Cafe Rumba

We visited on our trip out West. Excellent food. Very basic interior but OK. We had a large group so not surprisingly had to wait for a while for our food but it was all hot and delicious. All were happy, kids and adults.

Fantastic pulled pork sandwich. Bread was crisp on outside and soft inside. Need both hands to eat and then a shower as it is wet and messy. Loved it. I will upgrade to a 5 star if next adventure is as positive.

I had no idea this place existed for quite some time, and I’m so happy that a friend took me here for lunch. I had the Butifarra (pork) sandwich which was well constructed and the yam was a very nice touch. The employees were friendly and the restaurant was busy, yet comfortable for the limited capacity.

This is one of those can’t miss spots in Bellingham! As others stated, you need to visit more than once! I had the veggies sandwich with yams, spinach and a delectable sauce. My husband got a bacon and chicken sandwich and was very happy with it, We also tried the passion fruit juice and the cookies and they were all excellent! The service was super upbeat and cheerful and our server gave us all the recommendations we’d need to make a good sandwich choice! No matter your taste, you’ll find a good fit for you!

If you have not been to café rumba before then you need to go. Not only is everything on the menu under ten dollars but the flavor is unbelievable. Like the other reviews I agree the potatoes are good but the truth is the hero here is the bread that they use for these sandwiches. Just the right amount of crunch to chew while remaining light and airy. If a croissant and a buttermilk biscuit had a baby it would be this bread. All the menu items are really good and I have not been disappointed yet. I had the turkey sandwich the last time I was here and you can tell they take the time to make it in house instead of getting some processed turkey from somewhere else. You may have to wait a little longer for your food then ordering from Jim Johns down the street but what you get for the same price puts this place in a whole other league. This place is worth the visit and will keep you coming back for more.

We stopped in for lunch on January 12, 2016. I wasn’t impressed. The service was poor and the sandwiches were mediocre. What I disliked most was the overuse of sauce. Both our sandwiches were so sloppy it took about a dozen napkins while we ate. I had to go to the bathroom to wash off all the grease when I was done. So. .. we gave it a try but we won’t go back.

Wow. This place is the real deal. I was visiting the area for the week and ate here three times. We had the pulled pork and beef tips sandwiches (delicious), quinoa soup (simple and hearty) and the corn side dish (yum). I’m not sure you can order incorrectly here.

This place is good! Any complaints? Yep. Wish you had longer hours, so that I could eat here more often. Fabulous sandwiches — between my family of three we’ve had ‘em all. I’m partial to the vegetarian. We love the potatoes and accompanying sauce. The dulce de leche cookies rolled in coconut are swoon-​worthy. Happiness and a full belly for under $ 10!

My family and I were on our way up to Whistler and knew we’d be ready for lunch around Bellingham. I Unilocaled for some lunch spots and we went here due to the high reviews. We were not disappointed. My mom was so blown away by the sauce on the potatoes that she grilled the staff on the ingredients. I had the Butifarra pork sandwich. Flavor explosion on amazing bread. We walked away full and happy.
And a week later, as we were heading south again, it looked like we’d hit Bellingham at about lunchtime. So we went right back to Rumba. This time I had the Mixto, which was just as good, but with different flavors. This time, we got to chat with the owner for a while, who is a fascinating guy with a surprising background.
I highly recommend this place and will be heading here on the way to and from Whistler again in the future!

Great food and cool people. Having just returned from three weeks in Peru, I can attest to the authenticity of the sauces, the desserts and the chicha morada. The chicha here was actually better than any I had in Peru… My two faves are the Pavo (turkey) sanghueche and the Peruvian eggs benedict — fantastic. Antonio, one of the two owners, is seemingly always there and definitely always friendly. They also sponsor Salsa nights and I am told they are terrific. It is great to have such good food and absolutely different than anything else in town. Peruvian food in the Ham? How cool is that?

This little hole in the wall Peruvian deli is quirky and quaint. The food is unusual and well made. It’s a great spot to dine with friends or on your own. It’s quite popular and gets busy. They have a couple Peruvian desserts that are really delicious and a sauce they put on the potatoes that is kind of a spicy mayo that’s so popular they sell it in small containers for home. You must try this place for the experience and the food.

This is one of the places where I bring out-​of-​town visitors when they visit Bellingham. The full-​flavored plates are pretty un-​replicable and unique. I highly recommend their specialty purple corn drink (trust me on this one). The atmosphere is refreshingly low-​key with indoor/​outdoor seating (outside = dog friendly). Vegetarian options are a hit.

Pretty dang happy to have found this spot! Sooo my sister and brother-​in-​law are always claiming to know the best spots around b-​ham and taking me to them, and they are usually a good authority when it comes to this area. This time though, I decided to use my better judgement and trusted my fellow Unilocalers who rarely steer me wrong! Peruvian food is my new favorite, hands down!
We came here (My fiancé (Indira), sister (Jessica) and brother-​in-​law (Nick)) on a rainy Saturday afternoon, after reading an immense amount of positive reviews and had to see what the fuss was about. We all decided to try the different sanguches; I think that just means sandwich but i’m not too sure. Nick and I both ordered the Butifarra, which is country ham, yam, mixed greens, salsa criollo and aji amarillo ($ 8.00). Indira and Jessica got the Rumba TIP filled with slow-​roasted beef, caramelized onion, mozzarella, house spicy au jus, aji limo ($ 9.00). If you don’t understand some of the ingredients, you’re not alone; there basically Peruvian sauces and salsa’s and are pretty spicy if you don’t like heat. Indira asked for some sauce not as spicy in a side cup for the potatoes that come with each sandwich and for the sanguche itself. I recommend doing that because I like spicy but it was even a bit much for me.
As for drinks, water is free to the left of the cash register and beer is only $ 3.50 a piece, they offer almost 10 different kinds as well, even local breweries.
Staff– Amazing, kind and helpful
Location– Wonderful, downtown
Ambiance– Clean but nothing special
Price– Very reasonable for astonishing foods and nice portions

Fannnntastic. And a great option when you want something a bit different. They just upped their $ 5.99 Thursdays to $ 6.50 or $ 7 but that’s okay by me! Sandwiches have a great spice to them and always have good sauces. The papas with their spicy cream sauce are great too. Cute bright interior. Cups/​glassware sometimes seem a little dirty or smudged, water is warm… but the sandwiches make up for it.

I absolutely loved this little sandwich shop for so many reasons.
1) good food for appropriate prices
2) 6.50 sandwich Thursdays?!
3) agua de pina?!
4) Alfajores?!
They have great waitstaff and a loyalty program card. It’s a little dive-​y but you can tell they want to share their culture by all the signs for dance night, etc.
We actually loved this place so much on the way to Whistler that we stopped on the way back down to Seattle. 2 stops! That means something people!
The first time, my boyfriend got the pulled pork sandwich and I got the turkey. The turkey was good but super spicy. I think I cried a bit but I couldn’t stop eating it! Sandwiches come with Papas con aji which is this spicy, garlic, and mayo based sauce on some simple slices of boiled potato. delicious but not too much as the usual sides of fries can be.
On the second trip, we split a pulled pork again. This sandwich is amazing! I don’t know what they put into it but its saucy and delicious! There are apple slices, onions… some sort of coleslaw… and the best pulled pork. So yummy and I am missing it hard right now. They’ve got beer and veggie options too and I’m bummed I couldn’t come back to try them all… next time!
Highly recommended. We wanted something local and filling for us to stop on our road trip and this place fit the bill so nicely. I can’t say enough great things about this place.

Truly unbelievable food! I would have never expected Peruvian sandwiches to become one of my favorite foods, but it has and Café Rumba has played no small part in that.
I have been here many times and each and every time I get something different. I have yet to be underwhelmed or disappointed with the fare. The prices are very good and the portions are enough to satisfy. The sandwiches come with a side of potatoes with a special spicy sauce on them. I guarantee, if you can take the heat, you will return simply for the sake of the sauce. As of late they are selling their special sauce by itself to take home and use yourself! They do change their menu relatively frequently and have a variety of specials. It is tough to say which dish is my favorite. Literally, I have a hard time pronouncing everything. All joking aside, get anything, you will be satisfied.
The shop is small, can get packed quickly, and is a open cafeteria style (like many places in Bham). The only negative thing I can say is that I wish they were open later, I would be there more often! There is no waiter service, but the employees there are always nice and welcoming.

Fantastic food amazing staff what a gem hope people here in Bellingham appreciate it I’m going to miss it when I head back to San Diego

I arrived at Café Rumba around 3:30, with zero expectations but an appetite for surprise. It’s almost as if the staff read my mind and prepared something extra delicious.
I ordered a pulled beef sandwich of some sort that absolutely blew my mind. After a thorough list of suggestions from the kind waitress, I made my decision on a whim, unable to truly decide upon anything on the display of delicious items.
The beef was tender, the sauce was pungent and the bread was astounding. A collision of perfect flavors to create a symphony of sandwich and gastrological might.
If you want an experience of a lifetime, go to Café Rumba.

Had heard much about this place but had not tried it until recently… wish I had done so sooner! Have tried 2 different sandwiches here and both were amazingly good. I love the spicy sauce they put on the potatoes that come with your sandwich — yum!!! I had the Campesino on my most recent visit and every bite was delicious — couldn’t finish it — it was large and stuffed with ham, cheese, egg etc. Love that they have Inca Cola!

For a delicious Peruvian sandwich, come here. This is a gem located in downtown Bellingham. The décor is basic, and you order up front. They have about 10 different kinds of sandwiches, with a couple of salad choices as well.
We got 3 sandwiches– the Asado de Res– beef pot roast with house marinara and carrots, the Pavo– grilled turkey breast, spinach, huacatay, and salsa criolla, and the Peruano– a vegetarian sandwich with yam, cheese, roasted tomato, avocado, spinach, and aji amarillo.
The girl behind the counter also offered us a small sample of the chicha morada– a purple corn drink, and an agua de piña– pineapple water. I can see these drinks being refreshing during the summer.
We grabbed a seat by the window overlooking the street. Water and utensils are self serve, and they bring the sandwiches to you.
The sandwiches come with slices of potatoes with a aji cream mayo sauce. I really like them; they were a good complement to the sandwiches. I took a bite of the Pavo, and immediately fell in love. The bread was fresh– a little crisp on the outside, but soft on the inside. There was lots of turkey, and even though the salsa was a bit spicy, it went well with the whole sandwich. I took a bit out of the other two sandwiches. The Asado de Res is a hearty sandwich, flavourful and delicious. I really liked the yam in the Peruano, it’s something different.
Of course, to end the meal, I had to get an alfajore. Basically a shortbread cookie with dulce de leche sandwiched in between. It’s what dreams are made of.
I will definitely return to this place and try their other sandwiches, and of course, get another alfajore!

Deliciosos!!! Y el agua de piñà la mejor combinación para el sándwich de pollo campesino!

Una comida mas. Muy rico, siempre¡ este tiempo torta (sanguche)Lima Club con papas con aji. Deliciosa¡ muchas gracias amigos.