Pacha Collective is a lively day-to-night wellness cafe by Green Lake

Have you passed by Green Lake and noticed a vibey VW bus inside a bustling shop?

Welcome to Pacha Collective, a cafe that opened in October 2024 just a block from Seattle's ever-popular Green Lake.

But Pacha is so much more than another eatery—it's an all-day health and wellness cafe that its creators call "a place for health nuts, for nightly meet-ups, for post yoga smoothies and laughs with friends."

Co-founders Zoe Iida and Tim Cluley created Pacha to bring their love of a tropical, holistic lifestyle to Seattle. They founded Pacha on four pillars:

• nutritious food
• body movement
• community play and adventure
• mind and spirit expansion

As an all-day cafe, they have a large menu with a variety of options. A theme throughout their menu is healthful, local foods. Iida notes, "We’ll always strive to have a nutritionally dense and whole foods menu." They use as little processed food as possible. For example, they don’t use any refined sugar in their menu - and love to source as locally as possible. The menu rotates seasonally.

In addition to their coffee, tea and smoothie and juice offerings, their current menu includes a breakfast burrito, whipped ricotta and peach toast, a variety of superfood bowls, and evening tacos. They also have a full bar and happy hour Monday through Friday. Plus, a Locals Menu where everything is $12 and under.

While the owners are proud to present a menu focused on whole ingredients, Pacha's mission goes beyond the menu.

"It’s really a third space" for the community, Iida highlights. "When you come to Pacha, there are so many more ways to be involved in the community than just eating and drinking there."

When they first opened Pacha's doors, Iida and Cluley expected to wait a few months to start offering events, but community members were eager and demand was high for meet-ups and activities. So just three weeks after opening, Pacha began hosting events, such as post-running group meet-ups, afternoons with DJs spinning music, open mic nights, dance classes, and coffee cuppings.

The events are truly community-driven, hosted by and for the community. To host an event, community members simply pitch their idea (that must align with at least one of the four Pacha pillars) to the owners. Check out their events page for ongoing and upcoming events.

"Because of our amazing neighborhood, it's been busy since the beginning. Especially busy on weekends."

Speaking of weekends, they invite visitors to participate in Digital Detox Weekends, asking guests to refrain from using their laptops in the main dining area. As they note online, "Minimal laptop seating is allowed around the perimeter at our waterfall bar and by our cold case. But. we think you should take a break, too."

So what's with the VW bus? That's Samba. She provides the inspiration and aesthetic that sets the tone for Pacha. And best of all, guests are welcome to sit, sip, mingle and connect from right inside Samba, (that is, if she's not already occupied)!

Pacha Collective is located at 7119 Woodlawn Ave. NE, and is open from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday to Friday and 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.

Ellie White is a freelance writer for Seattle Refined.