Columbus ‘hidden gem’ restaurant has a new name and new owners
A new owner has changed a “hidden gem” of a restaurant in Columbus.
New tenants have moved into the former Midtown Cafe, formerly named Midtown Cafe and Bakery, at 2357 Warm Springs Road. Signage for Sandy’s Cafe has been placed over the front door.
The restaurant is considered a hidden gem because the entrance isn’t visible from the street; it’s in the back of the Midtown Office & Storage building, a former BlueCross BlueShield office.
Sandy’s Cafe serves a variety of breakfast and lunch dishes, including sandwiches, salads and pastries, according to the website.
It’s open from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Mondays through Fridays. The restaurant serves breakfast from 7 a.m. to 10:30 a.m, and lunch from 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Representatives from Sandy’s Cafe did not respond to the Ledger-Enquirer’s request for comment.
What happened to Midtown Cafe and Bakery?
In September, a sign was posted on the front door of Midtown Cafe announcing a sudden closure due to staffing issues.
During an interview in November, Midtown Cafe owner Perry Buck confirmed to the Ledger-Enquirer those issues were resolved.
“We’re rebuilding our business,” Buck said. “It’s kind of like starting over.”
Buck said he hired an entirely new staff of two full-time employees and one part-time employee. The new team was working to streamline the cooking process to suit customers with busier schedules and shorter lunch breaks.
“We’re on a learning curve of trying to get people to call down orders and texting them when it’s ready to pick up,” Buck said.
Buck did not respond to the Ledger-Enquirer’s request for comment regarding the second closure of his business.