Avenue Bread & Deli

My wife and I entered at 3:15 pm on Tuesday. We were feeling snackish and it has great reviews so decided to try it.
As we walked in there was nothing in the pastry case. I don’t mean the choices were slim, I mean NOTHING.
A few people were standing around the bakers table that’s behind the case talking. No one said hi or even acknowledged that we were there.
So we stepped outside thinking they must close at 3:30. Nope. Open until 5.
Here’s an idea. If you’re open until 5, BE OPEN UNTIL 5. The guest who comes in in the afternoon should get the same experience as the one who comes in at 10 am.
Save yourself the hassle. If it’s after lunch skip this place. So disappointing.

Tomato and dill soup was surprisingly delicious, thankfully it wasn’t super dilly. The sandwiches were great! Coffee was fine. Definitely will go back to try the eggs for breakfast they sound amazing!

Love their sandwiches! Their banh mi is my favorite. They always have their day-​old bread for sale, super cheap. Nice place right downtown. Family friendly, my group of friends like coming here for lunch.

If you don’t have enough regret and disappointment in your life, come to avenue bread. My breakfast sandwich was made with the skill of a blindfolded 3 year old. This place is barely a step above Denny’s. It’s literally hell don’t come here, their sauce is weak, didn’t get lost in the sauce. Would not recommend to my fellow Unilocalers out there. Over n out

Hands down BEST sandwich place anywhere. Fresh ingredients, great breads, the salads are super good too. My favorites are the gourmet Turkey and the Bahn Mi… But I’ve never been disappointed!
The service is fantastic, the staff are unbelievably friendly and making any substitutions is no problem.

Please learn to grill eggplant correctly. I have tried the grilled eggplant here numerous times because it is my favorite at the other locations and every time it comes out chewy and soggy. the effort to rip a bite off is tiring, and the rubbery texture ruins the sandwich for me. I appreciate the fresh local ingredients and thoughtful menu. However, I will not spend 10 dollars on a sub-​par sandwich. James street does it better.
I also have spent a lot of time waiting at the downtown spot. And the kitchen is wide open so I can see when people are dragging their feet with making my food. James street– 2 downtown-​0
On the flip side– comfortable atmosphere, that I enjoy sitting in. Also, every person who has rung me up is chipper, helpful, down to earth. hell, some guy complemented my dress out of sheer admiration.(was not hitting on me) sadly, he then preceded to allow the chef to serve me a half assed grilled eggplant.
Another note: Gets a little pricey; creeping up on a 20 dollar lunch if you add soup and a drink to your sandwich. If the food is prepared correctly, I’m willing to spend that much.
My final words: go to James street if you have the option. Eddie is making your egganues, and he is doin it right!

Really yummy. Move-​in day at WWU, so it was nice to have a good lunch. The bread was fantastic. We had the Reuben sandwich and the chophouse salad. Fresh, generous servings, lots of choices on the menu. I only wish we could’ve tasted their cinnamon rolls, but they were sold out. Next time!

I recently came home to Bellingham after a vacation in Italy, home of the world’s best focaccia! And let me just say, Avenue Bread is almost equivalent to what I experienced in Italy. My friend and I visited the downtown location and did not experience the same «sketchiness» that other Unilocalers did. The location was nice, clean and had plenty of seating. They have an excellent selection of hot and cold sandwiches which made it very difficult to choose! I went with the turkey pesto (turkey, provolone, tomato, lettuce, red pepper and pesto on focaccia). The wait was not bad, only about 10 minutes. To my surprise, the sandwich came with chips and a pickle! This was a pleasant surprise because the menu board did not specify this. The turkey was juicy, white meat and very good quality. But my favorite part was the focaccia, fluffy and perfectly salted! My total ended up being about $ 10 for a sandwich but you definitely pay for quantity and quality. I left full and satisfied and will definitely be back. Their breakfast looks amazing!

One star is giving this place way too much credit. They have a sandwich called the Castro, which is just a Cuban sandwich. As a Cuban-​American, this is beyond offensive. They might as well have a Hitler and Bin Laden sandwich. Get a clue.

Got off to a bit of a bumpy start with them because I have a Real Service dog but am not blind. but we got past that bit. and they got educated (by me) on the rules. No problem.
Now, It has become one of my favorite places to have Breakfast. The one guy always remembers my name now. and I appreciate that and his attention to detail. It’s a bit of a chore having the dog and juggling food and coffee, and he remembers to put the danish in a basket instead of on a plate. The rest of the staff is great too, all of them being very helpful, friendly and cheerful.
What I like most is once I’m seated and she is under the counter at the front window, They deliver the remaining food to you when it is ready. Always hot, oozing goodness. and consistently well prepared.
I tend to get a breakfast combo along with a danish of some type. While my coffee is cooling I eat the danish and wait for the «Country» which is one of their «Eggenues» (Egg sandwiches) on rosemary bread (the plain is great too, but the rosemary is a delight).
I am going in other times of day. and working my way through the menu. Great food. all of it so far. Totally enjoying it in a nice atmosphere. great view of the street.

Best cinnamon roll EVER! Great Egganues as well. Their sandwiches are delicious and I think it’s their bread that makes them stand out.

I’ve eaten here a million times over the years and the quality is delicious. It’s worth the price, I’ll just say that right off as it’s on the higher end.
All the
. Eat them all. Plus the breakfast sandwiches (Eggenues) and the pastries. Around Christmas time the bakery case gets crazy with goodness and I really can’t resist it. The Cinnamon Rolls are bomb, plus the scones and a coffee on a rainy PNW day? Perfection. I love the way the downtown location windows get steamy from all the hot bread and cooking inside. The Fairhaven location is cozy and great for a bite after a walk through the historical village. James Street is the largest one in town– and I suggest that’s where you bring groups or family for a bite if you plan to.
Rumor has it that the downtown location is expanding and that they’re going to have a full kitchen and add burgers to the menu. Watch out Bobs — with the quality ingredients they sling here you could be in a burger throw down!
All these Bellingham reviews make me homesick. I can’t wait to be up north and in one of the Avenue Bread & Deli’s again soon!

I work downtown but for some reason I have ignored this gem. Not only is the staff incredibly friendly, the food is amazing! Above and beyond great service! Thank you!

This place has the he best homemade bread sandwiches we have had! My son said I should give it 5 stars, but a very dirty ceiling fan and lukewarm drinking water knocked the rating to 4.75 stars! My wife who is a foodie said the turkey sandwich was the best she has ever had!

Their savory goat cheese pesto roll is the best bread that I have had in ages and I make bread and pizza dough from scratch!

I use to come here once a week, and loved it. I stopped because they kept making my sandwiches with nearly the end of the loaf, which is pretty irritating considering the bread is the most important part of Avenue Bread. After this happened to me four or five times I decided to stop going — not worth spending that much on a sandwich with that little of bread (I would get my sandwiches to go, so I wouldn’t see how little bread was on there until I got home). Was also not thrilled they decided to take away the punch cards because people were forging initials, when they could have just got a shaped hole punch or a stamp like most places. However, there’s a reason I went there so often: the sandwiches are delicious and the employees are really nice.

I give this place a 5 star salute! Whenever I cross the border into the U.S. this place is always my first stop for breakfast or lunch. They’ve never disappointed me. Great service, food and ambiance…

Excellent sandwiches and the best bread in town. Occasionally I enjoy a nice deli sandwich on regular shaped bread, rather than the sub/​hoagie style and it’s increasingly harder to find a good simple, normal sandwich.
This place serves up a fantastic simple sandwich (they also have some wild ones for the adventurous eater). Try it and enjoy… Don’t walk away without a loaf of the Rosemary bread.

Bellyfamous café you say? Look no further then this place. I could rave about the menu too but it’s really just worth taking it all in for yourself. It’s a bit busy at peak times so be prepared to take a long lunch. Be sure to take a loaf home for later don’t miss out on their savory grinders!

This place is awesome! I’ve been a few times to get lunch sandwiches – which have been excellent – but most recently I stopped in a breakfast time and I’ve got to share the good news:
Avenue Bread & Deli has the best square cinnamon rolls in Bellingham!
They also have a delicious-​sounding menu of egg sandwiches for $ 4.50 each. I had to go with the cinnamon roll because good ones are so hard to find, but I can’t wait to come back and have a healthy breakfast sandwich for (less than) $ 5.