Is Bellingham’s go-to spot for cheap eats worth the hype? What I got for $10

If you’ve ever found yourself in downtown Bellingham looking for a quick, affordable and comforting meal, you may have stumbled upon Pelmeni.

The Russian dumpling spot is a local staple, especially among the late-night crowd. It’s open until 2:30 a.m. every day of the week.

I recently stopped by Pelmeni as part of The Bellingham Herald’s On a Budget series, which focuses on affordable fun and cheap eats in Whatcom County.

We recently put out a call for reader suggestions for things to eat, drink or do for $25 and less, and noticed a common theme in the responses.

Herald readers want truly inexpensive food.

What better place to start than Pelmeni, downtown Bellingham’s go-to spot for meals under $10?

Is it worth the hype? Here’s what I found out:

What is Pelmeni in downtown Bellingham?

With its small storefront at the corner of North State and Chestnut streets, Pelmeni can be difficult to spot.

Step inside, and you’ll notice a few tables, an extensive record collection and steaming pots of water behind the front counter. Artwork fills the dark blue walls.

Pelmeni is often packed, especially on weekend nights.

As of Friday, Sept. 26, the restaurant had an average Yelp rating of 4.4 stars out of five, with 633 reviews.

What’s on the menu at Russian dumpling restaurant?

Pelmeni is known for its namesake dumplings, but you won’t find a written menu anywhere.

There are three options: potato, beef or half and half.

What the menu lacks in customizability, it makes up for in its varety of sauces and toppings. You can add sour cream, hot sauce, vinegar, salt or pepper to your dumplings, or any combination of the five.

Want a drink? You can pick up a soda from the fridge to the left of the counter, or fill a cup of water from the jug toward the back of the restaurant.

What I got at Pelmeni on a $25 budget

When I visited Pelmeni for lunch on a quiet weekday afternoon, I got an order of a couple dozen potato pelmeni for $9 including tax.

Each order at Pelmeni comes with cilantro, spices and a slice of rye bread.

I grabbed a small container of sour cream, filled one with hot sauce and another with vinegar, and on the side of the counter where I picked up your food, and added salt and pepper for good measure.

Is Pelmeni worth the hype?

It’s rare to find a filling meal for under $10 in downtown Bellingham.

Luckily, Pelmeni is worth the hype.

The dumplings are small, hearty and chewy but relatively light on flavor.

That’s fine, since they mostly serve as a base for the standout toppings.

Although some diners prefer to dip their dumpling in each sauce individually, I opted to mix them all together into a sauce that the pelmeni could soak up. The resulting mixture had an addictive kick from the hot sauce, with the sour cream there to mellow it out.

If you go for the mix route, I recommend using your slice of rye bread to soak up the leftover sauce.

Throw in Pelmeni’s convenient location and its extensive record collection, and it’s easy to see why the restaurant is such a staple for college students and people who work or live near downtown.

How to visit Pelmeni in Bellingham

Pelmeni is located in downtown Bellingham at 1211 North State St. It’s open daily from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 a.m.