I’m the kind of person who’s in line at Starbucks the moment I find out pumpkin spice lattes are back, so you can imagine my delight when I heard that The Window Box Café serves pumpkin spice pancakes. 

Tucked away off Highway 65 is the cheery café, dressed in vibrant yellow with floral curtains and tables graced with eclectically mismatched tablecloths. My husband and I settled into a cozy booth and perused the ample offerings while coffee and water were delivered swiftly. 

I’m always a little worried about getting coffee at Mom and Pop joints (you never know when you’ll be paying Starbucks prices for burnt and stale Folgers), but the coffee really hit the spot. 

The lineup offered everything from an impressive kids’ menu (the Mouse Cakes, complete with Mickey ears, are a favorite) to classics like waffles, steak and eggs, crepes, three-egg omelettes, and both regular and flavored pancakes. 

Pumpkin Spice Pancakes

Despite my aforementioned love for pumpkin spice, I was almost lured away by the Reese’s Peanut Butter Swirl—a chocolate pancake topped with peanut butter sauce and pieces of the delectable candy, but I couldn’t quite sway from my first love.

My husband opted for the corned beef hash and eggs, which came atop a mound of delicious home-fried potatoes with zesty green bell peppers and onions, and a choice of mini pancakes or toast. I can’t even say how many restaurants have corned beef that ends up being an overcooked, dry, salty, stringy mess, but the folks at Window Box have concocted the perfect peppery spice blend and fall-apart tender texture. 

 My pancakes arrived piping hot and chewy with an indulgent cream cheese frosting, toasted pecans and flavors of cinnamon and nutmeg that danced playfully on my palate—resulting in a perfect bite of autumn. The combo came with eggs and bacon, sausage or ham (I opted for the generously portioned and juicy sausage links), which was more than enough food for even the hungriest of diners. 

With those deliciously flavored flapjacks, I may have just found my new favorite fall treat—and my new favorite diner. 

The Window Box Café, 6835 Five Star Boulevard, Rocklin, 916-259-2114