Here are the Bellingham restaurants that launched or were shuttered in July
Looking for a new restaurant to try out? Whatcom County had one new eatery open in July, as two other restaurants closed.
Bayou on Bay
Bellingham’s newest restaurant arrived with a sense of déjà vu. Bayou on Bay — a Cajun, Southern and Creole restaurant that originally opened in 2007 and closed back in March — reopened July 5 under new ownership.
The popular restaurant is known for its jambalaya, beignets, frog legs and craft cocktails. It is open from 3 to 9 p.m. Wednesday through Friday, and 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at 1300 Bay St. in downtown Bellingham.
Here’s a look at two Bellingham restaurants that closed in July:
China Palace
China Palace, a Chinese restaurant near Walmart, permanently closed Sunday, July 6. The restaurant’s owner has decided to retire after being in business for more than 40 years, the owner told The Herald.
China Palace was located at 4444 Meridian St. in Bellingham.
Sugar & Co.
Husband-and-wife duo Brie and Evan Mueller closed their new Sugar & Co. restaurant in Fairhaven on July 25. Sugar and Co. opened in October at the site of the former Milano’s Italian Restaurant, which closed last September.
The Muellers announced the closure July 11 via social media.
“Unfortunately, we just don’t have enough business to survive, and don’t have the means to hang on to see if we get the business unfortunately. We came into this with what we had, hoping for the best and the best just never came,” Brie said.
Sugar & Co. was located in Fairhaven at 1210 11th St.
This story was originally published August 7, 2025 at 5:00 AM.
