Downtown Bellingham is inarguably the heart of our city. In here resides an abundance of small businesses willing to put our their hard work for fellow residents – all of which have their own charm and appeals, unifying us together into a warm cluster.
Regarding locally owned businesses downtown, I’d like to highlight a particular restaurant that I haven’t seen many others cover. Love From London has been on my radar since it’s opening last year in 2025, given it’s backstory and reasoning for being established, along with the unique cuisine not seen often in Bellingham – no less in Whatcom County. It’s not often that you also get to hear from the restaurant owner themselves, so I decided to reach out and get some insight.
With that being said, I want to start off by writing about the purpose of Love from London. In another interview done by King 5 Evening, Ryan himself cites that the business was created after a six-week trip to London and Scotland with his son, Theo, where the two had enjoyed bubble waffles in the city of Chinatown. Even with their enjoyment of the dish, they still gracefully acknowledged Hong Kong as the originator, bringing forth the integration of various cultures into what makes Love from London so charming.
Beyond the origins of the local business comes how they choose to highlight British culture:
Located on 1301 Commercial Street, the interior is a multitude of playful British novelties, such as a red phone booth, a map of Britain hung proudly on the wall, along with a Royal British Guard keeping watch – whose identity is still not known, but votings have taken place on Tiktok and Instagram for the most fitting name. Even the tip jar is of a Elizabeth Regina post box – in honor of the 70-year reign of Queen Elizabeth, as the embroidery of the post office was connected to who was their monarch at the time. Even before you walk inside, there is a display of their signature bubble waffles as a detailed
Alongside the decorations comes their cuisine. Unlike popular beliefs, Love from London’s specialty isn’t just reliant on their appeal of the unique bubble waffle. There’s also plenty of British drinks and candies for sale inside the place, and while we didn’t get any on our trip there, there is definitely something for everyone at Love from London.
Speaking of their food, when we went in January, we had decided upon trying one Bubble Waffle, along with their specialty milkshakes. We got a create-your-own bubble waffle, deciding upon a Vanilla cone with a scoop of strawberry ice cream. Additionally, you are allowed 2 toppings for any size, though we decided upon a regular bubble waffle for $12 with sprinkles and circus animal cookies. Finally, we only decided on getting one sauce, which was the whipped cream, though there is other options, such as a strawberry or peanut butter sauce to drizzle on top. To the touch, it was quite warm, and the bubble waffles practically melted in our mouths as we each took turns dipping it into the strawberry ice cream.
You can also get a similar process done for your milkshake, but we decided to get one of their specialties called Birthday Blitz in a regular size, also coming to around $12. In the milkshake, it contains birthday cake ice cream, sprinkles, and circus animal cookies, swirled together and topped with whipped cream as well. The consistency, thanks to the Edaleen Ice Cream they proudly use, was thick and creamy, and the flavors of the birthday cake ice cream paired nicely with the frosted animal cookies – which were prominent in the taste of the shake.
Just from the amount of detail put into the interior and exterior alone, it is evident where the Love in the name came from – sentimentality and humor in Bellingham is the key for an effective, long-lasting business, that of which Ryan is shaping Love from London to be. When I messaged him, he was very clear and straightforward with some of my questions – even apologizing for his tardiness in getting back to me. You can truly tell he cares about customer satisfaction, given that he was nothing but gracious to me and my curiosity.
Here below were the questions I had asked, along with his answers:
- How big is your team at Love from London?
A small team – total of 5 employees.
- What is the most challenging part about managing Love from London?
Having to learn and deal with being a seasonal business, along with learning what works best on social medias.
- Any advice to future businesses or those aspiring to be in the food industry?
Do your research when starting up.
- Have you decided on a name for the King’s Guard yet?
Not quite yet – but you can go to their Instagram or TikTok and message suggestions there!
- As a business, what values does Love from London uphold?
Upkeeping a friendly attitude, maintaining cleanliness, alongside fun and delicious treats!
- What are the most important aspects of teamwork/contributions to the business?
Staying friendly and looking out for one another – along with working together as a team.
- Finally, what is your favorite Ice Cream OR Milkshake combination?
The Berry Brolly Strawberry Oreo with Raspberry Ripple Ice Cream, with powdered sugar and white chocolate as the toppings.
To end off this article, once again, I’d like to thank Ryan and his team for shaping my experience and many other’s at Love from London, as they are shaping themselves to become a fundamental summer treat spot over the upcoming summer. I can tell that Love from London is going to do great things, and I hope that my own experiences have inspired you to give this local business a shot – it is definitely worth trying!
