Whatcom Roundup: Downtown Bellingham restaurant closing, while a new eatery is opening soon

Here’s your weekly roundup of the latest retail, business and restaurant activity in and around Whatcom County:

Taco Lobo closing

Taco Lobo, a Mexican restaurant in downtown Bellingham, will be permanently closing its doors on Saturday, June 29. The closure was announced on Facebook by the owner, Luis Fernando Santos, who wrote “After 25 years I have decided to enjoy the retired life.”

Santos confirmed the closure in a message to The Bellingham Herald, and said he may sell the building or lease it. Taco Lobo is at 117 W Magnolia St. in Bellingham and is open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.

Pepper Sisters closing for summer

Pepper Sisters, a Southwestern restaurant in Bellingham, is taking a “summer hiatus,” according to a June 17 Facebook post.

The restaurant will close on July 1 and has no reopening date. Customers are encouraged to come visit before July 1, and a social media post explains the summer break will give the owners needed time to “greet a new baby, grieve a profound loss, and find our footing moving forward,” the post states.

Pepper Sister is open from 4 to 9 p.m. Sunday, Wednesday and Thursday and from 4 to 9:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday at 1055 N. State St. in Bellingham.

New restaurant makes progress to opening

Mercato delle bontà, a new restaurant planned to open in Bellingham’s Granary building, is making progress to opening, according to a recent Instagram post.

The new restaurant is started by a husband and wife duo who competed on Food Network’s “Cut Throat Kitchen” back in 2017, and promises to bring flavors of Italy, New York City and Greece to Bellingham’s waterfront.

No opening date has been announced, but the restaurant is now hiring its staff, according to an Instagram post.

Mercato delle bontà will be at 1211 Granary Ave. in Bellingham.

Bellingham events, trivia nights and live music

Bellingham is full of local events, markets, festivals and other events during the month of June. Here’s your guide to this month’s events, trivia, live music and more.

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