Sweet potato pie and serving the community: Cafe owner shares the secret to her success

BRADDOCK, Pa. – A small town cafe is not only serving up signature sweet potato pies, but serving the community, as well, the owner told Fox News. 

“We were able to bring young people, old people, the police, the whole community together just with our location,” Cheryl Johnson, owner of Aunt Cheryl’s Cafe, told Fox News. “Our location became a spot where people felt comfortable.”

WATCH AUNT CHERYL EXPLAIN THE SECRET TO HER SWEET POTATO PIE: 

WATCH MORE FOX NEWS DIGITAL ORIGINALS HERE

Johnson has been serving the small Pittsburgh suburb for the past five years and is one of the few restaurants in town. The retired social worker-turned-caterer opened her doors to share how her business brings the community together.

“We’re serving the community through food,” Johnson said. “It became a spot where people felt comfortable enough to come here and talk about who they are, where people felt comfortable enough to say ‘I need a meal.'”

“And one of our specialties is our sweet potato pie,” Johnson said before claiming that her sweet potato pie recipe is the best in the country. 

WATCH HOW THEN-MAYOR JOHN FETTERMAN IMPACTED AUNT CHERYL’S CAFE: 

PAULA DEEN REVEALS SECRETS TO PERFECT THANKSGIVING MENU: DEEP FRIED TURKEY, SWEET POTATO PIE AND MORE

“I’ve been all over the country, I’ve tasted from coast to coast: California, Detroit, Philadelphia,” she said. “Our sweet potato pie is the best.”

Johnson refused to give up her tightly held secret ingredients but shared some suggestions on what to add to the Thanksgiving favorite.

“You have to have good potatoes to start with,” Johnson told Fox News. “We put a little bit seasoning, we put a little bit of butter, we put a little bit of sugar.”

“Most important thing that we put in it is we put our hearts in it,” she continued. 

Johnson said the town has rallied around her location.

“We do more than just feed the people,” Johnson said. “We serve the people.”

To watch Johnson’s full interview about her sweet potato pies, click here.