Heard of the Impossible Burger? New Bellingham cafe has it and other unique dishes

Crystal Davis has created a vegan cafe in Bellingham she believes even carnivores will enjoy.

Last month Davis opened The Wild Oat Bakery & Cafe at 1305 Cornwall Ave., near Greenhouse. Along with offering vegan choices, Davis said she tries to use as much organic and local ingredients as possible.

Her goal is to provide great-tasting meals throughout the day, hoping to wow even those who are not vegan. She noted that you don’t have to be Mexican to enjoy Mexican food, so she wants to have the same philosophy for her cafe.

Davis said she became a vegan because of her views toward animals and the impact eating meat has on the planet. Along the way, she said, she’s noticed her health improve as well. Her goal is that once the cafe is successful she would like to establish an animal sanctuary.

The cafe has been in a soft-opening mode, but so far she’s very appreciative of the support she’s received, not just from new customers but also from nearby businesses.

“I love being near the heartbeat of downtown,” Davis said.

During this soft-opening phase, she’s been tinkering with the service and menu. Starting this week she is bringing back dinner service. During the week the cafe will offer limited breakfast items, lunch and dinner. On the weekend it will have a full-service breakfast.

The menu has a variety of salads, soups, and sandwiches. The cafe will also have pastries, juices and local coffee from Agri-Bay Coffee and tea from Spice Hut.

For those who want to test the idea that a vegan dish can satisfy a carnivore appetite, there’s the Impossible Burger, which has a plant-based meat, or BBQ Non-Beef, which is piled on a French roll with onions and peppers.

Hours are 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday. Details, including a menu, can be found at wildoatcafe.com.