Begin and end your day at Novato’s newest cafe – Trailhead

August 26, 2022
Begin and end your day at Novato’s newest cafe – Trailhead

Looking for a place that offers light meals and coffee by day, and savory sammies and crisp beer by night? Look no further than Trailhead at San Marin’s plaza.

Located at the bottom of Mount Burdell, the new establishment offers an array of delicious treats, meals, and beverages to begin your morning and end your night.

The owners of Finnegan’s Marin, brothers Alex and Henry Hautau, have developed a new concept: “Begin Here. End Here.” Hoping they’ll fill the void of what was once a Starbucks location while adding some night life to the San Marin plaza.

“We wanted to capture that niche, the need for the community, but offer a little bit more,” said General Manager of Trailhead, Patrick Odenthal. “Something that can transition into lunchtime like a glass of wine after tennis at the Rolling Hills fitness club up the hill. Or the teachers nearby can come to unwind and have a beer after their day. There’s a lot of layers here, but this little hub here, you know, the community needed something more.”

Opening at 6 a.m. every day, Trailhead is serving up Marin-based Equator Coffees drip and espresso, matcha, pastries, breakfast sandwiches and burritos. After 11 a.m., the menu rotates to swanky sausages, tri-tip sandwiches, lobster rolls, grilled paninis, organic salads, and grab-and-go snacks. Coffee, however, is poured all day long for those who need a constant caffeine fix. Customers can order at the counter or tableside through a QR code stamped onto all tables.

When you walk in, you’ll notice a refrigerated case filled with beer cans to go. Hyperlocal and regional beer flows from the taps, along with local wine. For those who can’t decide what to drink, ask for a flight of either wine or beer. Need a little something for the kids? Treat them to an Italian Soda, a little sugar buzz never hurt anybody.

Odenthal says he’s connecting with a growing list of local and regional breweries and wineries to find what suits their new customers.

“There are so many amazing tasting rooms and wine labels within 30 miles of us that we can tap into,” Odenthal said. “You can come here and find a beer or wine that you might see at a grocery store where you wouldn’t really take a risk trying something new.”

What’s more important to Odenthal and their staff is finding the right food and drinks for their crowd.

“For example, if this crowd drinks Chardonnay every day then we’ll find some great Chardonnay for them. Or we’ll put two more options out. We just keep a pulse on what people are into here.”

In addition to food and drinks, Trailhead is taking advantage of its location by hosting several types of events. So far, they’ve organized a community bike ride, a running session on Mount Burdell, live music, and a beer tasting series.

“As we keep evolving with our guests, more good things will come,” Odenthal said. “We just want to be able to provide great food and beverages, and a cool place to hang out.”

Trailhead is open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily at 127 San Marin Drive in Novato. For more information, visit the Trailhead Novato website.