Best Thing I Ate This Week: Pumpkin Spice Smoothie at Kokomo

If Los Angeles influencers are to be believed, people are really flocking to health-good grocery giant Erewhon to spend upwards of $22 on a smoothie (yes, that’s USD). Cue the record scratch. In this economy? I wonder. 

Though we share a coastline, I’m grateful that Vancouver is nothing like L.A. in that regard—but we still do love our specialty drinks, and for me, pumpkin spice anything is no exception. But as whip cream-peaked lattes take over fall drink menus, it’s nice to indulge in a mid-day treat without going overboard on sugar and caffeine. Enter Emily’s (that’s wellness influencer Emily Kierstead) pumpkin spice smoothie ($13) at Kokomo (side note: this vegan eatery chain was a finalist for Best Plant-Based restaurant in last year’s Restaurant Awards).

Creamy and smooth, this vegan smoothie is made with golden-orange pumpkin and banana in an oat base, with just a smack of molasses. Running through the centre of the cup is a rich, sticky river of pumpkin-date “caramel,” giving each sip a natural sweetness that nearly tips it into dessert territory. 

While a certain Seattle-based coffee giant has jumped on the protein bandwagon of late, this smoothie is inherently packed with protein, fibre and immunity-boosting ingredients, and that’s because Kierstead and Kokomo founder Katie Ruddell (who is currently in the midst of selling the long-loved Vancouver plant-based chain) co-developed the recipe to balance fall’s favourite flavours with functional ingredients. Anti-inflammatory turmeric and cinnamon give a zippy taste against plant-based proteins (powder, almond butter) and naturally occuring fats in coconut, banana and pumpkin. The drink’s ingredients also purport to support hormone balance and, at my ripe age of 38—that’s a claim I’m more frequently influenced by when weighing my smoothie options.

As with many fall-based treats, it didn’t take long to sip the whole thing up—and I’m happily influenced to visit Kokomo a couple more times before the fall’s over to re-up on Emily’s pumpkin spice smoothie (available at all four locations).

2028 Vine St., 3435 Commercial St., 3270 Edgemont Blvd. (North Van), 3-121 Brew St. (Port Moody)
heykokomo.ca