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The Scone Witch
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
24 reviews for The Scone Witch
Review Highlights
"Top brunch = Scrambled eggs with mushroom ragout."
(in 7 reviews)
"...even more by their homemade Devon cream and homemade jams."
(in 3 reviews)
"The standout was the amount and quality of the fresh fruit."
(in 4 reviews)
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24 reviews in English
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Review from Emily H.
11/16/2011
How about a story in which the evil, ugly Witch is not the bad guy but an amazing saint who makes the best scones in the world?
I was in Ottawa on a layover and looked up good eats... et voila! Peeps led me to the Scone Witch and they were not lying. The store is super quaint, an unsuspecting random house near the Delta hotels, surrounded by not much else. They were super busy when I went in but the staff were all really nice and helpful. I ordered the smoked salmon one with a side salad to go. Didn't have to wait long.
I went back to my unexciting hotel room to try it. I - kid you not - firmly believe it is one of the most delicious sensations my mouth has ever encountered. The pure joy it brought me made my hotel room feel like rainbows and fluffy clouds. If happiness has a flavour, the Scone Witch has the recipe for it.
This place really redeemed the Canadian capital for me - what a best kept national treasure! My biggest regret: not buying a dozen more scones to take home.
Atmosphere - 5/5
Service - 4/5
Food - 5/5
Price - 5/5Listed in: 30 Day November Challenge!
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Review from Laura R.
1/25/2012 4 photos
These scones were great!! The best I've ever had for sure! Flaky and perfect! I recommend the Vanilla Cream scone with Devon cream & one of their homemade preserves on the side. To die for! I miss it so much!
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Review from Ben B.
Having lived only a few short months in Ottawa, The Scone Witch quickly became a favourite dose of comfort while away from friends and family back on the east coast. It's the kind of place where you can just as easily pop in by yourself with a good book or newspaper, or swing in with great friends for a happy start to the day.
The basic idea is that they bake fresh scones of all different kinds daily, hollow them out, and stuff them full of Awesome - scrambled eggs, cheeses, veggies, meats...you name it, they'll stuff it.
It's perfect for a breakfast that'll fill you up without dragging you down with too much weight. Check it out! -
Review from Paul B.
3/6/2011
After trudging through the Spring rain, ice and snow, the Scone Witch was a lovely little place to arrive at.
It is little, with only 1/2 dozen tables - while we were there, several people had to walk away in disappointment.
One makes one's way to the back to order from a selection of eggs and scones. We went for the brunch - mixing up the toppings and scone.
Everything was great. The scrambled eggs were done with that lovely glisten on them that show them to be newly cooked. The ham was superb, the veggie and goats cheese worked well. The standout was the amount and quality of the fresh fruit. None of that dried up single orange slice - here there was pineapple, blackberry, apple, etc., all with lots of flavour. The Rooiboos tea was a very tasty way to warm up from the rain.
The gal who took our order was a bit grumpy, but because it wasn't table service, it was too much of a problem.
The state of the chairs and the bucket of water hanging on the rad were a bit of distraction, but nothing too unpleasant. -
Review from Elliott M.
Toronto, ON
6/25/2010
A complete accident. I woke up in my hotel room and looked down out the window to see "Scone Witch" painted on a nearby brick wall, which I assumed was vandalism at first, maybe a tag by the leader of some local street gang. I went downstairs and walked over to gang HQ only to discover delicious fresh-baked scones in place of gang members, which was delightful, as they're more buttery and do not shoot bullets into faces.
I liked it so much I visited twice, and can say with confidence that The Scone Witch is a great place for scones, but a poor place to organize crime in your community. The soft decor makes it awkward to plot against enemy turf, and their very satisfying selection of homemade jams are sure to distract from dealing drugs to impressionable children. In particular I recommend a "Meal Witch", which is a trademark scone stuffed with savoury fillings, served with a light salad on a decorative plate. As a senior member of an illegal enterprise, you would surely be killed for enjoying something so elegant, your family suffering for years from the howling mockery of a rival clan.
Finally, many of the goods are available to go, so you could always send in some plainclothes teenage apprentice if you're understandably afraid to be seen inside. The Scone Witch is a fun spot with great food, but nobody wants to die. -
Review from Patty L.
North York, ON
Fantastic little place! The brunch here is wonderful - I'm not sure what they put in their scrambled eggs but they are smooth, creamy and perfect! For $10.50 you get a plate of eggs with a choice of topping (I ordered mustard glazed ham, my friend had sautéed mushrooms, and I don't remember the other choices), some salad and a variety of fresh fruit. We each ordered a scone to round thing out.
The restaurant is very small, with limited seating. When I walked in I was shocked with how warm and stuffy it was - the ceiling fan wasn't enough to circulate the air, but when we sat down and had a couple of glasses of water the temperature became bearable.
As other reviewers have mentioned you walk straight to the back to order. This is where their menu is written up on a big chalkboard. It's a weird location for it since it's not obvious to someone coming in off the street. After you've ordered, you make your way to the cash to pay for your food, grab yourself a glass of water and some cutlery and then to a table (that you hopefully had the sense to throw something on to claim it as yours). When this place get's busy it is BUSY! The good thing is that since it's not that comfortable the turnover rate is quite quick since most people just eat and go. After 12:15 on Saturday the crowds dissipated.
As their name indicates, this place is all about their scones - and they are wonderful! Soft, silky and flavourful, but enhanced even more by their homemade Devon cream and homemade jams. I'll be back again to try out other things on their menu! -
Review from Minh D.
Gatineau, QC
9/12/2010 2 Check-ins Here
The scones here are amazing, not dry like scones you buy at most coffee shops or stores (including Starbucks), they're made fresh, moist and crumbly at the same time.
The sweet ones are great, but so are the savory ones.
If you're not in a rush, sit down and have one of their egg/scone breakfast specials, just awesome.
The one off St-Patrick is a bit tricky to find parking for. -
Review from Danielle F.
Toronto, ON
6/23/2010
YUM.
Having had homemade scones just a few weekends prior to this visit I was confident they would never meet their match. I was wrong! My scone(wich) stood up for itself as an equally delicious and supped up version to any other scone I've encountered.
A sconewich, as I'm sure you can imagine, is a sandwich that uses a scone for the bread. I got the white wine chicken for a filling.
-The feta, savoury scone it came on was surprisingly complementary to flavours of the perfectly cooked chicken, carrot and zucchini in the middle.
-Nice and big side salad!
-The white wine refers to the sauce which was creamier than I anticipated; thinking the white wine might be in a chicken marinade. And that's my only complaint; it was a bit too saucy, making my bottom "bun" wet whenever I put it back on the plate- a personal pet peeve of mine.
The venue is adorable. The staff are friendly. The water jugs are always full. The ordering system is cool. You order at the back like a café, they bring it to you like you're in a restaurant and you pay at the front counter afterwards. It's basically the cutest place you can go and still get the cutest, most delicious, hit-the-spot food.Listed in: O-Town Love
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Review from Nicole B.
Ottawa, ON
10/29/2010 2 photos
Scone Witch on Albert is a great place to meet someone for a lunch break downtown! Go soon to sample one of their excellent pumpkin scones for the fall season.
Staff is friendly and the coffee is good. The scones are nice and buttery. If you go just after lunch hour you will have better luck getting a seat and fast service. -
Review from Ellen C.
4/10/2010
This place makes the best scones in Ottawa. They're not dense or bready, rather, more airy and puffy like a buttery flaky pastry. Scone Witch has a lot of both savory and sweet choices that you can pair either with their homemade jams or even in a 'sconewich'. If you're lucky and you get there early enough, you can even score half a dozen 'day olds' at discount price.
Other than the fact that I found their scrambled eggs a bit watery, brunch (complete with a side salad and fresh fruit) is very enjoyable in this small cute house. A great quiet location that is inconspicuously tucked away in the downtown core. -
Review from Tee Jay R.
Toronto, ON
4/16/2011
I was spoiled by the fresh baked butter-heavy scones at Arizmendi in San Francisco and, ever since, have been unable to stomach the stale wedges of concrete that pass for scones at most coffee shops. So this place knocked my socks off. Their oatmeal scone is one of the best baked goods I've eaten in the past year, and the jam -- though a pricey addition -- is very, very good. They also serve scone sandwiches, although to be frank just the very idea of a ham and egg sconewitch makes my gall bladder hurt.
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Review from Kim B.
ON
10/28/2009
Holy JAM! This place is amazing. I never thought I liked scones because my limited experience with them involved flaky, dry pucks offered at continental breakfasts at the Holiday Inn. But this place makes scones that are flaky, buttery (don't even ask how much butter) and oh so delicious.
I know some of you have commented on the staff being a bit rude, however you must put yourself in their shoes-- eg. Making scones for tourists who refuse to pay in Canadian money during a 30 degree heatwave in front of giant ovens with no AC.
Cut them some slack!
This place is an awesome spot for breakfast (vanilla cream with raspberry jam) or lunch (cream cheese with cucumber and chutney on a herb and onion scone). AMAZING!! -
Review from andrew s.
9/1/2010
Hot, delicious and sweet. It's a little nubbin of funk in Hotel-ville, downtown Ottawa, and well worth the 5 minute walk it took me to get there.
Went by during a heat wave, had egg and ham over a cheddar scone, with coffee, for something like $9, and was served by the sweetest, friendliest Canadians I've ever seen (which, if you've met at least one other Canadian, is saying something). -
Review from Sam G.
Toronto, ON
Updated - 9/20/2009
Was in Ottawa this past weekend so went down to get some take out scones. Though I'm factoring in the 45 min resto-to-mouth lag. Would like to try some fresh. Thinking about trying the bring them home and bake yourself option to have them fresh.
The (available Devonshire) cream would go really well with these scones.
Service was acceptable.
Re the ordering... fyi you go straight to the back when you want take out to the "order here". Don't know what the hell to do if eating in, though I suspect the same.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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9/9/2009
I really wish they had a place like this in Toronto. The scones and scone sandwiches are excellent.… Read more »
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Review from Nathalie G.
Ottawa, ON
9/8/2009
This is my absolute favourite place to have brunch in Ottawa. Not only do they make the most perfect scones - flaky and moist on the inside with a lovely crusty exterior - but they actually sell the much coveted clotted cream (Devonshire). I can't even count how many scone hatters I've converted to The Scone Witch.
Settings are lovely too! Very cozy, English cottage feeling lost in the concrete jungle of downtown Ottawa. Seating area is limited so avoid peak hours at all cost. They do however offer take-away.
Top scone = Vanilla Cream
Top jam = Ginger-rhubarb + Devonshire cream
Top brunch = Scrambled eggs with mushroom ragout -
Review from Vanessa G.
Gatineau, QC
10/23/2008 2 photos
The concept of making breakfast and lunch foods based around the delicious scone is brilliant!
The menu is fairly extensive considering and I have to give them an A+ for creativity. Scrambled eggs stuffed into a scone with fresh fruit and coffee- what a way to start your day! The have both sweet and savory scones as well as other baked goods like their decadent (but not too sweet) brownies.
The location is right in the heart of downtown but I was there after the morning rush and their were ample tables to be had.
There however is a criticism coming and that is the service.... No one greeted us upon arrival and then no one turned up at our table we figured we need to order at the counter. But there are two counters so we need to pass the first counter, go to the back of the room, order then go back to the first counter and pay. All of this could have used a little explanation but the two people working there were some of the least friendly and customer service-oriented people I've encountered in a while.
I was there with my mom and we laughed it off. In fact, I would still go back because the food was so good but nonetheless I thought it was worth a mention. -
Review from Chloe P.
Ottawa, ON
8/25/2010
To die for! My new favourite meal, the Sconewich is here at the Scone Witch. You can have it with a salad or a soup, I opted for the salad and was pretty impressed.
After reading some reviews about the staff, I didn't have an issue at all with them. In fact I found them to be very accommodating and helpful -
Review from Tim C.
Ottawa, ON
12/5/2010
Went for breakfast on Sat AM. No tables so took food to go, but something opened up. Go early for the least rush and least waiting around.
Poached salmon on oatmeal scone was excellent. Orange chai tea was excellent. Blackberry jam was excellent.
Service is some combination of uninterested, friendly, indifferent, and laid back, so I suppose it all evens out in the end.
Recommended! -
Review from Katie D.
Ottawa, ON
4/17/2011
The Scone Witch serves up moist homemade scones, yummy jams, great coffee and a funky low key atmosphere. I love stopping by on weekend mornings before the usual brunch rush. The service friendly but notoriously slow. Don't go here if you are in a hurry.
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Review from Andrew G.
1/18/2010
Scones are a British treat, but they aren't quite right without clotted cream and homemade jam. Fortunately, the Scone Witch has both... and coffee to boot. No espresso though. Nice, indie feel to this downtown storefront.
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Review from Jenn F.
Calgary, AB
5/27/2011
Faced with the prospects of an average predictable hotel breakfast, i decided to venture out to find something more unique and tasty. I ended up sampling both a sweet and savoury scones here and both were delicious. Coffee was good, but I would have loved an americano or latte (no espresso here unfortunately!) Service was passable - not unfriendly, but not exactly friendly either! Anyways it was a nice place to tuck away with a newspaper, coffee, and delightful scone. I will be back next time I'm in Ottawa!
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Review from Archie J.
5/15/2011
Never liked scones until now! I always thought scones as these brick-hard nuggets that tasted bland. The scones here are buttery, moist, and uniquely flavored (i.e. current and ginger is my fav). I like the decor. There's a kinda Indie-Restoration Hardware vibe. Service is friendly or at least helpful (I get smiles most of the time). Prices seem reasonable to me $2.00 for one scone without any toppings, etc. Lots to choose from for breakfast or lunch. This place is soooo good!
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Review from Claudia G.
Ottawa, ON
7/20/2010
A must-visit place for me when I'm in the downtown core. I love their lunch sandwiches, and will often pick up some of their sweet scones and delicious homemade lemon curd for breakfast.
The layout is a bit confusing for first timers, and it's too small for how popular it is so I always get my scones to go. -
Review from bob t.
3/7/2009
I ate there twice recently, and they taught me that I do not know how to make scrambled eggs. these eggs were so good I need to learn how to make them. The scone was good to great. the service was at best relaxed and I could see how some could take offense at it. But, if you were a local, then, they were warmer and generally flexible.
