Stunning scenery and a great cup of coffee might be the perfect way to start a Sunday.
If you’re wondering where exactly to do that, wonder no more. Creekside Cafe is a no-frills little coffee shop tucked inside Trapper John’s Canoe Livery, right along Big Darby Creek.
And while the coffee is certainly worth the stop, the setting is what makes this place feel a little different from your average Sunday morning cafe run.
The cafe sits inside a log cabin, complete with a peaceful front porch and porch swing. The whole thing sort of feels like you’ve wandered onto the set of the 1990s Parent Trap, except instead of Lindsay Lohan plotting to reunite her parents, you’re just sitting outside with a cup of coffee listening to the creek.
And while I’d love to run into Lindsay, coffee with a view is not a bad trade.
Years of working in a coffee shop have made me the most boring coffee customer ever. Give me a regular drip coffee and I’m happy.
Luckily, Creekside’s old-fashioned drip coffee did not disappoint. My cup was brewed with Java Jennings beans, and it was exactly the kind of coffee I wanted for a slow Sunday morning: hot, straightforward, and actually delicious.
If you’ve got a sweeter tooth, don’t worry. There are plenty of lattes on the menu, including some very fall-friendly options like an Apple Butter Chai, A Pumpkin Spice latte, and a Spiced Brown Sugar latte.
The cafe also offers locally roasted, freshly ground coffee and fresh-baked goods.
Inside, you can settle into the cozy cabin atmosphere, complete with a vintage wooden duck that I was particularly delighted to find.
But on a nice morning, I’d recommend taking your coffee outside.
There’s a firepit area with benches, along with picnic tables if you’d like to sit down and stay awhile. I took my coffee straight outside and spent some time enjoying the view of the creek, which is really the star of the show here.
It’s easy to look at Big Darby Creek and think, “Oh, pretty creek,” but there’s considerably more going on here.
Big Darby Creek is part of the Big and Little Darby Creek system, both of which are designated State and National Scenic Rivers. The waterways are known for their exceptional natural habitat and biodiversity, and the surrounding Darby watershed is considered one of Central Ohio’s important natural resources.
The National Park Service’s Wild and Scenic Rivers program recognizes rivers with outstanding natural, cultural or recreational values, and Big and Little Darby creeks are among the state-administered rivers in that system.
You can get a pretty good sense of why once you’re actually standing beside the water.
The Darby watershed supports an impressive variety of plants and wildlife, and the creek itself is home to an unusually diverse fish and mussel population. At nearby Battelle Darby Creek Metro Park, the creek winds through forests, wetlands and restored prairies, with more than 7,000 acres of protected parkland surrounding the waterways.
It’s also a place you can actually get out on the water. Trapper John’s offers canoe and kayak trips on Big Darby Creek, including an upper trip that starts at Battelle Darby Creek Metro Park and ends at the livery.
Creekside Cafe isn’t trying to be a destination coffee shop with elaborate interiors or a menu that requires a decoder ring. That’s part of the charm.
It’s a little log cabin beside one of the prettiest waterways in Central Ohio, with good coffee, a porch swing, and plenty of outdoor space to sit and take in the scenery.
Sometimes that’s all you really need on a Sunday morning. Creekside Cafe is located at 7141 London-Groveport Rd. in Grove City. They’re open Monday-Friday from 6:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and Saturday-Sunday from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
For more information about Creekside Cafe and Trapper John’s, visit Trapper John’s Canoe Livery.
