Here are two Bellingham restaurants that closed and one that opened in April
Looking for a new restaurant to try out? Here is the one new Whatcom County eatery that opened in April and two that closed permanently.
New Whatcom County restaurants
Chick-fil-A
Long-awaited chain restaurant Chick-fil-A officially opened Thursday, April 30 in Bellingham.
Back in May 2023, Chick-fil-A filed a pre-application with the city of Bellingham, proposing plans for its 5,028-square-feet restaurant with a dual-lane drive-through location. Almost exactly three years later, the restaurant officially opened.
Chick-Fil-A is open from 6:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Saturday, with drive-through service only from 9 to 10 p.m. at 4030 Cordata Pkwy.
Closed Whatcom County restaurants
The New Mexico Tamale Company
Bellingham has lost a woman-owned restaurant that has been in business for 10 years. The New Mexico Tamale Company first opened in 2016 in Ferndale, started by Dora Ruiz.
“What started in 2016 in Ferndale became so much more than a restaurant — it became community, connection, and family. We watched families grow, welcomed strangers who became regulars, and built friendships we will carry forever,” Ruiz wrote in an April 1 social media post announcing the closure.
“Over time, rising costs and declining revenue made it impossible to continue. When I realized there was no longer enough to sustain the business and support local the way I always intended, I knew we were in trouble. Everything I did here was with purpose — to give back and pay it forward,” Ruiz said in the post.
Ruiz announced the sudden permanent closure in the April 1 Facebook post, with no prior announcement about closing.
The restaurant was located at 4151 Meridian St., in the Cordata Place shopping center near Burlington Coat Factory and Larrabee Lager Company.
Homeschool BBQ
Homeschool BBQ, a restaurant started by Christopher Reeves, Aaron Kirschenmann and Daniel Ryan in 2023, closed permanently Sunday, April 12.
“Chris and I have some sad yet exciting news. We are moving on from this chapter of our lives and will be closing Homeschool BBQ at the end of March. We absolutely loved serving the community, and we are forever grateful to all our loyal and loving customers. You have made these past 3 years a wonderful experience,” a social media post announcing the closure states.
The restaurant was known for its in-house smoked meats, chili mac and cheese, baby back ribs, buttermilk biscuits, craft cocktails and a variety of sauces.
Homeschool BBQ was located at 521 Kentucky St. in Bellingham.
