The Ninety and Nine Cafe in Scottsville is on a mission
CUSTOMERS MIGHT LOVE the flatbread pizzas, salads, sandwiches, soups and homemade pies—but at the Ninety and Nine Cafe in Scottsville, the main course is something deeper. “God gave me a job to do,” says owner Tiffany Jones. “My main goal is to reach people on the streets. Food is a byproduct to people’s hearts.”
Jones opened the restaurant, which is served by Tri-County Electric, on Oct. 22. She sees her business as an opportunity to care for others, no matter their situation in life or their ability to pay. She’s equally likely to pull up a chair and ask locals about their day, stop by out-of-towners’ tables to explain the restaurant’s name or cook a free meal for someone in need.
Ninety and Nine, if you haven’t guessed, is a reference to Jesus’ parable of the lost sheep. “Our motto on our shirts is ‘I was the one,’” Jones says. “We were all ‘the one’ at some point.”
In addition to serving day-to-day customers, the restaurant is now the host site for Care Village, a monthly community event offering free hot meals, as well as supplies like coats, socks and sleeping bags. Jones created Care Village with the help of a friend, Hannah Brooks, who is executive director of Heart of Scottsville, and she credits its success to the unwavering support of her church, her husband, Josh, and other family members.
Beyond the breakfast fruit and yogurt parfaits, the fresh deli sandwiches and the always-popular fettuccine alfredo, Jones’ greater mission is never far from her thoughts. You can hear it in the way she answers the phone—“This is the Ninety and Nine Cafe. I was the one.”
Located at 135 E. Main St. in Scottsville, The Ninety and Nine Cafe is open Monday–Friday, 8 a.m.–4 p.m.
