eat in Bellingham. We had the special french dip - tasty! The potato salad was especially good! The ambiance is great as this is a really cute restaurant on the square. The lemon bar for dessert was excellent. read more

just not my cup of tea, tastes are decent but slow staff and a little pricey for what it is.

Any of you who have lived in Bellingham long enough know the Colophon- the soups, desserts, pot pies and the atmosphere! I have been a fan for a long time and I too have seen the prices go up. After talking with the owner , I now don't mind. The Colophon supports local dairies and farmers and they don't compromise on the fresh. This is an expensive approach but socially responsible. To me that is worth paying for. If you can't afford it, support big business and eat at Quiznos or Subway, but kiss local gems like this one goodbye! Suggest the split pea soup and lavender cheesecake. Healthy kids menu as well. read more

My husband and I were both very disappointed with our meals. I had the pea soup. Way too thick. I have a copy of their cook book. The pea soup contains split peas, onion, and carrot. No celery and no seasonings. They didn't even bother to blend it. I couldn't eat more than a quarter of my bowl. The large roll comes with one very small pat of butter. My husband said his chicken pot pie was terrible. The menu is way outdated and far too expensive. We live in Bellingham, and we will never eat there again. read more

This place SUCKS! $12.95+ for a burger, that is made from a frozen patty?! Sorry for all you poor folks that have ordered a burger from this place. The colophon cafe doesn't even have a grill in their kitchen...that's right, every one of those burger patties is microwaved. I learned this the hard way after asking my server for a less rubbery, over-cooked patty. She then informed me that they receive all their patties pre-made and microwave them. How dare you colophon cafe! With your ravings about being "local, quality, wholesome ingredients" you're lying to all of bellingham. Please stop charging an arm and leg for microwaved products. It makes you wonder how they can prepare any "quality" food without a stovetop?! Stick with what you're capable of preparing instead of what you're able to charge more for. read more

The food is good but I wouldn't go there unless you want to spend 8 bucks on a half a sandwich and a pickle.

Sat outside and had such an incredible lunch! The African Peanut soup was probably the best soup I've ever had. Also a "must" when I go again, is their lemon poppy seed cookies. Wow. The outside dining offers the best scenery. Wish I had the green thumb that the owner has - I asked about the lime colored flower boxes filled with a lovely combination of lantana and lobelia. Gorgeous!!! read more

After a nice summer afternoon match of croquet or lawn bowling In front of Colophon Cafe it's nice to go in from the downstairs and grab a sammich. And they're damn good sammiches at that. After you can get some ice cream upstairs too, but I dunno if that's the same place or not. read more

Ate at Colophon Cafe twice during Bellingham visit. Both times, servers were excellent and food awesome. Have the Peanut Butter Pie, it will change your life! read more

More hype than substance. The best thing it has going for it is location. It's right there in Fairhaven right on the village green. Food is OK, but nothing special. The desserts look great but are "eh", not really worth the calories. A good place to go to if you're standing there hungry and don't want to walk anywhere else. read more

We were sitting in the grassy area outside the rear entrance pondering lunch in this place. Though I've heard good things about this place this would be our first time. A young man approached the back door with a pit bull dog, tied it to s post, and walked in the restaurant. A few minutes later he emerged with one of the waitresses behind him. Girlfriend I assume. She proceeded to scratch the dog and rub his slobbery face with her hands. After a few minutes she turned and headed back in the restaurant. I couldn't help but wonder so I followed and observed. She began serving entrees without even washing her hands! Yikes! I won't eat there ever after seeing that! read more

Wanted vegan chili, but I couldn't finish it as it was too spicy for me and gave me a stomach ache. The french bread tasted like it needed to be toasted or heated as it was not very good. husband had a half sandwich which he said was good. I had a shot of espresso which had an aftertaste I did not like. Waiter was great. Will not be back. The place has a great look, though. read more

If I could give this place no stars I would. Their unimaginative food runs from bad to uneatable . The staff was OK although I did find it annoying to have my dishes whisked off the table before others have finished eating and I had the distinctive feeling that we were getting the bums rush after our brief lunch. The cramped wood booths are straight backed and the table too high. Very uncomfortable seating and eating. Since there was no coat rack we had to share the small bench with coats. Did I mention that the portions are chintzy and vastly overpriced? Amazingly, Coliform, opps I mean Colophone, seems to have a following and that produces a din of noise in this cramped acoustically-challenged joint. The Fairhaven District of Bellingham has other eateries, ALL OF THEM BETTER. For example, try Skylark Restaurant just a few steps south. But if you insist on small portions of poor and overpriced food in uncomfortable surroundings, try the Colophone. read more

Came here with a few friends one day, got seated outside. I didn't try any of their food, but their soy latte was pretty great. My friends all liked what they ordered, as well. They had a lot of vegetarian/vegan options, which was nice to see. Definitely recommend checking it out! read more

We were greeted and seated immediately, our beverages were kept full, everything tasted really good, and they even split our food up for us that we were sharing. It's a bookstore, cafe, and an oil & vinegar store upstairs. Lots of vegetarian options and the server was really nice. read more

This place has it all. Fresh food, excellent laid-back atmosphere and location and friendly staff. I started with a glass of wine, my boyfriend a beer from Boundary Bay. He had the turkey sandwich piled high and I had the veggie sandwich with a bowl of split pea. We both thought everything was delicious. We decided to split a tiramisu, which was also wonderful. We frequent this place and find it consistent with fresh food, good coffee and desserts. There are a lot of sandwich places in this town and this one has been around a while for yummy reasons. read more

I don't understand all the five star reviews or I just went there on an off day. the five dollar side caeser had hardly any dressing or parmesan cheese on it and the croutons tasted stale. the so called clam chowder had zero clam flavor. if i had to guess i would have said potato soup. so, overpriced and not very good food. the service was good, though. read more