Peruvian restaurant Cafe Rumba, located in downtown Bellingham, is a unique hub for food, dance and culture. Founded in 2012 by owners Marco Mellet and Antonio Diaz, the restaurant fosters a wide community of college students, residents and visitors.
In the 13 years since Cafe Rumba opened, it has grown in popularity and survived the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Diaz said he chalks this success up to the Bellingham community's loyalty and the original flavors of Peruvian cuisine.
"It's just the novelty of having something south of the border,” Diaz said. “When we first opened, [we were] the only South American spot in town.”
Beyond the food, Cafe Rumba provides a space for new and experienced salsa and bachata dancers to participate in a dance night, hosting a salsa night on the third Saturday of every month at 8:30 p.m. in the main dining room.
Diaz, who is also a professional dancer, co-owns Rumba Northwest, a Latin dance instruction company, with his wife. Together, they have cultivated a community of dancers over the years.
"It fills up pretty fast, and the community comes and dances. And that's the focus – the focus is just dance, share, mingle," Diaz said.
Eleanor McEneaney, president of Western Washington University's Salsa and Bachata Dance Club, shared how Diaz and Cafe Rumba continue to cultivate a dance culture in Bellingham.
"Being able to build off his foundation and be[ing] able to collaborate with him on different events [to] tell people it's not just [a] WWU club here,” McEneaney said, “it just expands your experience as a dancer and is such incredible knowledge that you cannot find anywhere else."
Daniel Quintero, a Western Salsa and Bachata Dance Club member, said he shares similar sentiments about Cafe Rumba and Diaz, and added how Diaz upholds a welcoming atmosphere and is friendly to everyone.
"A lot of people are used to being on their phones and [are] just off, and not engaging with their customers as much,” Qintero said. “It's nice being able to converse with somebody that can see the place and recognizes you're there, and this is for everybody to enjoy."
This welcoming energy from Diaz keeps Cafe Rumba a go-to spot for Bellingham residents, whether it is grabbing lunch on a weekday or a night of dancing, McEneaney said.
"People pass by, and we see them all the time on salsa night, and they duck their heads in, and it's so cool because it's a group of 10 people that have never danced before in their lives. And they come out again and again, or they just have a really fun night," McEneaney said.
This blend of community involvement and extra effort that Diaz brings forth in Cafe Rumba reflects what a successful small business is, said Asche Rider, a certified business advisor from Western's Small Business Development Center.
"Key things that show up with the really successful small business is that they solve a problem for consumers and that they provide an excellent product or service," Rider said.
Along with running two businesses, Diaz also prioritizes giving back to his community through donations or fundraising.
About a year ago, he launched Cafe Rumba Bakery & Bodega — a cafe and store located right next to Cafe Rumba – where he said he hopes to share more of his Peruvian culture with the community.
"This new venture here also is to promote the sweets from Peru and more art and more events, hopefully," said Diaz.
Julieta Larios (she/her) is a city life reporter for The Front this quarter. She is a second-year journalism major on the public relations track. When she is not working on a story, she likes to hangout with her friends and loved ones, take walks around Bellingham, and listen to her favorite podcasts. You can reach her at julietalarios.thefront@gmail.com.
