Dan and I recently went to one of Columbus’s hidden gems: Scotty’s Cafe. It’s tucked into a small shopping plaza on East Broad Street — easy to miss but impossible to forget.

When I say that you will feel like family here, I truly mean it. We sat down while everyone in this quaint cafe sang “Happy Birthday” to another customer. It felt so natural, as if heartwarming moments are just part of Scotty’s commitment to excellence.

The owners, Scott and Gina, made rounds, checking in on each table to make sure the food was delicious and met expectations. It’s so rare to see this kind of hospitality nowadays, so it was lovely to experience it firsthand.

In fact, when she stopped by our table, Gina told us the story of their famous marinara. Her father used to go into the cafe and make the sauce a few times a week. He has since passed away, but Scott and Gina kept the sauce on the menu in his honor — and it’s still just as delicious!

Now, let’s talk about the meal. I ordered the turkey Reuben with a bowl of tomato basil soup (made with the special marinara).

I’ll be honest: I don’t usually like tomato soup. It reminds me of drinking hot ketchup. (Yuck!) However, Dan insisted that I try it, and I’m so glad I did. When I hit the bottom of my bowl, I found myself using the last of my sandwich to finish every last drop.

Was I surprised? Not really. Scotty’s tomato basil soup is rated #1 here in Ohio and #7 in the country. It’s safe to say that it’s really good. If you’re going to get over an aversion to tomato soup, this is definitely the place to do it.

So, if you find yourself near Bexley — or heck, anywhere in Columbus — stop in at Scott and Gina’s cafe. You won’t be disappointed.