Joy Robertson takes a trip down Highway 7 to Jasper, Arkansas, where one of the Ozarks’ most surprising gems awaits: Low Gap Café.

Owner Marie Bottini shares the remarkable story of how she and her late husband, Chef Nick Bottini, built a fine-dining destination “in the boonies.” Nick’s world-class culinary chops brought dishes like pan-seared scallops with mango curry cream sauce, house-made pastas, and perfectly seared steaks to a tiny town most people would drive right past. Marie now carries on his legacy with the help of family: her nephews in the kitchen, her granddaughter waiting tables, and Marie herself baking up indulgent desserts like chocolate cake, cobblers, and cheesecakes.

Pull up a chair (and maybe a to-go box, because portions here are big) and hear why Low Gap Café is worth the drive.