Colophon Cafe

I experienced Solo Diner Syndrome for the first time at time at my beloved Colophon today. I first came here when it first opened Circa 1988. Then I went to Seattle for quite a while. By the time I got back to Bellingham it had changed a LOT. But I was happy to see The Colophon was still open and still serving the African peanut soup I love. So I go as often as I can and it has been mostly great but today I experienced Solo Diner Syndrome. Anyone who dines solo has experienced this more than once. You're seated off in a corner and forgotten about. It's a matter of economic calculation on the part of the server. You are not worth their time compared to the potentially more lucrative multi-top. Of course anyone who has had a restaurant gig knows that does not always work out. Sometimes that

Super friendly staff, super cozy environment and really good food. I had the sirachi fries and the French dip sandwich. Everything was seasoned and so delicious. Really appreciate how warm and friendly the staff is too.

The place is dog-friendly, and the food came out quickly. My husband said the French toast was good. The shakshuka was unusual—the flavor was okay, but I couldn’t taste any bell peppers. It was very watery and had the consistency of tomato juice rather than traditional shakshuka. The eggs were nicely prepared but appeared to have been cooked separately.

The staff were all incredibly nice. I came with a party of 7. Our food came out pretty fast and the quality of the food was top notch. It was nice to see a menu where everything was interesting. I ordered the soup flight of three. The split pea was very good. The crowded Chowder was just okay. The clam chowder was just too runny, in my opinion. The African peanut soup was incredible. I also ordered a half turkey sandwich on rye with the cranberry sauce and it was a 10/10. Overall, this place was an easy 5 star just on service and food quality alone. The ambiance of the place felt family friendly.

Love loved the vibes and the food. I was really excited that there was gluten free options, for a lot of their dishes and ability to sub for gluten free options. Food was amazing.