Katalina's Information

The Little Cafe(s) with Lots of Local Goodness™ and Home of The Original Pancake Balls™, Katalina's was founded in 2009 by owner Kathleen Day in the oldest gas station in Columbus. She and her motley crew have delivered breakfast, brunch and lunch daily ever since. The tiny cafe is consistently voted one of Columbus' top breakfast spots. The late, great restaurant critic Josh Ozersky said Katalina's was "proof that local fare doesn't have to be pretentious." Live, Love, Local™! Katalina's Original Pancake Balls™ were selected to represent Ohio in Food Network's "50 States of Pancakes" https://www.foodnetwork.com/restaurants/photos/best-pancakes-in-america Katalina’s, Too! opened in June 2019. Until 2019 and the Covid pandemic, Katalina's saw YTD growth in profit and sales each year. 2021 was its most profitable year ever. After years in the retail fashion insdustry, Kathleen insists on a work-life balance for all her team members, even salaried managers. She prioritizes those values and "making the world better one little bite at a time" through local and organic produce and grains and humane meat. Skeptics say these values cut into her bottom line, yet her profit margin is above the industry average, and employee retention and pay is well above the average restaurant. How does she do it? By maintaining her focus on mission, not money. And proving every day that the two don't have to be mutually exclusive.