Review Zoe's - Ottawa

Another excellent Afternoon Tea with my bff to start the summer in style. Attentive service by Nicole. We chose the Creamy Earl Grey black tea and it was brewed just right. Next time, we would ask for two servings of the savoury sandwiches instead of the sweets (that tasted too sweet). The shrimp salad croissants pieces were perfect and my favourite this time. The scones (regular and cherry). Totally recommend for a special occasion.

Had a wonderful afternoon tea experience at Zoe’s! The scones are a must!! It is a safe and relaxing space with delicate vibes. The servers were wonderful and cater to all the details. Thank you for a beautiful experience!

We went for NYE. Beautiful decor, kind staff. There was a DJ playing fun remixes of old songs. The food was all very thoughtful and unique. The NYE dinner was somewhat over priced but that's the way things often go. Would recommend you check it out for a special occasion.

This was our first afternoon tea. Happy to inform you that we experienced perfect service by Josee. They were able to cater to our dietary needs (food allergies) and all trays were presented beautifully with a great tea selection. It was excellent.

So. Much. Fun. The drinks and food were incredible. Pricey, but stunning. A wonderful fancy night out!! For two of us, with one main each, and one drink each, it was around $120 (not including tip). So it's fancy, but given how fancy and gorgeous everything is, it feels like you are getting a lot of bang for your buck! I've paid similar prices at much duller places!

3.5/5 I really enjoyed my experience at Zoe's but I have to mention 3 key points on why it wasn't perfect. 1. 40 min wait. We reserved a table for 1:15 PM, arrived at 1:14 PM and was told to wait as they set up our table. It wasn't until 1:54 pm (a whole 40 min after) did we get to go in. When you book at Zoe's, you are really paying for the experience and buying into a fantasy because it is quite expensive. To have to wait 40 mins even with a reservation was extremely disappointing for what you paid for. I understand that the guests during the 11:15 AM session didn't leave on time but as a restaurant with clear instructions up front that each session is 2 hours, the staff should've stepped in and reminded the guests of their remaining time. I'm glad Zoe's was able to provide us with the full 2 hour session and provided the table a glass of complimentary prosecco, but it really shouldn't had happened as it was a controllable situation. It soured the mood from the start. 2. Poor temperature control We went on a 30C+ day and the inside of the restaurant was just as hot. Because of the windows and the sun, Zoe's was essentially a greenhouse. This should've been taken into consideration as it made the experience extremely uncomfortable, especially when you pair it with hot tea. 3. Food options I enjoyed 99.99% of the food offered but I wished there were more savory dishes and less sweet dishes. I think 2-3 desserts max would've been better. I got sick of the amount of dessert while I craved for more savory dishes. Now onto the positives. 1. Staff The staff members were extremely polite and kind. There was a little incident with our water and the waiter was clearly distressed and sad about what happened. It was hard balancing a full plate of ice water while maneuvering around full table of plates and glasses. To be honest, the ice water really cooled us off (especially in such a hot greenhouse). The service everyone provided made our visited very comfortable. 2. Amazing food I have to say, I didn't expect the food were going to make us full or that I would like all the dishes, but the food was fantastic individually (see point above savory vs sweet). The tea were also very delicious. Our table was able to try all sort of tea. The variety was impeccable. I was glad to be able to try everything from light/refreshing to strong/comforting tea. The star of the meal was the scones with mascarpone cream, and house made strawberry jam. It was absolutely DIVINE. The scones were the perfect balance of butter, salt and flavours. The texture was also spot on, airy not greasy. The mascarpone cream and jam just completely knocked it out of the park. Zoe's REALLY needs to consider selling the mascarpone cream and jam because I would buy a year worth of supply. Overall, I enjoyed the experience. I do recommend everyone to try it once. Although there is room for improvement.

I had an afternoon tea for my birthday and it was a very very nice time. Great interior, great food, and great and kind people. The teas called Something Sweet was very very nice. The afternoon tea sets were delicious, but the too shelf desserts were on the sweeter side. The servers brought a surprise birthday dessert and sang happy birthday song for me, and they were very very sweet :) I’d advise others to visit and have a good time.

Gluten Free: Although it isn’t labelled directly on the menue, the staff are knowledgeable of each items ingredients and can guide you for the days menue selection as to what is safe and what should be avoided. Kid Friendly: We had a little one with us and they treated her so kind and gently. Called her “Princess of the Castle”, walked her to the table infront of us so she could “pick” the Royal spot, and then delivered her meal first because she is, after all, Royal. Wifi: Yes Pro Tip: Reservations we’re not needed, but for large parties, popular times of days and days of weeks, reservations are always recommended.