Blaine has many trains pass by on its train tracks, but a caboose that has stuck around since the 1980s is known today as The Railway Cafe.
The Railway Cafe at 795 Peace Portal Drive is located inside a 1921 train caboose. Co-owners Vicka and Rodney Haywood have been offering coffee and breakfast staples there since 2018.
“This thing was not a static structure,” Rodney said. “It’s actually built to ride on the rails.”
The restaurant has a patio and outdoor seating with views of Drayton Harbor to supplement its limited indoor seating. The walls inside the wooden box car are lined with sarcastic signs that Vicka says expresses her personality.
“There’s always something here someone can relate to,” Rodney said.
Along with the humorous decorations, Vicka brings a unique culture to Blaine as she grew up in Israel. She was born in Moldova but lived in Israel until 1996.
“I’m bringing flavors to my pastries from the Middle East and the Mediterranean,” Vicka said. “I brought a lot of my background with me.”
She came to the U.S. to visit her brother in Atlanta, where she met her husband-to-be, Rodney, who was in the Navy. When Rodney transferred to Whidbey Island in 2003, the couple decided to settle in Washington.
During a trip to Blaine, they saw the caboose and immediately recognized its potential. A month later, it was for sale and they jumped at the opportunity to be the next tenants of the train car.
The caboose was brought to Blaine by Tony Andrews, owner of the former Tony’s Just A Bite. At first it was a gift shop, but it became a cafe in 2009 under the current owners of Peace Arch City Café.
Since 2018, the Haywoods have been serving breakfast burritos, sandwiches, baked goods, coffee, milkshakes and more.
“We have some awesome food, and we have a killer atmosphere,” Vicka said. “We always use fresh ingredients. We make them to order so they’re not sitting under a heat lamp.”
Restaurant recommendation: Vicka and Rodney recommended readers try the railway club sandwich and any milkshake.
This article is part of a series in The Northern Light highlighting Blaine and Birch Bay restaurants.
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