Definitely good. Breakfast was included in the room rate at Willows Inn. I had a creamy polenta with poached eggs and pancetta that was pretty good. My wife had a buckwheat package that was excellent.
Coffee was delicious and while I didn't have any, they had a current favorite beer on draft. (Ninkasi TD IPA).
Visited Lummi Island and had Dinner at the Beach Store Cafe with my friends. Â We had a great time and the wood fire pizza was amazing! Â The gals were very nice to us and offered to keep the restaurant open past closing so that we could finish our meals. Â I would recommend this restaurant to anyone!
Review Source:Darling little old structure with an amazing view of the water, the ferry crossing and Mt Baker. We sat on the front deck and enjoyed lattes and a delicious standard breakfast. The menu is simple standard American fare: bacon and eggs, pancakes, omelets, etc, but it was very good. The staff was casual and friendly. This is not a five star high end restaurant, but it is a five star small town cafe. We were both very pleased with the experience. We enjoyed nice conversation with other patrons and the price was very reasonable. Next time on the island, we will visit this quaint restaurant again, probably a few times. Enjoy!
Review Source:Charming country cafe on Lummi Island right near the ferry. Â We had a breakfast voucher from our stay at the Willow's Inn the night before. Â We chose to sit on the front porch looking out at the majestic view of Mount Baker across the channel. Â The server, a young woman in her 20s was so kind, helpful and genuinely friendly. Â It's nice to get that kind of service which is unusual where I am from! Â We decided upon the blueberry buckwheat pancake (1 giant pancake per order) and the Ferryman's omelette (crumbled sausage, bacon, onions, green peppers, cheddar cheese). Â The omelette included a huge portion of crispy potato halves.. these things are addicting! There should be a warning. Â The buckwheat pancake was stuffed with blueberries; it was excellent, although only one large pancake per $10 order is overpriced.. there really should be two for that price. Â The coffee was rich and delicious. Â I would definitely recommend the cafe for an occasional splurge. Â Sit out front and enjoy the view!
Review Source:This is really a combination review of Lummi Island and The Beach Store Cafe. Â We were in dire need of a quick road trip so in checking a few places online, we decided that Lummi Island would be a cool, quirky place to hang on a chilly Saturday in April. Â While I don't fault the island for the weather, had it been 80 and sunny, I think the trip would have been infinitely more interesting. Â As it was, it didn't rain (+), it stayed fairly mild (+) and the food was certainly better than expected (+). Â The only downside was that in reading some of the blogs about the island, the author(s) made it sound like there was some cute little "main street" - which there is not. Â
The first thing I want to mention about Lummi Island is that the only way to get on there is by boat - an awesome little ferry, to be specific. Â It's literally bumper to bumper (you can't get out once your car is on the ferry) and if you're lucky enough to be the first car on (we were on the way back), it feels as if your car is floating on water! Â The ride is short (10 mins) but with the waves splashing and boat rocking, the experience is a lot of fun. Â
Off the ferry we drove around the island a few times, stopping at a few "private" beaches (not sure what this meant seeing as there were no "No Trespassing" signs) and letting the dog run all around. Â We drove to the south end, checked out a few amazing vistas and even thought about a short hike (no dogs on trails = no hike). The initial plan was to have lunch at the Willows Inn but alas, they only serve dinner. Â The hostess there was extremely helpful and when asked where we could grab a beer and a burger, she pointed us to their other restaurant, the Beach Store Cafe. Â
At first glance, we thought this place was very cute and homey - a small house-turned-restaurant, if you will. Â But looking further, we noticed a cool wood burning store, tiny bakery area, along with multiple COLD BEERS on tap. Â I mention the temperature of the beer because there's nothing like really, really cold keg beer. Â Anyway, we ordered two local brews, the fish & chips and a burger to split. Â The batter and fish used (?) for the fish & chips was very tasty - a perfect complement was the homemade tartar sauce. Â The burger was fine, nothing amazing but filling and it came with a great small salad. Â Had it been 20 degrees warmer, we remarked on how awesome it would have been to finish our beers on their skinny front deck. Â The plan is to come back sometime in the summer and really take the island in.
I wasn't sure what to expect, but I was pleasantly surprised here. We visited on a rainy afternoon and the cafe was warm and inviting and also has a great view of the ferry. The menu is limited, but has a good variety of options. My fiance decided on the burger. The patty was pretty thick, included blue cheese and a fresh bun. I also tried a bite and it was delicious. I went with the fish sandwich. The fish melted in my mouth and the fresh tartar sauce was great. We also had a choice between fingerling potatoes or a salad and we both went with the salad. It was a pretty size good portion, the dressing was really good and the fresh cracked pepper really made it pop. We'll be coming back!
Review Source:I did not expect this place to be so nice. Â It had a great view of the water and a warm feeling inside. Â There is a small menu, but is covered just about any need. Â They have a nice selection of baked goods and local beers. Â I started with a salad. Â Not too much to is but it was a good portion and a refreshing start. Â I ordered the clam chowder. Â It had a wonderful consistency, a good balance of cream and broth. Â There were big chunks of clam and potatoes and none of them were over cooked. Â It came with a big slice of a house made ciabatta style country bread and it was awesome. Â
The prices are on the high side for a cafe, but not outrageous. Â The food felt homemade and I will pay a little extra for it. Â
The service was a little slow, but it is an island. Â I grew up on an island and they operate at a different speed, deal with it... soak up the view and relax.
An earlier reviewer complained about the "fries" being "strange baked potato-like objects." A simple review of the menu reveals that they are roast fingerling potatoes. Not French fries. The problem is that this restaurant is aimed at the upscale visitors to the island who don't mind paying a little more for good food and a nice ambience. Not to people who want cheap burgers and fries. It was recently acquired by the famous foodie destination, The Willows Inn. They may have a tough time of it in the off-season. I started with an ice cold IPA and a delicious bowl of steamed mussels. Then I violated one of my rules of dining out: NEVER order fish tacos at a restaurant unless they are either famous for them, or somebody has recommended them (and not the server). I ordered some spot prawn tacos. The prawns were barely warm, the tortillas were stone cold, the slaw topping was good. The side salad was good. All in all, it was okay.
Review Source:Our family spends 2 weeks every summer on Lummi Island. One of the things we look forward to the most is eating at the Beach Store Cafe. Not anymore! The charm is gone. The great menu is gone. The food was horrible. Prices were so expensive. We didnt even take our leftovers. We will not be going back. So sad that they ruined such a great place.
Review Source:This location recently reopened under new management, which was exciting for those of us who live on the island and yearn for a place we can grab an affordable meal with our friends and neighbors. This, however, is NOT the place to do this- unless you are independently wealthy and a fan of overpriced diner food. My husband and I tried them for lunch when they first reopened and were appalled to find a simple burger and "fries" was $14. The "fries" were these strange baked potato-like objects, with no flavor and a mushy consistency. The sticker shock was painful, the fries were tragic, but the real disappointment was the burger itself, which was absolutely raw in the middle. Raw, not rare (I love extremely rare meat, if I won't eat it it shouldn't be eaten). We decided to hold our judgement until they had some time to settle in, even though this was not looking good so far.
Tonight, my husband decided we should give their pizza a try. I don't think we will be going back after this. The prices are still way to high for what is supposedly a neighborhood cafe. $3 to add a few slices of "artisan salami" (pepperoni isn't an option) to an 11 inch cheese pizza?? No thank you. The pizza was ok, but nothing to write home about. I don't care if you are spinning my dinner out pure gold, if it isn't amazing food there is no reason to pay prices like that.
I wanted this restaurant to work. We really need a place like this. But clearly the people who are running the place don't realize how many island residents are on a fixed or limited income (it's a community of artists, fishermen, and retired people) and are more concerned with just having a nice, affordable meal rather than how many "artisan" ingredients it contains. Yes, we like our local, organic ingredients here, but this place will not survive if only 10% of the island's population can afford to eat there more than once a month. In the words of Ned Stark, winter is coming. Once the tourists stop, we will be all you have left.
I'm still rooting for you, BSC. I want you to get this right. When someone who lives right down the road from you would rather take a ferry and drive for 30 minutes to get lunch rather than walk to your establishment, something is wrong.
The Beach Store Cafe is one of those funky little local places with the best food around. Â Not fancy... but nice. Â Food's not gourmet... but it it's amazing. Â Having worked in and around restaurants most of my life, I've come to appreciate a restaurant that is authentically "local." Â That's why I love this place. Â Fish and Chips, Steamer Clams (when in season), Pizzas, Nachos.... and the desserts - WOW! Â And the wine an beer are dirt cheap. Â Every time I eat here... I'm counting the days until I get to go back!
Review Source:I love this place. Well... loved this place. My wife and I spend our summers on Lummi Island in a family cabin. The Beach Store Cafe, which used to be the local mercantile store, is... Sorry, was.. one of my favorite little places to eat. The menu offers lots of local produce and meats and definitely incorporates plenty from the sea.
One of my favorite items on the menu is the fish and chips where salmon is used instead of a white fish. It really is an incredible idea, and a tasty dinner. Â I also really like the Beach Store Cafe's breakfasts and their pizza. Recently, however, their service, attention to preparation, and portions have flat out stunk.
Tonight I ordered my favorite, the Salmon fish and chips; I had ordered it about four days ago and hoped the small portion had been a mistake made by the cook (who, literally, is about 17 years old). I asked the waitress how many pieces of fish normally came with the meal and she told me "two."
Two? But they're soooo tiny? Just two? Are you sure?
I told the waitress I was certain the meal had at one time included four pieces of delicious batter-fried fish. She said, in her southern drawl, "Well, hon', it did, but that was like two years ago." She informed me I could add as many additional pieces of fish I wanted for $3.50 a piece. What? Really? They're like 2oz a piece. Whatever, I agreed to the highway robbery and requested one additional piece... Bringing my fish and chips entree close to $20.00. Rip-ola.
While the fish and chips are delicious, they're not THAT good. Now, if you live on the island, and are used to the slow, relaxed, ever-present lack of urgency, then waiting 30 minutes for a glass of water (that is a bit funky) and having to put in a beer request twice won't seem like a huge deal. And honestly, it really isn't; but, if you think you're just catching bad service on a busy night, I assure you, it will not improve any on the next visit. Understand this: I go to Lummi Island for the relaxed pace, the lack of urgency and the carefree attitudes; I just don't want to pay to be ignored.
Well, needless to say, the extra finger of fish I had asked for had not made it to the fryer, so my wife, the patron saint of patience that she is, waited to dig into the "veggie burrito" she ordered. Finally, ten minutes later, my over-priced fish bit showed up and my wife and I finally dug in.
Now, to the veggie burrito... Freaking delicious. That is, when it shows up with veggies in it. ....Really? What the heck else does "veggie burrito" mean? Especially when the options for said burrito are: Chicken, Beef, and Fire-roasted vegetables. Well, apparently, it can also mean just black beans, rice and cheese. Who knew?
My wife was concerned. "There are no veggies in here," she said.
I tried to explain the challenges that may face a young, 17 year-old chef with no classical training. "Maybe he folded it the wrong way and the bottom half is filled with the beans, rice and cheese and the top will be a veritable cornucopia of fire-roasted veggie goodness." She took her knife and cut into the burrito with the fervor and determination of a civil war surgeon. Still no veggies.
At the expense of becoming "that table" my wife suggested she just "deal with it." Both of us have restaurant service experience and understand it is not as easy a job as many would like to believe. Nonetheless, I was able to express my concern at forking out so much cash for a meal that was not prepared the way it was described, nor the way we had come to expect.
Another fifteen minutes had gone by and a new burrito (as delicious as any other I have tasted) finally arrived. It was really, really, good. But it should not be an uphill battle to get good food in a restaurant that charges for good food. It should not take an act of congress to get attention from wait staff or a water refill.
I really want to give this restaurant good, if not great, ratings, but I feel I would be doing potential customers a great disservice by letting this ever-deteriorating  gem receive anything but a fair and accurate rating of "less than acceptable."
If you are on the island, and staying the night, try the place out. The food is simple, delicious, and fun. If you are coming to the island just for the ambiance associated with eating a delicious meal while taking in the view of Hale's pass with Mt. Baker in the background, here is my suggestion: Pack some bottled water, maybe grab a pizza to go, grab a beer at "The Islander" (the island grocery) and have a picnic on one of many public beaches. Your water will be filled when you want it to be, your beer will be on hand early into the meal, and your meal will be prepared as well as possible ( it's hard to screw up a pizza). Otherwise, save yourself the trip and try one of any other delicious and friendly Bellingham restaurants.
As said in other reviews.... Good luck.
This is a funny place. Though the quality of food is great, the portions are inconsistent and the glass of water smelled so funky, it was hard to drink (in May, at least).
We had eaten here before and the bowl of chowder called me back like a siren from across the strait.
Dining with my wife, we did as we frequently do - order something dependable - chowder - and something riskier - halibut & chips - so we know we both get to eat at least something.
In this case the chowder held up, but the fish & chips were disappointing. Though the portion of fries was generous (too generous), there were only two bits of halibut (marvelously made, though they were) each about the size of my thumb. I am not all that picky, but this was remarkably scant.
Again, the chowder continues to be among the best I've had, but the prices of everything else makes me leery to shell out the cash for the risk.
Good luck.
Excellent! Â A casual-dining cafe with a view of the bay from the outside seating on the front porch. Â You can keep even keep an eye on the ferry coming and going.
The mouth-watering menu has excellent variety and the food is made with locally-grown ingredients (they even offer to make you what you want if you don't see it on the menu). Â The selection of burgers and pizza on the menu was very tempting; however, the salmon fish and chips was perhaps the best I've ever had.
I would definitely like to explore more of this cafe's offerings. Â Yum!
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