There’s a new cafe in town that will make you feel sunny even on a grey or cold day. The very recently opened Pathfinder Cafe is located on the South Hill right across the street from Manito Tap house and Republic Pi. Our family of 5 enjoyed a lovely little outing a couple weekends ago and visiting Pathfinder for the first time was top priority. I met and connected through creative circles with owner, Sarah, almost 2 years ago. Seeing how her entrepreneurial journey has unfolded and being able to see in person what was once a dream of hers was so so special. The cafe space itself is truly one of the cheeriest in all of Spokane. It’s inviting and bright, there’s an entire wall that is sunshine yellow, you just can’t help but feel happy and at ease when visiting this lovely little cafe.

When visiting a new place it’s always hard to decide on the very first menu items that we want to try. After studying the menu, yes we literally study menus, we selected several items. Their “tropics” smoothie was calling our names, we absolutely LOVED it! I would love drink this smoothie every day for the rest of my life. We love the Hawaiian islands, we’ve been to Maui and Kauai and are always dreaming about going back so to us this smoothie transported us back over to Hawaii. We also enjoyed a slice of their avocado toast which was delicious and simple just as it should be. The menu item that we were most surprised to thoroughly enjoy was their golden turmeric latte, it was truly all kinds of golden goodness. Sarah also loves their Tumeric golden latte which she describes as “healing love in a cup”. I agree with this description and can personally attest to this. We loved the substance it had to it and how it made us feel like we were putting so much goodness into our bodies, reality is we really were. Pathfinder is planning on selling their golden latte mix (that’s all mixed together with love by them) for those who would like to be able to make this delicious and comforting drink at home.

When I asked Sarah what her 3 favorite items on the menu are this is what she had to say, 1. Avocado toast. 2. Matcha and 3. The berry acai bowl. Sarah loves to add spinach and swap out almond butter for peanut butter, she says it tastes like a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. One of the best parts about the smoothies and smoothie bowls at Pathfinder is that they are very customizable. You can swap out a banana for avocado for instance to still get that creaminess, or if you would like to keep your glycemic index lower you can swap out certain smoothie components for frozen cauliflower. Pathfinder also offers a variety of super food add ins and adaptogens that can be added to many of the menu items. Curious what an adaptogen is? Simply put adaptogens are unique plants or herbs that help your adrenal system.

Pathfinder strongly believes in supporting local so they work with and feature the following local businesses at their cafe: Glorious bread, Doma coffee, Spiceology, Petit Chat village bakery, Winterwoods tea company, Linc foods, Bare culture kombucha and Charlie's produce. They continue to be on the lookout for other local businesses to work in order to be able to offer more to their customers. They will begin doing a spotlight on local coffee roasters which will take place on a monthly basis, their plan is to start this in February. Part of the mission of Pathfinder is to be sustainable, "squeeky green" as Sarah jokes. One of the ways that they implement this philosophy on a practical level is through the creation of a little program that helps help cut down on waste. If/when you forgo take out packaging (cups, lids, bowls etc), you’ll receive a token that represents the 10 cents saved. The token can then be placed in one of three jars that are set up at the cafe, each of the jars represents a local non-profits. Once the jars are filled Pathfinder Cafe will donate the funds to that specific local organization. What a great way to cut down waste and support a good cause!

Here is the official Mission statement of Pathfinder:

“As cyclists, we love the the camaraderie, friendship and fun found in a group ride, we know the power of a hot cup of coffee before hitting the road or trail, we understand the need for healthy food to fuel our bodies, and crave the post ride community where we can rest our legs, fill our bellies, sip a cold one, and hang out with friends for a little R&R. Our cafe was created by cyclists for cyclists and for EVERYONE who appreciates great coffee, healthy eats, delish treats, good beer and a friendly, relaxed, come as you are environment to meet, share, and connect. We are a local company. Our food and beverage menu items are locally sourced and organic when possible. We believe in food for all! Gluten-free, Grain-free and Vegan friendly items will always be provided on our menu. We are committed to the environment. Help us cut down on waste, take a load off, and enjoy a coffee in a real cup. We’ll make you glad you did!”

They are absolutely right, visiting Pathfinder will make you very glad you did.

So treat yourself and give them a visit soon. Enjoy your time and expect to leave with a full heart and tummy.

Pathfinder Cafe is located at 3026 S Grand Blvd. Spokane, WA 99203

Current Hours Monday through Saturday 7am-6pm